Music Theory Review Flashcards

Flashcards generated from lecture notes on music theory covering topics such as solfege, scales, chord progressions, and voice leading.

Guido of Arezzo

Benedictine monk and music theorist who developed an early form of solfège in the 11th century.

Ut Queant Laxis

Latin hymn from which Guido of Arezzo derived the syllables for solfège.

Solfege Syllables (Original)

Ut, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La (from the hymn Ut Queant Laxis)

Later Additions to Solfege

The syllable 'Si' was added, and 'Ut' evolved into 'Do'.

Purpose of Solfege

To help singers learn and memorize melodies more easily, especially those unable to read music notation.

Moving Do (Major)

do re mi fa so la ti do, with do as the tonic.

Moving Do (Minor - Natural)

la ti do re mi fa so la, with la as the tonic.

Moving Do (Minor - Harmonic)

la ti do re mi fa si la, with 'si' raised.

Moving Do (Minor - Melodic)

la ti do re mi fi si la ascending, la so fa mi re do ti la descending.

Order of Flats

B E A D G C F (Scale order for flats)

Finding the Key with Flats

The second to last flat in the key signature is the key you are in.

Order of Sharps

F C G D A E B (Fat Cats Go Down Allies Eating Baby's)

Finding the Key with Sharps

One letter after the last sharp in the order of sharps (FCGDAEB) is the key you are in.

Relative Minor

Found on the 6th scale degree (la) of the major scale or going back two letter names.

Parallel Minor

Same tonic as the major key (e.g., C Major and c minor).

Pentatonic Scale (Major)

Do Re Mi So La

Pentatonic Scale (Minor)

La Do Re Mi So

Whole Tone Scale

Scale composed entirely of whole steps; sounds like a 'dream sequence'.

Chromatic Scale

Includes all notes in Western tonality (all half steps).

Time Signature

Top number indicates beats per measure, bottom number indicates note value that receives one beat.

Simple Time Signature

Divisible by 2. Examples: 2/4 (simple duple), 3/4 (simple triple), 4/4 (simple quadruple).

Compound Time Signature

Divisible by 3. Examples: 6/8 (compound duple), 9/8 (compound triple), 12/8 (compound quadruple).

Fp

Forte piano - Loud, then immediately soft.

sfz (sforzando)

A sudden strong emphasis on a single note or chord.

Sfp (sforzando piano)

Sudden accent followed by a soft dynamic.

Subito Piano (sub p)

Suddenly soft.

Subito Forte (sub f)

Suddenly loud.

Tanuto

Full note value/ 100% / touching. ( — )

Staccato

50% note value ( . )

Legato

75% note value aka long lift ( I can’t make it but yk what it looks like 🤪

Marcatto

Accented staccato ( ^ )

Accent

Firmer articulation/ more tongue 👁 👅 👁 ( > )

Conjunct

Step-wise motion.

Disjunct

Motion with many skips.

Interval Inversions

m2

Diminished Interval

One semitone smaller than minor or perfect interval.

Augmented Interval

One semitone larger than major or perfect interval.

Compound Interval

An interval larger than an octave.

Triad Construction

1, 3, 5; the 3rd determines major or minor, the 5th determines diminished or augmented.

7th Chord Construction

1, 3, 5, 7

Major 7th Chord

Major triad with a Major 7th.

Dominant 7th Chord

Major triad with a minor 7th.

minor 7th Chord

minor triad with a minor 7th.

Half-Diminished 7th Chord

Diminished triad with a minor 7th

Full-Diminished 7th Chord

Diminished triad with a diminished 7th

Chordal 7th Resolution

Fa resolves to Mi (down), Ti resolves to Do (up).

Contrary Motion

One voice moves up while the other moves down, creating balance and independence.

Oblique Motion

One voice stays on the same note while the other moves, providing stability.

Parallel Motion

Voices move in the same direction by the same interval; use cautiously to avoid weakening harmonic independence, primarily avoid 5ths and octaves

Similar Motion

Voices move in the same direction by different intervals; creates continuity without rigid parallelism.

Conclusive Cadence

Ends on the tonic (do).

Authentic Cadence (AC)

V-I (5-1).

Perfect Authentic Cadence (PAC)

V-I (Both chords in root position, and the soprano voice ends on the tonic).

Imperfect Authentic Cadence (IAC)

V-I (Either chords are not in root position, or the soprano voice does not end on the tonic.)

Plagal Cadence

IV-I (4-1, sounds like AMEN 🙏 😇), often found in church music.

Inconclusive Cadence

Does not end on the tonic (do).

Deceptive Cadence

V-vi (5-6), adds moodiness.

Half Cadence

Ends on V (5), wants to resolve to I (1).

Passing Tone

Non-chord tone connecting two chord tones by stepwise motion.

Neighbor Tone

Non-chord tone that steps away from and back to a chord tone (upper or lower).

Appoggiatura

Non-chord tone approached by a leap and resolved by a step to a chord tone.

Escape Tone (ET)

Non-chord tone approached by step from a chord tone and resolved by a leap in the opposite direction.

Anticipation (ANT)

Non-chord tone played before it is officially part of the next chord.

Suspension (SUS)

Non-chord tone held over from the previous chord and resolved down by step to a chord tone in the next chord.

Retardation

Non-chord tone similar to a suspension, but resolves upward by step.

Monophonic Texture

Single melodic line without any accompanying harmony or chords.

Homophonic Texture

Main melody accompanied by chords or harmonic support; melody is the focus.

Polyphonic Texture

Multiple parts of equal importance; multiple independent melodies occurring simultaneously (counterpoint).

Timbre

The color or tone quality of an instrument or voice.

Pedal Point

A sustained note, typically in the bass, over changing harmonies (like a drone).

ii6 Chord (Major)

Functions as a pre-dominant harmony, typically resolving to V or I; provides smooth voice leading. In first inversion with the 3rd in the bass.

iiº Chord (minor)

A diminished triad built on the second scale degree. Functions primarily as a pre-dominant harmony, typically resolving to V or I.

VI Chord

The submediant plays an important role in supporting and contracting the tonic.

Secondary Dominant

Chord that temporarily functions as the dominant (V) of a chord other than the tonic (V of X).

V7 of V

The dominant seventh chord of the dominant (V); resolves to the V chord.

V7 of ii

The dominant seventh chord of the ii (minor) chord; resolves to the ii chord.

V7 of IV

The dominant seventh chord of the IV chord; resolves to the IV chord.

V7 of vi

The dominant seventh chord of the vi chord; resolves to the vi chord.

Motif

Repeated musical idea or phrase.

Motivic Sequence

Repeating a motif moving it up or down a step (same intervals but moving up).

Motivic Inversion

Repeating a motif but turning it upside down, inverting the intervals.

Diminution

Make the rhythm smaller in time, double time it.

Augmentation

Make the rhythm longer or larger.

Parallel Fifths and Octaves

Avoid in traditional voice leading; reduce independence of voices and weaken harmonic progression.

Proper Spacing Between Voices

Soprano and Alto (within an octave), Alto and Tenor (within an octave), Tenor and Bass (within a tenth or twelfth).

Smooth Voice Leading

Favor stepwise motion, especially in inner voices (alto and tenor); avoid leaps of more than a fifth when possible.

Voice Independence

Each voice should have its own independent melodic line; inner voices (alto and tenor) should have some independent movement.

Consonant Intervals

Thirds, sixths, perfect fifths, perfect octaves; generally the foundation of the harmony.

Dissonant Intervals

Seconds, sevenths, diminished and augmented intervals; use sparingly and resolve by step to consonant intervals.

Doubling in Triads

The root is often doubled, particularly in root position; the third can be doubled in first inversion, least likely to double the fifth.

Cross-Relations (Chromatic Alterations)

Should be handled carefully to avoid jarring harmonic shifts

Suspensions and Retardations

Create tension and are resolved by stepwise motion. Suspensions resolve downward, retardations resolve upward.

Anticipations

Do not create tension but instead preemptively introduce a note from the next chord, typically without the need for a resolution.