MUGN 308 Vocab Quiz 1

allegro

tempo marking indicating fast

harmony

the combination of simultaneous musical notes or frequencies

alto

the 2nd highest voice in traditional four voice music notation (italian)

andante

tempo marking indicating “walking pace” or moderate - slower than allegro (italian)

bass

the lowest voice in traditional four voice music notation (italian)

bpm

tempo markings are indicated in beats per minute

form

the overall structure or plan of a piece of music - describes the layout of a composition as divided into sections

forte

a dynamic marking in notated music indicating loud (italian)

half step

synonym for semitone

instrumentation

the variety and/or combinations of instruments used to perform a piece

interval

the distance between two notes (measured in semitones in western music)

lento

a tempo indication meaning very slow (italian)

major key

a tonal or harmonic center emphasized from the third scale degree being one whole step above the second

mezzo forte

a dynamic marking in notated music indicating a moderate volume

minor key

a tonal or harmonic center emphasized from the third scale degree being one semitone above the second

octave

a series of eight notes occupying the interval between (and including) two notes, one having twice or half the frequency of vibration of the other

piano

a dynamic marking in notated sheet music indication soft (italian)

pitch

the quality of a sound governed by the rate of vibrations producing it; the degree of highness or lowness of a tone

rhythm

the systematic arrangement of musical sounds, principally according to duration and periodic stress

semitone

in western music, the smallest distance between two notes - one-twelfth of an octave

soprano

the highest voice in traditional four voice music notation (italian)

tempo

the speed at which a passage of music is or should be played - usually measured in beats per minute

tenor

the 2nd lowest voice in tradition four voice music notation (italian)

timbre

the qualities of a sound that allow the listener to differentiate it from others - the unique tone or color of a sound

triad

in western music, a set of three notes where each is a third away from the next

whole step

musical interval comprised of two semitones - aka whole tone - difference in pitch is one-sixth of an octave

chromatic scale

a scale of twelve notes (ascending or descending), each a semitone away from the next

compound meter

the beat is divided into three

duple

the measure is divided into two

meter

defines the rhythmic pattern of a measure by creating theoretical divisions of notes or beats - specified by time signature

rest

notated silence in sheet music

time signature

a label to identify specific meters usually represented by a top and bottom number

triple

a meter where the measure is divided by three

simple meter

the beat is divided into two

whole tone scale

scale made of six notes each a whole step away from the next