AP Music Theory vocabulary list

Cadence

Ending of a musical phrase

Cadential extention

Extension of a cadence using the same chords

Coda

Closing musical material, not included in the main idea.

Codetta

A small coda

Contour

Shape of a melody

Countermelody

Melody that is equally important to the main melody; usually provides consonace

Elision

One phrase connecting to the other

Fragment

Part of a motive

Introduction

A preparatory movement, usually in a slow tempo to introduce a larger composition. The term is chiefly applied to Classical and Romantic music, but is not exclusively applicable to those eras.

Bridge

Connects the B and A section

Chorus

A group of people singing a song, usually with multiple parts, together.

The main tune.

Song Form (AABA, ABA, ABA', etc.)

The form a song is in.

Turnaround

Gets you back to the beginning

Twelve-bar blues

I,I,I,I,IV,IV,I,I,V,V,IV,IV,I

Augmentation

When the notes in a melody are increased, generally by half, in value. Antonym: Diminution

Conjunct

Stepwise melodic motion

Diminution

When a melody played in such a way that the time value of every note is shortened, generally halved, in value. Its antonym is ' augmentation'

Disjunct

Melodic motion in intervals larger than a 2nd

Extended version

wat

Fragmentation

When part of the song is broken into parts

Internal expansion

Expands beyond expect phrase length

Inversion, Melodic inversion

When you take one of the upper notes of a chord or interval and take the notes bellow it and put them on top.

Literal Repetition

When sequences are repeated exactly.

Motivic repetition

When the rhythmic theme is changed

Octave displacement

Taking a melodic line and moving the notes to a different octave

Retrograde

Backwards modulation

Rhythmic transformation

rhythm changes

Sequence

pitch and rhythmic pattern, repeated and different pitch levels

Sequential repetition

A sequence that repeats

Shortened version

When a song is shortened

Transposition

Change of key in the entire work

Truncation

To shorten, fragment

Motive

Smallest musical idea

Antecedent

The "Call" in a call and response

Consequent

The "Response" in a call and response

Contrasting period

When two phrases begin different

Double period

2 periods put together

Parallel period

When two phrases begin the same

Repeated period

Exact repetition

Phrase group

Group of phrases that seem to belong together without forming a period

Refrain

Similar to a Chorus; the main tune

Binary small form

Movement with two main sections (AB)

Rounded binary small form

A B1/2 A

Ternary

Statement, contrast, return (ABA)

Solo, Soli

Group of soloists

Stanza

Different verses

Strophic

Music repeats, lyrics change

Theme

Main idea of the song, what it's about

Thematic transformation

When the theme changes in the song

Throuhg-composed

No form

Tutti

All, everyone

Variation

Material is altered during repetition

Capital roman numerals

Indicate major triads

Lowercase roman numerals

Indicate minor triads

Capital roman numeral with *

Augmented triad

Lowercase roman numeral with °

Diminished triad

Arabic numerals or figured bass numerals do what?

Denote intervals above the bass and hence indirectly indicate chord inversion. Arabic numerals may indicate voice leading and/or nonharmonic tones.

Figured Bass 6

Inidicates first inversion triad (third on bottom)

figured bass 6/4

indicates second inversion triad (5th on bottom)

Figured bass 7

Indicated root position seventh chord (root on bottom)

figured bass °7

Fully diminished seventh chord (diminished triad with minor third on top)

figured bass ø7

Half diminished seventh chord (diminished triad with major third on top)

figured bass 6/5

first inversion seventh chord (3rd on the bottom)

figured bass 4/3

second inversion seventh chord (5th on the bottom)

figured bass 4/2

third inversion seventh chord (7th on the bottom)

figured bass 8-7

suspension where the 8 moves to the seven

9-8. 7-6, 4-3 figured bass

All indicate suspension and a melodic resolution

accidental before Arabic numeral

alteration of an interval

a slash through one of the arabic numerals or a plus after the arabic numeral

indicates that the note creating the interval in question is raised a half step

imperfect authentic cadence

must end on I chord

perfect authentic cadence

V to I; in root position; melody ends on tonic

conclusive cadence

cadence ends on tonic triad

deceptive cadence

V to vi

half cadence

ends on V

Phrygian half cadence

iv6 to V/V7

inconclusive cadence

ends in something other than the tonic chord

Plagal

IV to I

Augmented triad (*)

two major thirds make up the triad

diminished triad (°)

Two minor triads make up the triad

Major triad (M)

a major then a minor third makes up the triad

Minor triad (m)

a minor then a major third makes up the triad

Major seventh chord (

Major triad with major third on top

dominant seventh chord

a major triad with a minor third on top

minor seventh chord

minor triad with minor third on top

Half diminished seventh chord

diminished triad with major third on top

fully diminished seventh chord

diminished triad with minor third on top

Tonic

first scale degree

supertonic

second scale degree

mediant

third scale degree

subdominant

fourth scale degree

dominant

fifth scale degree

submediant

sixth scale degree

subtonic

whole step bellow the tonic

leading tone

half step below tonic

tonic function

ha

dominant function

leads to tonic, sets up half cadence

predominant function

sets up dominant tonic tonailities

Circle of fifths

keys or tonalities ordered by ascending (for sharp keys) or descending (for flat keys) intervals of a fifth

deceptive progression

The root of a secondary dominant can move up stepwise in its own deceptive progression

Harmonic rhythm

The rate of chord change, or the series of durational patterns formed by the chord changes in a musical work.