Music 1

Melody

The main tune or musical line.

Disjunct

A melody that moves mainly by leaps and skips.

Cadence

A musical ending or resting point.

Meter

The organization of beats into regular groups.

Tempo

The speed of the music.

Consonance

A combination of sounds that is stable and pleasing.

Major

A scale or key with a bright or happy sound.

Chromatic

Using notes outside the notes of the main key or scale.

Monophony

Music with one melodic line and no harmony.

Counterpoint

The combination of two or more independent melodic lines.

Crescendo

A gradual increase in volume.

Soprano

The highest female singing voice.

Bass

The lowest male singing voice.

Brass

A family of instruments made of metal that produce sound by buzzing the lips.

Style

The distinctive way music is performed or composed.

Context

The circumstances or background surrounding a piece of music.

Contour

The overall shape or direction of a melody.

Range

The distance between the highest and lowest notes.

Rhythm

The pattern of long and short sounds and silences.

Measure

A group of beats organized by a meter.

Harmony

The combination of different notes played or sung at the same time.

Dissonance

A combination of sounds that is tense or unstable.

Minor

A scale or key that often has a darker or sadder sound.

Tonic

The first and most important note of a scale or key.

Homophony

Music with one main melody supported by chords or harmony.

Imitation

When one musical part repeats or closely copies another part.

Decrescendo

A gradual decrease in volume.

Alto

A female singing voice lower than soprano.

Strings

A family of instruments that produce sound with vibrating strings.

Percussion

A family of instruments played by striking, shaking, or scraping.

Genre

A category or type of music.

Conjunct

A melody that moves mainly by small steps.

Phrase

A musical idea that forms a complete musical thought.

Beat

The steady pulse of music.

Syncopation

Emphasis placed on normally weak beats or offbeats.

Chord

Three or more different notes played at the same time.

Scale

A series of notes arranged in ascending or descending order.

Diatonic

Using only the notes belonging to a particular scale or key.

Texture

The way melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic parts are combined in music.

Polyphony

Music with two or more independent melodic lines sounding together.

Dynamics

The loudness or softness of music.

Timbre

The distinctive quality or tone color of a sound.

Tenor

A male singing voice higher than bass.

Woodwinds

A family of instruments that produce sound by blowing air through them.

Keyboard

A family of instruments played using a set of keys.

Function

The role or purpose a musical element has within a piece.