GCSE MUSIC MELODY KEY TERMS

Anacrusis

upbeat

Conjunct

notes that move in steps

Disjunct

notes that move in leaps

Arpeggio / broken chord

Notes of a chord played individually

Scalic

Melody that is made up of notes that follow the order of a particular scale

Low pitch

the lower sounding notes

High pitch

The higher sounding notes

Range

span of pitches on an instrument

Sequence

repetition of an idea in the same part at a higher/lower pitch

Repetition

The restatement of a motif

Contrast

When there is a difference in the music (e.g. melodic contrast, rhythmic contrast, harmonic contrast)

Leitmotif

A musical idea associated with a person, place, object, feeling or idea

Motif

A short music idea, melodic or rhythmic

Intervals

The distance between two notes

Inversion

Changing a melodic idea by turning it upside down, back to front

Octave

the same note in a higher/lower pitch

Chromatic movement

When the melodic movement is in semitones, like part of the chromatic scale

Pentatonic

A five-note scale, commonly used in folk music and pop/rock

Blue notes

The flattened notes in a blues scale

ornamentation

Decorations to a melody

Countermelody

This is an extra melody played the same time as the main theme

Fanfare

short musical flourish that is typically played by trumpets or other brass instruments, often accompanied by percussion

thematic

The thematic material means the main musical idea – the important melody in a piece of music.

Answering phrase

A second phrase of music, which ‘answers’ the first phrase of music making it sound complete.

appoggiatura

a grace note which delays the next note of the melody, taking half or more of its written time value

acciaccatura

a grace note performed as quickly as possible before an essential note of a melody.