AP Music Theory Masterlist

Mr. Ornelas' Vocabulary

Conjunct

Melody is stepwise

Disjunct

Melody uses skips and leaps

Tonic Function Chords

Chords 1 and 6

Tonic Prolongation Chords

Chords 3 and 6, OPTIONAL

Pre-Dominant Chords

Chords 2 and 4, OPTIONAL

Dominant Chords

Chords 5 and 7, 7 being rarely used

Anacrusis/Pick-up Note

Starts on an off-beats

Melodic Variation Techniques (MVT)

Inversion, Retrograde, Augmentation, Diminution

Inversion (MVT)

Upside down

Retrograde (MVT)

flip the first and last notes

Augmentation (MVT)

Extends, doubles the time

Diminution (MVT)

Shortens, halves the time

Retrograde Inversion (MVT)

Upside down and flipped first and last notes

Expansion (MVT)

Adds new material to the end

Mode Mixture/Borrowed Chords

Taking a chord from a different key (usually from a parallel key)

Mode Types

Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian and Locrian. (I Don't Particularly Like Modes A Lot

Ionian

Major (Same as major scale)

Dorian

Minor with a raised 6

Phrygian

Minor with a lowered 2

Lydian

Major with a raised 4

Mixolydian

Major with a lowered 7

Aeolian

Minor (Same as minor scale)

Locrian

Minor/Diminished with lowered 2 and 5

Melodic Motion Types

In the Bass and Soprano, Static, Contrary, Parallel, Oblique, Similar

Static Motion

The Soprano and Bass do not move

Parallel Motion

The Soprano and Bass move in exact intervals

Oblique Motion

The Soprano or Bass does not move, the other voice part moves.

Contrary Motion

The Soprano and Bass move in opposite directions.

Similar Motion

The Soprano and Bass move the same way, not exact.

Texture

How the voices overlap; Monophony, Polyphonic, Homophony

Monophony Texture

One melodic line, similar to a chant

Polyphonic Texture

Different pitches and different rhythms

Homophony Texture

Same rhythms, different pitches. Similar to four-part writing.

Pizzicato

Plucked

Arco

Bowed

Counter Melody

A second melody that compliments the first melody.

Imitation

One voice part imitates another either in pitch, rhythm, or both.

Canon/Round

Exact Imitation

Fugue

A polyphonic style of counterpoint where the secondary voice enters in a different key.  Made famous by Bach. Includes imitation.

Sequence

When a melodic figure repeats on a new pitch

Polyphonic

Having many voices or sounds

Pitch

The highness or lowness of a sound

Rhythm

 Music's pattern in time.

Melody

A series of single tones that add up to a recognizable whole.

Harmony

 The sound of two or more notes heard simultaneously.

Cadence

A two-chord progression at the end of a phrase; Half Cadence, Plagal Cadence, Perfect Authentic Cadence, Imperfect Authentic Cadence, Deceptive Cadence.

Half Cadence

Going from any chord, ending in the V chord.

Plagal Cadence

Going from the IV chord to the I chord.

Deceptive Cadence

Going from the V chord to the VI chord.

Perfect Authentic Cadence

Going from the V chord to the I chord, in root position, melody ends on the tonic, Soprano and Bass on the tonic.

Imperfect Authentic Cadence

Going from the V chord to the I chord. Missing of the requirements of a PAC.

Non-Chord Tones (NCT)

Tones not belonging to the chord; Passing Tone, Neighbor Tone, Escape Tone, Appoggiatura, Suspension, Anticipation, Retardation

Passing Tone (NCT)

Fills space between chord tones, approached and left by a step in the same direction.

Neighbor Tone (NCT)

Approached by a step in either direction, left by a step in the opposite direction.

Escaped Tone (NCT)

Approached by a step, left by a leap

Appoggiatura (NCT)

Approached by a leap, left by a a step

Anticipation (NCT)

A note that belongs to the chord to follow. Approached by a step and resolves to the same note when the chord lands.

Suspension (NCT)

A note from the previous chord while all the others move to the following chord. Then is is resolved down by step on a weak beat of the new chord

Retardation (NCT)

A suspension that resolves upward to a large interval (uncommon)

Leap

A fourth or higher

Skip

A third

Step

A second

Seventh Chord

A chord consisting of a root, 3rd, 5th, and 7th. Major, Minor, Dominant, Half Diminished, Fully Diminished

Major Seventh Chord (Maj7/M7)

A major triad stacked on a major triad. (Maj+Maj)

Dominant Seventh Chord (7)

A major triad stacked on a minor triad. (Maj+min)

Minor Seventh Chord (min.7/m7)

A minor triad stacked on a minor triad (min+min)

Half Diminished Seventh Chord (ø7)

A diminished triad stacked on a minor triad (dim+min)

Diminished Seventh Chord ( dim7/°7)

A diminished triad stacked on a diminished triad (dim+dim)

Major Triad (Maj.)

Major Third + Minor Third (Maj+min)

Minor Triad (min.)

Minor Third + Major Third (min+Maj)

Augmented Triad (Aug.)

Major Third + Major Third (Maj+Maj)

Diminished Triad (dim.)

Minor Third + Minor Third (min+min)

Root Position (Blank or 7)

A triad or seventh chord with the root in the bass

First Inversion Triad (6)

A triad with the third in the bass.

Second Inversion Triad (6/4)

A triad with the fifth in the bass.

First Inversion Seventh Chord (6/5)

A seventh chord with the third in the bass.

Second Inversion Seventh Chord (4/3)

A seventh chord with the fifth in the bass.

Third Inversion Seventh Chord (4/2)

A seventh chord with the seventh in the bass.

Motif

A short melodic idea that builds into a phrase and continually re-appears throughout the piece to help establish the theme.

Period

Two phrases combine. Parallel period, contrasting period, double period

Phrase

A unit of musical meter that has a complete musical sense of its own, with motifs combining to form melodies, periods and larger sections.

Parallel Period

Both phrases begin with similar material; second and last cadences are authentic

Contrasting Period

Period in which phrase beginnings are not similar; second and last cadences are authentic

Double Period

Four phrases in two pairs; the first three cadences are inconclusive, last cadence is an authentic cadence

Block Chord

Notes stacked vertically. All notes being played on the same beat. Contrary to an arpeggio

Broken Chord

Written horizontally, notes are played one after the other. Can be in any order

Arpeggio

Typically broken chord played in sequence in ascending and descending order. Is the extract same thing as broken chords

Alberti Bass

A left hand accompaniment pattern on a keyboard instrument that plays broken chords in a 1-5-3-5 order on hand. AKA Bottom Note, Top Note, Middle Note, Top Note

Walking Bass

A continuous bassline. Which includes chord tones and non-chord tones, usually stepwise tones.

Pedal Point/Drone

A single note sustained over a long period of time.(Usually in bass or soprano.)

Picardy Third

In a piece written in minor, the final third is a major third.

Secondary Dominants

The five of a chord in a key. Example; A: V7/ii = F#7

Harmonic Rhythm

The rate at which the harmony changes

Harmonic Progression

A combination of chords in an ordered sequence

Tempo

The speed of the piece.

Syncopation

The note is on the off beat, preceded by a rest.

Classical Weak Beats

In 4/4 time, beats 2 and 4

Classical Strong Beats

In 4/4 time, beats 1 and 3

Hemiola

A rhythmic figure which includes 2 against 3

Melisma

In singing : one vowel over several different pitches