AP Music Theory Vocabulary Complete

Dynamics

The volume of music, Loud and Soft

Meno

Less

Chant/Plainsong/Gregorian Chant

Medieval sacred music often using one voice

Mass

Sacred music form codified by the catholic church. Parts include Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei

Sotto Voce

Half Voice

Pianissimo

Very Soft

Piano

Soft

Mezzo

Medium

Mezzo Piano

Medium Soft

Mezzo Forte

Medium Loud

Forte

Loud

Fortissimo

Very Loud

Crescendo

Gradually Grow in Volume

Decrescendo

Gradually Decrease in Volume

Diminuendo

Gradually Decrease in Volume

Perdendosi

Dying Away

Morendo

Dying away

Terraced Dynamics

Change dynamics, but Not Gradually

Subito

Suddenly

Piu

More

Tempo

The Speed of Music

Presto

Very Fast

Allegro

Fast

Vivace

Lively

Andante

A Walking Tempo

Moderato

Medium Tempo

Adagio

Slow, Stately

Largo

Slow

Lento

Very Slow

Scherzo

Quick and Lively. Also refers to a specific type of piece, short and lively\.

Tempo di Mazurka

In the Tempo of a Mazurka

Agitato

agitated

Mosso

Motion (Meno Mosso)

Poco

little (Poco a Poco, Little by little)

Cesura

Pause aka Grand Pause G.P.

Fermata

Hold until released by conductor

Tacit

Don't Play/sing

Attacca

Continue without stopping

A Tempo

In the original tempo

Con

With

Pitch

Sound of a specific frequency (A440 \= A4)

Pitch Class

Refers to to all pitches with the same letter name, regardless of octave. (When talking about theory, one can say "C", and not refer to a specific octave, rather a generic "C")

Key

A collection of pitches that follow a hierarchical pitch pattern to determine a tonic pitch.

Tonic Pitch/Tonal Center

The most stable, most important pitch in a scale or melody.

Accidental

A musical symbol that alters a pitch

Diatonic

Refers to any pitch that exists in a key without accidental alteration.

Chromatic

Refers to any pitch that lies outside an established diatonic key.

Sharp \#

A musical symbol that requires us to raise a pitch by one semitone/halfstep/m2

Double Sharp x

A musical symbol that raises any pitch by 2 semitones. M2

Flat b

A musical symbol that requires us to lower a pitch by one semitone/halfstep/m2.

Double Flat bb

A musical symbol that lowers any pitch by 2 semitones. M2

Natural

A musical symbol that cancels any existing accidental.

Melody

A Major element in music that uses pitch and the motion thereof to convey musical meaning.

Melodic motion

A description of the way a sequence of pitches move, one pitch in relation to the last.

Conjunct Motion

Melodic Movement by Step.

Disjunct Motion

Melodic Movement by larger intervals

Step

Interval of a 2nd

Skip

Interval of a 3rd

Leap

interval greater than a third.

Motif

Melodic fragment used for melodic development. Think Beethoven 5th (bop bop bop bah)

Melodic Development

Expanding on a melodic idea using various compositional techniques.

Melodic Inversion

inverting each interval of a melody, essentially flipping it upside down. Could be Diatonic or Chromatic.

Melodic Sequence

A melodic motive/fragment repeated at a different pitch level, often several times.

Melodic Imitation

A melody or fragment thereof repeated in a different voice either exactly or even developed using transposition, inversion or other melodic development techniques. (See Imitative Polyphony)

Melodic Truncation

The shortening of a melody

Melodic Augmentation

Stretching a Melody using larger rhythmic note values.

Melodic Diminution

Shrinking a Melody using smaller rhythmic note values.

Transposition

repetition of a melody/fragment at a different pitch level while maintaining the same intervals and rhythm.

Melodic Modulation

Changing the key of a Melody.

Melodic Retrograde

Developing a melody by playing it backwards (Crab Canon)

Scales

Collection of pitches that cover the interval of an octave and follow a prescribed pattern.

Major Scale/Ionian Mode

Collection of major and minor 2nds spanning an octave, in the pattern WWHWWWH

Natural Minor Scale/Aeolian Mode

Collection of major and minor 2nds spanning an octave, in the pattern WHWWHWW.

Dorian Mode

Scale based on the second scale degree of the relative Major scale. Tonic triad is Minor, with a raised 6th scale degree.

Phrygian Mode

Scale based on the third scale degree of the relative Major scale. Tonic triad is Minor, with a lowered 2nd scale degree.

Lydian Mode

Scale based on the 4th scale degree of the relative Major scale. Tonic triad is Major, with a raised 4th scale degree

Mixolydian Mode

Scale based on the 5th scale degree of the relative major scale. Tonic triad is major, with a lowered 7th scale degree.

Locrian Mode

Scale based on the 7th scale degree of the relative major scale. Tonic triad is diminished with a lowered 2nd and 4th scale degree.

Harmonic Minor Scale

Minor scale with a raised 7th scale degree to create a leading tone effect. Used when writing harmonies in the minor mode to create the Major V chord and Diminshed vii chord.

Melodic Minor Scale

Minor Scale using a raised ascending 6th and 7th scale degrees, which are then naturalized in the descending scale.

Pentatonic Scale

Collection of 5 pitches using major 2nds and minor 3rds to span an octave. Can be built by eliminating the half steps in a major scale or its relative minor scale. (Major C.D.E.G.A, Minor A.C.D.E.G)

Octatonic Scale

Scale using alternating whole and half steps. Has 8 scale degrees rather than the normal 7.

Whole Tone Scale

Scale using only Major 2nds. Contains only 6 scale degrees.

Blues Scale

Form of the minor pentatonic scale with added flat 5th scale degree. May be notated as a raised 4th scale degree.

Pitch Collection

A pitch collection is a collection of pitches used in a composition. Collections can consist of any notes and involve as few as two or as many as twelve. Normally, pitch collections are assumed to be unordered collections. That means they do not imply an order or hierarchy within the collection

Chromatic Scale

Scale using only minor 2nds. Usually notated using sharps when ascending, and flats when descending.

Tone Row/12 tone composition

20th Century composition technique whereby the composer uses every member of the chromatic scale before starting over again with the same row. Pitches may appear in any order, and use any rhythm the composer chooses.

Rhythm

Use of time and duration of notes in music.

Accent

Emphasis given to a note/pitch

Agogic Accent

accented by note duration

Metrical Accent

Accented based on regular metrical emphasis (strong and weak beats)

Registral Accent

Accented based on a change in register/range

Artictulation Accent

Accented by use of changing articulation

Articulation

Articulation is a fundamental musical parameter that determines how a single note or other discrete event is sounded.

Accented

Played with greater force

Staccato

Short and Separated, Detached

Tenuto

Played the full value of the note, Sustained

Marcato

marked; with emphasis

Legato

smooth and connected

cantabile (cant.)

in a singing style, lyrical, melodious, flowing