Polyphony
Simultaneous voice parts with individual melody, creating harmony
Cantus Firmus
Pre-existing melody, usually chant, sung in whole notes while other voices sing florid counterpoint
Modes
Use of 4 church modes for composition (Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian) - eventually added Ionian, Aeolian
Canon
A melody with one or more imitations of the melody played after a given duration. Strict imitation of one voice from another
Soggetto Cavato
Cantus Firmus made from the vowels of special words
Paraphrase
Work where all voices loosely imitate the Cantus Firmus. The Cantus Firmus is not sung completely, but merely referenced by all voices
Imitation
A polyphonic musical texture in which a melodic idea is freely or strictly echoed by successive voices
Counterpoint
The general practice of individual lines written against each other to create good harmony and texture. Independent, but coherent. May move with each other or in opposite directions
Parody
Work that imitates other polyphonic work, copying multiple voices
Meter
Rhythmic structure of the verse of a poetic work
Foot
The 'measure' unit of a verse with a specific meter
Prosody
The study of rhythm/sound in poetry
Rhapsode
Professional, traveling performer of epic poetry
Alliterative Verse
Rhyme/repetition of consonants/beginning sounds, 'rhyme scheme' of a verse is based on alliteration
Bard
Royal Celtic poet/musician
Blank Verse
Works (mostly plays) in unrhymed iambic pentameter (unstressed-stressed)
Common Meter
Meter common to English poets and hymn-writers (4 lines alternating iambic tetrameter and iambic trimeter)
Rap
Verse with rhyme, rhythmic speech, and cadence
Holorime
Complete rhyme of an entire line (same sounds different words)
Double Entendre
Phrase with two meanings (one is usually funny or inappropriate)
Bar
Verse or line in RAP
Vocables
Syllables that do not have direct meaning
Pentatonic
Anhemitonic (no semitones), 5 notes
Tritonic
3 note scale from ancient Native American Music
Scotch Snap
16th-dotted 8th rhythm
Cut
Most common in American folk, higher pitch grace note before the principle note
Tap
higher pitch grace note before the principle note
Mountain Dulcimer
A type of musical instrument, fretted and from the zither family
Banjo
African in origin; fretless
Bluegrass
Type of American folk music
Blue Note
note outside the pentatonic scale
Blues Scale
A minor pentatonic scale with a flatted 5th
12-bar Blues
A chord progression that lasts 12 bars and typically uses three chords (usually I IV and V)
Types of Triads
Major, minor, augmented, diminished
Types of 7th Seventh Chords
MM, Mm, mm, mM, half-dim., full dim.
Order of Flats
BEADGCF
Order of Sharps
FCGDAEB
Half Steps in a Major 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 7th, and Octave
2, 4, 9, 11 and 12
Half Steps in perfect unison, 4th, and 5th
0, 5, and 7
Augmented Triad
Major or Perfect +1 half step
Minor Triad
Major -1 half step
Diminished Triad
Major -2, Perfect -1 Half Step
What is on the outer circle of the Circle of 5ths
Major Keys
What is in the inner circle of the Circle of 5ths
Minor Keys
What interval is this?
P4
What interval is this?
d5
What interval is this?
d4
What interval is this?
m7
What interval is this?
m2
What interval is this?
M7
ID this Chord
B M, 1st inv.
ID this Chord
C m, 1st inv.
ID this Chord
G mM 7th, 2nd inv.
ID this Chord
A mm 7th, 3rd inv.
ID this Chord
B mM 7th, root
ID this Chord
B MM 7th, root