MUSI2737 - Key Terms Prelude 1

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Odom || Tuesday, Thursday 2:00pm

183 Terms

1

Pitch

Highness or lowness of a note, depending on the frequency

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Frequency

Rate of vibration of a string or column of air, which determines pitch

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Note

A musical symbol denoting pitch and duration

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4

Staff

The five parallel lines on which notes are written

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5

Duration

Length of time something lasts; e.g., the vibration of a musical sound

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6

Volume

Degree of loudness or softness of a sound

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7

Timbre

The quality of a sound that distinguishes one voice or instrument from another. Also tone color

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8

Melody

Succession of single pitches perceived by the ear as a unit

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9

Range

Distance between the lowest and highest pitches of a melody, an instrument, or a voice

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10

Contour

The overall shape of a melodic line as it moves upward or downward or remains static

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11

Interval

The distance and relationship between two pitches

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12

Conjunct

Smooth, connected melody that moves principally by small intervals

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13

Disjunct

Disjointed or disconnected melody with many leaps

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14

Phrase

A musical unit; often a component of a melody

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15

Cadence

Resting place in a musical phrase; a musical punctuation

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16

Rhyme Scheme

The arrangement of rhyming words or corresponding sounds at the end of poetic lines

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17

Climax

The high point in a melodic line or piece of music, usually representing the peak of intensity, range, and dynamics

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18

Countermelody

An accompanying melody sounded against the principal melody

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19

Rhythm

The controlled movement of music in time

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20

Beat

Regular pulsation; a basic unit of length in musical time

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21

Accent

The emphasis on a beat resulting in its being louder or longer than another in a measure

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22

Meter

Organization of rhythm in time; the grouping of beats into larger, regular patterns, notated as measures

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23

Measure

Metric grouping of beats, notated on the musical staff with bar lines. Also bar

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24

Bar Lines

Vertical lines on a staff that separate measures, or bars

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25

Downbeat

First beat of the measure, the strongest in any meter

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26

Duple Meter

Basic metrical pattern of two beats to a measure

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27

Triple Meter

Basic metrical pattern of three beats to a measure

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28

Quadruple Meter

Basic metrical pattern of four beats to a measure. Also common time

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29

Simple Meter

Meter in which the beat is divided into two, as in duple, triple, and quadruple meters

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30

Compound Meter

Meter in which each main beat subdivides into three rather than two; 6/8 is a common example

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31

Sextuple Meter

Compound metrical pattern of six beats to a measure

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32

Upbeat

Last beat of a measure, a weak beat that anticipates the downbeat

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33

Syncopation

Deliberate upsetting of the meter or pulse through a temporary shifting of the accent to a weak beat or an offbeat

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34

Off Beat

A weak beat or weak portion of a beat

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35

Polyrhythm

The simultaneous use of several rhythmic patters or meters, common in twentieth‐century music and certain African musics

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36

Additive

Patterns of beats that subdivide inso smaller, irregular groups

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37

Nonmetric

Music lacking a strong sense of beat or meter, common in certain non‐Western cultures

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38

Harmony

The simultaneous combination of notes and the ensuing relationships of intervals and chords

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39

Chord

Simultaneous combination of three or more pitches that constitute a single block of harmony

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40

Scale

Series of pitches in ascending or descending order, comprising the notes of a key

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41

Octave

Interval between two notes eight diatonic pitches apart; the lower note vibrates half as fast as the upper and sounds an octave lower

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42

Triad

Common chord type, consisting of three pitches built on alternate notes of the scale (e.g., steps 1– 3– 5, or domisol)

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43

Tonic

The first note of the scale, or key; do

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44

Tonality

Principle of organization around a tonic, or home, pitch, based on a major or minor scale

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45

Dissonance

Combination of tones that sounds discordant and unstable, in need of resolution

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46

Consonance

Concordant or harmonious combination of pitches that provides a sense of relaxation and stability in music

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47

Drone

Sustained sounding of one or several pitches for harmonic support, a common feature of some folk musics

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48

Texture

The interweaving of melodic (horizontal) and harmonic (vertical) elements in the musical fabric

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49

Monophonic

Single‐line texture, or melody without accompaniment

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50

Heterophonic

Texture in which two or more voices (or parts) elaborate the same melody simultaneously, often the result of improvisation

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51

Polyphony

Texture resulting from combining two or more melodic lines, as distinct from monophonic

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52

Counterpoint

The art of combining in a single texture two or more simultaneous melodic lines

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53

Homophonic

Texture with a principal melody and accompanying harmony, as distinct from polyphony

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54

Homorhythmic

Texture in which all voices, or lines, move together in the same rhythm

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55

Imitation

Melodic idea presented in one voice or part and then restated in another, each part continuing as others enter

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56

Canon

A list of composers and/or works assigned value and greatness by consensus. Also, a type of polyphonic composition in which one musical line strictly imitates another at a fixed distance throughout

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57

Round

Perpetual canon at the unison in which each voice enters in succession with the same melody (for example, Row, Row, Row Your Boat)

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58

Contrast

The use of opposing musical elements to emphasize difference and variety

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59

Strophic Form

Song structure in which the same music is repeated with every stanza (strophe) of the poem

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60

Through-Composed

Song structure that is composed from beginning to end, without repetitions of large sections

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61

Variation

The compositional procedure of altering a pre-existing musical idea

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62

Improvisation

Spontaneous creation or elaboration of music through performance, as in Baroque ornamentation, cadenzas of concertos, jazz, and some non‐Western musics

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63

Binary Form

Two‐part (A‐B) form with each section normally repeated. Also two‐part form

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64

Ternary Form

Three‐part (A‐B‐A) form based on a statement (A), contrast (B), and repetition (A). Also three‐part form

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65

Theme

Melodic idea used as a basic building block in the construction of a piece. Also subject

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66

Thematic Development

Musical expansion of a theme by varying its melodic outline, harmony, or rhythm. Also thematic transformation

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67

Sequence

Restatement of an idea or motive at a different pitch level

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68

Motive

Short melodic or rhythmic idea; the smallest fragment of a theme that forms a melodic‐harmonic‐rhythmic unit

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69

Call and Response

Performance style with a singing leader who is imitated by a chorus of followers. Also, responsorial singing

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70

Ostinato

A short melodic, rhythmic, or harmonic pattern that is repeated throughout a work or a section

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71

Movement

Complete, self‐contained part within a larger musical work

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72

Tempo

The rate of speed or pace of music

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73

Dynamics

Element of musical expression relating to the degree of loudness or softness, or volume, of a sound

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74

Nonlexical

A syllable that does not carry specific meaning; a nonsense syllable often sung in madrigals, jazz, hip‐hop, and other vocal styles

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75

Scat-Singing


A jazz style that sets syllables without meaning (vocables) to an improvised vocal line

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76

Vocalise

A textless vocal melody, as in an exercise or concert piece

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77

Vernacular

The common language spoken by the people as distinguished from the literary language, or language of the educated elite

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78

Strophe

A unit or verse of poetry; also stanza

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79

Strophic Form

Song structure in which the same music is repeated with every stanza (strophe) of the poem

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80

Refrain

Text or music that is repeated within a larger form

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81

Chorus

Fairly large group of singers who perform together, usually with several on each part. Also a choral movement of a large‐scale work. In jazz, a single statement of the melodic‐harmonic pattern

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82

Syllabic

Melodic style of one note set to each text syllable

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83

Melismatic

Melodic style characterized by many notes sung to a single text syllable

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84

Neumatic

Melodic style with two to four notes set to each syllable

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85

Word-Painting

Musical pictorialization of words as an expressive device; a prominent feature of the Renaissance madrigal

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86

Instrument

Mechanism that generates musical vibrations and transmits them into the air

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87

Register

Specific area in the range of an instrument or voice

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88

Soprano

The highest part in a normal four‐part vocal texture; also, the highest member of an instrument family (e.g., saxophone, recorder)

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89

Mezzo-Soprano

Female voice of middle range

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90

Alto

The second‐highest part in a normal four‐part vocal texture; in an instrument family (e.g., clarinet, saxophone), a member with a range lower than soprano

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91

Tenor

The second‐to‐lowest part in a normal four‐part vocal texture; also a part, often structural, in early polyphony

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92

Baritone

Male voice of moderately low range

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93

Bass

The lowest part in a normal four‐part vocal texture; also, the lowest sounding member in an instrument family (e.g., trombone, clarinet)

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94

Vibrato

Small fluctuation of pitch used as an expressive device to intensify a sound

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95

Aerophone

Instruments such as a flute, whistle, or horn that produce sound by using air as the primary vibrating means

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96

Bagpipe

Wind instrument popular in Eastern and Western Europe that has several tubes, one of which plays the melody while the others sound the drones, or sustained notes; a windbag is filled by either a mouth pipe or a set of bellows

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97

Chordophone

Instrument that produces sound from a vibrating string stretched between two points; the string may be set in motion by bowing, striking, or plucking

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98

Idiophone

Instrument that produces sound from the substance of the instrument itself by being struck, blown, shaken, scraped, or rubbed. Examples include bells, rattles, xylophones, and cymbals

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99

Membranophone

Any instrument that produces sound from tightly stretched membranes that can be struck

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100

Sacred Music

Religious or spiritual music, for church or devotional use

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