Music Theory

Melodic Minor

Up - Raised 6th and 7th Down - 6th and 7th lowered back down

Harmonic Minor

Raised 7th

Natural Minor

Lowered 3rd, 6th, and 7th

Motive

The smallest identifiable musical idea that carries thematic significance within a composition

Phrase

A relatively independent musical data idea the ends in a cadence

Subphrase

A distinct portion of a phrase, but is a full phrase because it doesn’t end in a cadence or is too short to be relatively independent

Elison

The last note of a phrase that serves as the first note of the next phrase.

Periods

Subphrases make up phrases. Phrases make up________

Repeated phrase

When phrases are identical and repeat, this is not a period

Parallel Period

When each period begins with similar or identical material, even if the phrase is embellished

Binary Form

2 part form, often described as a “question and answer”

Ternary Form

3 part form with the first section returning

Rondo Form

Repeating theme with contrasting sections

Sonata Form

Exposition, Development, Recapitulation

Harmonic Cadences

A sequence of chords tat ends a phrase of music

Perfect Authentic Cadence (PAC)

1. Root Position

2. Needs to end V to I

3. Soprano Sings tonic

Imperfect Authentic Cadence (IAC)

A type of cadence that does not meet the requirements of a PAC

Plagal Cadence (PC)

1. IV to I

2. Root Position

Half Cadence

1. Ends on V

2. Root position

Deceptive Cadence

1. Resolves to anything other than I

2. STARTS ON V

Phrygian

IV⁶ to V

Ionian

Change nothing/Major Scale

Dorian

Natural minor with raised 6th

Phrygain

Natural minor with lowered second

Lydian

Major scale with raised 4th

Mixolydian

Major scale with lowered 7th

Aeolian

Natural minor scale

Locrian

Natural minor with lowered 2nd and 5th

Simple meter

Meter where most of the beats are divided into 2’s

Compound Meter

Meters where beats mostly divide into 3’s

Duple

Meter with 2 beats in a measure

Triple

Meter with 3 beats in a measure

Quadruple

Meter with 4 beats in a measure