Key Terms for AP Music Theory

Simple Duple

A meter with two beats per measure.

Simple Triple

A meter with three beats per measure.

Simple Quadruple

A meter with four beats per measure.

Compound Duple

A meter with two beats per measure, where each beat is divided into three.

Compound Triple

A meter with three beats per measure, where each beat is divided into three.

Compound Quadruple

A meter with four beats per measure, where each beat is divided into three.

Relative keys

Keys that share the same key signature, such as C major and a minor.

Parallel keys

Keys that share the same tonic, such as C major and c minor.

Modulation

Changing from one key to another, which may or may not involve a change in key signature.

Syncopation

A shift of accent, usually by stressing the normally unaccented beats.

Non-Chord Tones

Embellishing notes that do not belong to the sounding chord (6 types).

Suspension

Holds a chord tone over to the next chord before resolving downward by step.

Appoggiatura

Approached by upward leap, resolves down by step, occurring on an accented beat.

Escape Tone

Approached by step, resolves by leap in opposite direction.

Anticipation

A note that gets to the next chord early, before the other voices form the next chord.

Passing Tone

Approached by step, resolves by step, connecting two notes a third apart.

Neighbor Tone

Moves one scale note up or down and returns to the same pitch.

Scale Degree Names

Tonic, Supertonic, Mediant, Subdominant, Dominant, Submediant, (Subtonic), Leading Tone.

Countermelody

A secondary melody that is sounded simultaneously with the principal one.

Alberti Bass

Broken chord or arpeggiated accompaniment, typically in the left hand of piano.

Arpeggio

Notes of a chord played or sung in succession rather than together at once.

Pedal Tone / Pedal Point

A note (usually the bass note), sustained through harmonic changes in the other parts.

Cadence

A phrase ending.

Authentic Cadence

A cadence from V (or V7) to I.

Perfect Authentic Cadence

If both the V and I are in root position and the melody ends on the tonic.

Imperfect Authentic Cadence

All other authentic cadences.

Half Cadence

Any cadence ending on V or V7.

Phrygian Half Cadence

A Half Cadence from iv6 to V (bass goes le to sol).

Deceptive Cadence

A V chord that doesn't go to I, usually going to vi instead.

Plagal Cadence

A cadence from IV to I, often referred to as the 'amen' ending.

Hemiola

A rhythmic alteration in which 6 equal notes may be heard as 2 groups of 3 or 3 groups of 2.

Orchestration

How a composer or arranger uses instruments in various combinations.

Chromaticism

The use of notes foreign to the diatonic scale of the composition.

Disjunct

skips/leaps

Conjunct

stepwise

Monophony

single melodic line with no accompaniment.

Homophony

single melodic line with accompaniment.

Chordal Homophony

all parts have the same rhythm (chorale style).

Polyphony

multiple melodies at once

Imitative Polyphony

melodies are imitative.

Nonimitative Polyphony

melodies are independent.

Heterophony

different versions of the same melody at the same time (non-western)

Harmonic Rhythm

the rate at which the chords change.

Whole Tone Scale

all whole steps (ex. C Whole Tone Scale = C, D, E, F#, G#, A#, C)

Pentatonic Scale

five note scale with no fa or ti (ex. C Pentatonic = C, D, E, G, A, C)

Modes of the Major Scale

Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, Locrian

Triads

major, minor, diminished, augmented

Seventh chords

major seventh, dominant seventh, minor seventh, half diminished seventh, fully diminished seventh.

Anacrusis

a pickup figure

Melodic Sequence

the restatement of a melodic passage at a higher/lower pitch in the same voice.

Melodic Inversion

a melody 'turned upside down', if the original melody went up a certain interval, its melodic inversion goes down by the same interval.

Augmentation

a melody is presented with longer note values.

Diminution

a melody is presented with shorter note values.

Retrograde

the notes of a melody are presented in reverse.

Transposition

raising/lowering all pitches of the original music at the exact same interval (diff. key)

Ostinato

a short melodic/rhythmic/harmonic pattern that is repeated throughout.

Second Inversion Triads

4 types: named after what the bass does (Cadential, Passing, Pedal, Arpeggiating)

Cadential 14

used with the V chord at a cadence (bass goes sol-sol).

Pedal 4

bass stays on the same note.

Passing

bass moves like a passing tone.

Arpeggiating 4

bass line forms an arpeggio.

Parallel Period

made up of two phrases that begin similarly.

Contrasting Period

made up of two different phrases.

Cross Relation

the chromatic alteration of a pitch in one voice part, immediately after the diatonic version has sounded in another voice.

Strophic Form

same music, different lyrics.

Melisma

one syllable of text, multiple notes of music.

Tempo Terms

from slow to fast → Lento, Largo, Adagio, Andante, Moderato, Allegro, Vivace, Presto