Elements of Music Study Guide

Sound

Vibrations that are transmitted, usually through air, to the eardrum, which sends impulses to the brain.

Tone

Sound that has a definite pitch, or frequency.

Pitch

Relative highness or lowness of a sound.

Frequency

The number of occurrences in a unit of time.

Dynamics

Degree of loudness and softness in music

Amplitude

Rate of change from one peak to the trough.

Range

Distance between the highest and lowest note.

Timbre(Tone color)

Quality of a sound that distinguishes one voice or instrument from another.

Rhythm

The flow of music through time.

Beat

Regular, recurrent pulsation that divides music into equal units of time.

Meter

Organization of beats into regular groups.

Measure

Rhythmic group set off by bar lines, containing a fixed number of beats.

Tempo

Pace or speed of the music.

Melody

Pitched sounds arranged in musical time.

Interval

Distance in pitch between two tones.

Phrase

Section of a melody

Scale

Series of pitches arranged in order from low to high.

Key

Central note, scale and chord within a piece of music, in relationship to which all other tones in the composition heard.

Harmony

Combination of notes simultaneously rung to produce chords and chord changes.

Chord

Combination of three or more notes sounded at once.

Triad

Most basic of chord that consist of three alternative tones of a scale built in thirds.

Arpeggio

Broken chord, sounding of the individual tones of a chord in a sequence.

Cadence

Resting place at the end of a musical phrase.

Tonic

Central note or chord of a key.

Dominant

Triad built on the fifth note of the scale which sets up tension that is resolved by the tonic chord.

Modulation

Shift from one key to another within the same piece.

Texture

How many layers are heard at once, what kind of layers they are and how they relate to each other.

Monophonic

A single melodic line without accompaniment.

Homophonic

One main melody is accompanied by chords.

Polyphonic

Two or more melodic lines of relatively equal interest at the same time.

Form

Organization of musical ideas in time.

Ternary

Three-part form- ABA.

Binary

Two-part form- AB

Musical style

Characteristic way of using melody, rhythm, tone, color, dynamics, harmony, texture, and form in music.