MUSC 13303 Final Vocab List

Strophic Form

A song structure where the same music is repeated for each stanza of lyrics.

Verse-refrain song form

A song form with changing lyrics and a refrain.

Ballad

A song that tells a story through its lyrics.

Chorus (Jazz)

In Jazz, a complete cycle of a song's form. (Often 12 bars for blues or 32 bars for standard.)

Montuno

A repetitive, rhythmic piano vamp found in Latin music, especially Cuban son and Salsa.

Call-and-response

A musical conversation where a leader sings or plays a phrase (call) and the group responds.

Riff

A short, catchy, repeated musical phrase.

Soli scoring

A section where multiple instruments play the same melodic line in harmony.

Blue Notes

Notes played or sung slightly lower than standard for expressive effect.

Scat singing

Improvised vocalization with nonsense syllables instead of lyrics.

Crooning

A smooth, intimate singing style enabled by the microphone.

Yodeling

Rapidly switching between chest voice and head voice.

Power chord

A chord using just the root and fifth - no third.

Rubato

A flexible tempo, speeding up and slowing down for expressiveness.

Duple meter

Two beats per measure. (like 4/4 time)

Triple meter

Three beats per meter. (like 3/4 time)

Syncopation

Emphasizing off-beats or weak beats.

Polyrhythm

Two or more rhythms happening at the same time.

Backbeat

Emphasizing beats 2 and 4 in 4/4 time.

Consonance

Stable, pleasant-sounding combinations of notes.

Dissonance

Tense, unstable-sounding combinations of notes.

Polyphonic

Multiple independent melodies happening at once.

Overdubbing

Recording new layers over existing recorded tracks.

Stoptime Technique

Instruments stop playing normally and hit chords in rhythmic unison.

Tone color (Timbre)

The unique quality of a sound that makes it distinct.

Digital looping

Repeating a sound sample digitally.