Study Guide for Quiz #1 on Musical Elements & Instrumental/Vocal Families

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to musical elements and instrumental families as outlined in the study guide for the upcoming quiz.

Melody

A succession of pitches or tones perceived as a unit.

Rhythm

The orderly movement of music in time, which includes sounds and silences.

Harmony

Movement and relationship of intervals and chords that support the melody.

Musical Texture

The fabric of the music, indicating how many layers of sound are heard at once.

Musical Form

The structure or shape of a work in music.

Tempo

The speed of musical events.

Dynamics

Loudness and softness of musical events.

Timbre

Tone color; the quality that accounts for the differences in sound that instruments and voices make.

Spirit

The emotional content of music, reflecting the combined effect of all musical elements.

Countermelody

A melody that is played against the main melody.

Heterophony

A texture where a melody is combined with an ornamented version of itself.

Dissonance

A combination of tones that creates a sense of unrest or disturbance.

Monophonic

Music with a single voiced texture.

Polyphonic

Music with multiple voiced textures, often featuring several melodic lines.

Imitation

The repetition of a melodic idea in another voice.

Binary

A musical form with two contrasting sections (AB).

Ternary

A musical form with three sections (ABA).

Cadence

A resting place that punctuates a period or phrase in music.

Syncopation

A shift of normal accent in music, creating unexpected rhythms.

Augmentation

The expansion of melodic or rhythmic values.

Diminution

The shortening of rhythmic values in music.

Ostinato

A short musical pattern that is repeated persistently throughout a work or section.

Interval

The distance between two pitches.

Chord

Three or more tones sounding together.

Tonality

The organization around a central tone.