Musical Terms and Dynamics

Vocabulary flashcards covering musical dynamics, terms, and structural elements from the lecture notes.

Dynamics

An element of musical expression relating to the degree of loudness or volume of a sound.

Crescendo

The dynamic effect of gradually growing louder.

Decrescendo

The dynamic effect of gradually growing softer.

Piano

Dynamically soft sounds (p).

Forte

Dynamically loud sounds (f).

Mezzo forte

Medium loud (mf).

Mezzo piano

Medium soft (mp).

Pianissimo

Very soft (pp).

Fortissimo

Very loud (ff).

Cadence

Resting place in a musical phrase; music punctuation.

Form

The structure or shape of a musical work, based on repetition, contrast, and variation.

Movement

Complete, self-contained part within a larger musical work.

Downbeat

The accented beat - usually the first beat in the measure.

Upbeat

An unaccented beat - usually the last beat of the measure.

Ostinato

A short melodic, rhythmic, or harmonic pattern that is repeated throughout a work or a section of one.

Timbre

The quality of a sound that distinguishes one voice or instrument from another. Also called "tone color."

Vibrato

A small fluctuation of pitch used as an expressive device to intensify a sound.