AP Music Theory TERMS DSOA

relative key

shares the same key signature

parallel key

shares the same tonic

interval

distance between 2 notes

inversion

1) upside down (interval)

2) different part of the chord is in the bass (chords)

Chordal Homophony

Texture: like hymn, 4-part chorale style writing, harmony/parts moving at the same rate

Monophony

One melodic line. Unaccompanied and without harmony

Diatonic

in the key

Chromatic

1)out of the key 2)moving in half steps

Leading tone

half step below tonic

subtonic

whole step below tonic

Tendency tone

A tone that is harmonically or melodically unstable and tends naturally to resolve either up or down

Conjunct

moving stepwise

Disjunct

moving by leaps or skips

Sequence

pitch and rhythmic pattern repeated at a different pitch level

Interval

The distance between two notes

Harmonic Rhythm

rate at which the harmony changes

Dissonance

Unpleasant or unharmonious sound

Consonance

Pleasing to the ear

Augmentation

Doubling the note value

Diminution

Halving the note value

Cadence

The end of a musical phrase (specifically last 2 chords of the phrase)

parallel motion

voices are moving in the same direction at the same rate.

contrary motion

voices are moving against each other (opposite direction)

similar motion

voices are moving in the same direction

Picardy 3rd

Excerpt is in minor. Ends on a MAJOR I chord

Anacrusis

pick up note(s) or figure

Hidden/Direct 5ths and 8ths

outside voices moving in similar motion, there is a leap in the soprano, and they move into 8ths or 5ths

Oblique motion

one voice is stationary, the other is moving

hemiola

feel of another meter other than the one your are in. Often employing ties across the barline

anacrusis

pick up note/notes

polyrhythm

2 differing rhythms juxtaposed at the same time

basso continuo

Baroque accompaniment made up of a bass part usually played by two instruments: a keyboard plus a low melodic instrument.

walking bass

a bass line that moves steadily in a rhythm contrasting to that of the upper parts-think blues

ostinato

a pitch/rhythmic pattern repeated over and over. Can be in high register or low register

alberti bass

arpeggiated chords-usually 1,5, 3,5 emblematic of the classical period/Mozart.

heterophony

Instruments improvise on one melody. Examples of this music: zydeco, jazz (selected works), bluegrass, eastern music

imitative polyphony

many voices-independent/equal lines. Ex: fugue, canon Voices imitate each other in counterpoint

non imitative polyphony

Still using counterpoint to create harmonies, but lines aren't necessarily imitating each other

cross rhythm

Two conflicting rhythms used at the same time. Also known as polyrhythm.

tessitura

range of the instrument

terraced dynamics

sections of louds and softs. Crescendos and Decrescendos NOT present. Often used in Baroque music

melismatic

many notes per one syllable

retrograde

melodic feature that has the melody notated backwards

syllabic

one note per syllable

melodic inversion

melodic feature having the melody presented upside down

retrograde inversion

melodic feature having the melody presented upside down and backwards

retardation

Non-chord tone approached by same pitch and resolved by step up

Suspension

Non-chord tone approached by same pitch and resolved down by step

Anticipation

Non-chord tone approached by any interval, and resolves to its same note

Changing Tones (Double Neighbor)

2 non-chord tones approached and resolved by step, creating 3rds

appoggiatura

Non-chord tone approached by leap, resolved by step

Escape tone (echappee)

Non-chord tone approached by step, resolved by leap

cross relation

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

pedal point

Non chord tone in the bass-harmony changes above

drone

bass note(s) held as harmony changes above-synonymous with pedal point

crossed voices

partwriting error-one voice written above or below adjacent voice at the same time

voice overlap

partwriting error-when a voice crosses above or below a pitch that was just used by an adjacent voice

voice exchange

When voice parts exchange notes in order to prolong a chord: For example, a I chord moving to a I6 chord could exchange the root and the third with the bass and soprano voices.

tutti

all together, everyone plays

Countermelody

secondary melody

downbeat

first beat of a measure

canon

synonymous with ROUND

antecedent

usually the first phrase that ends in a weak cadence

consequent

Usually the second phrase that ends in a strong cadence

bridge

term usually used in pop/jazz/contemporary music-place of transition to get back to the A section-usually different chords or time is used as a method of return

chorus

usually pop/jazz/contemporary term: main tune that returns in the song

verse

Usually Pop/jazz/contemporary term: same tune that returns with different words. Different than the chorus-the main tune

fragment

small piece of the melody

codetta

A small coda (end of piece) -last musical material in addition to larger form

Transpostion

moving of musical material to another key

Period

made up of 2 phrases-first phrase ends in weaker cadence, second ends in strong cadence (PAC)

Parallel Period

both phrases begin with similar material-weak cadence followed by strong

Contrasting Period

period in which phrase beginnings are not similar-weak cadence followed by strong

Repeated period

Exact repetition of musical material

embellishment

musical decoration (ex. trills, mordents)

ornament

musical decoration (ex. trill)

Passing tone

non chord tone that approaches by a step and resolves by a step, moving in the same direction

call and response

a succession of two distinct phrases where the second phrase is heard as a direct commentary on or response to the first

agogic accent

Accent created by inherent longer duration of a note

alberti bass

an accompaniment that is mainly arpeggiation of chords. Typical of the classical period.

timbre

color/quality of sound

enharmonic

same pitch, different note name

contour

shape of a phrase

interlude

music that falls in between two distinct

sections