Music Fundamentals: Staff, Clef, Dynamics, Timbre, and More

Vocabulary flashcards covering core musical concepts from the lecture notes.

Staff

The foundation for written music comprising five parallel lines and four spaces.

Clef

A symbol at the beginning of a staff that indicates the pitch range; common clefs are treble and bass.

Dynamic

Loud or soft (volume) in music.

Timbre

The tone color or quality of a sound that helps distinguish instruments or voices.

Intonation

Accuracy of pitch; how closely notes match the intended pitch.

Rhythm Accuracy

The ability to hold notes and rests for the correct durations.

Diction

The clarity of articulation, i.e., how words and syllables are pronounced.

Diphthong

A vowel sound that begins with one vowel and glides to another within the same syllable.

Melody

A linear succession of pitches and silences moving through time.

Rhythm

The pattern of long and short sounds and silences that organizes time in music.

Harmony

Two or more pitches sounding together, forming chords.

Form

The structure or organization of a piece of music.

Expression

The conveyance of emotion in music through elements like dynamics, articulation, and tempo changes.