Music GCSE Key terms

Subject

The first theme of a fugue

Counter-subject

The second theme of a fugue

Fugue

A structure - built on a subject + countersubject that appear frequently, with imitation

Concertino

The solo instruments

Ripieno

The accompanying instruments

Pedal

A repeated note at the bottom of the texture

Ternary

A structure - ABA

Appoggiatura

A grace note

Concerto Grosso

A concerto with multiple soloists

Conjunct

When a melody comprises of notes close together

Disjunct

When a melody comprises of notes far apart

Sequence

A repeated idea, either ascending or descending

Sonata form

A structure- comprised of an exposition, development, recapitulation and coda

Exposition

The opening of Sonata Form

Development

The middle section of Sonata form - explores different keys

Recapitulation

The last section of sonata form, usually all in the tonic key

Coda

The end of sonata form

Tremolo

Rapidly repeated note or set of notes

Diminished

A chord e.g. C - Eb - Gb - A

Homophonic

A Texture - block chords

Monophonic

A texture - Unison

Alberti bass

Repeated broken chords in the bass

Fortepiano

Loud then suddenly quiet

Sforzando

Suddenly Loud

Ground Bass

A repeated bass line that outlines the harmony

Word Painting

When the music reflects the words being sung

Mordent

An ornament - upper or lower - goes up/down one note then returns to the first one

Melismatic

Multiple notes per syllable

Syllabic

One note per syllable

Realisation

An improvisation based on a figured bass

Figured bass

An accompaniment notation that is signified by numbers

Multi-tracking

Recording multiple audio tracks to later mix into one

Overdubbed

Recording over one’s self

Pull-offs

Guitar technique when one plucks the string on the fret

Slides

Guitar technique - moving your hand up and down the fretboard whilst playing

String bends

Guitar technique - moving the string horizontally across the fretboard so the pitch gets higher

Vibrato

Minutely changing the pitch very fast

Reverb

Production technique - creates a faint echo

Panning

Production technique - gives the affect of instruments being physically surrounding you

Flanger

Production technique - changes the sound by slightly delaying part of the sound

Distortion

Production technique - altering the sound wave to change the effect

Falsetto

Vocal technique - singing higher than your vocal range

Wah-wah

An effect that changes a guitar to make it sound like wah-wah

Vocables

Sounds that are not words (la, ba)

Leitmotif

A musical idea used to represent a character, theme or place

Quartal

Harmony based around 4ths

Anacrusis

An upbeat

Homo-rhythmic

All instruments play the same rhythm

Atonal

No clear key

Polytonal

Many keys at once

Inverted pedal

A repeated note at the top of the texture

Hexatonic

Uses notes within the hexatonic scale

Rallentando

Slowing down

Ostinato

A repeated sequence of notes or rhythms

Looping

Repeating the same sample

Kora

An African string instrument with 21 strings

Talking drum

An african drum that can be changed pitch using the elbow

Hurdy-gurdy

An irish string instrument operated by turning a wheel to create a drone and pressing buttons to change the pitch

Uilleann pipes

Irish bagpipes

Bodhrán

An irish drum played with a tipper or the hand

Double stopping

Multiple notes played at once on a string instrument

Modal

Not major or minor, but another tonality

Rubato

In free time

Bossa nova

A style of music which is a fusion of samba and american jazz