music 2026

melodic contour

the overall shape or trajectory of a melody as its individual pitches rise, fall, or stay the same over time.

melodic construction

the arrangement of pitch, rhythm, and interval choices, steps, leaps, intervals, ect.

list the melodic registers in order from low to high

bass, baritone, tenor, alto, mezzo, soprano

what is the key signature with one sharp

G

what is the relative minor to the key of G

E minor

what is the key signature with 3 flats

Eb

what is the relative minor to Eb

C minor

what is the A major scale

ABC#DEF#G#A

C minor scale

CDEbFGAbBbC

major scale

TTSTTTS

minor scale

TSTTSTT

if this was alto cleft what note would it be

b

what note is this

G

perfect cadence

V-I

imperfect cadence

I-V

performing media

the performing instruments

timbre/tone colour

the way instruments sound e.g. growly bass, bright voice

sforzando

a sudden accent

forte piano

loud then soft

subito forte

play suddenly loud

rinforzando

play with gradual emphasis until otherwise noted

legato

smooth contunious

andante

moderately slow

presto

very fast

allegro

fast

largo

very slow

crescendo

gradually get louder

decrescendo

gradually get softer

staccato

short detached

slurs

play notes smoothly and connected

glissando

slide contiguously between two pitches

fermatta

hold note longer than its written value

accent

play note emphasized more forced

syncopation

emphasis on the off beat

anacrusis

a note that comes before the first beat

compound time signature

a time signature that can be divided by 3 e.g. 6/8

simple time signature

a time signature that can be divided by 2 e.g. 4/4

monophonic

a single unaccompanied melodic line

homophonic

a melody and accompaniment

polyphonic

multiple simultaneous melodies

heterophonic

two instruments simultaneously play two or more variations of one melody

binary form

AABB

ternary form

ABA

rondo form

ABACA

12 bar blues

I-I-I-I-IV-IV-I-I-V-IV-IV-I-I

jazz standard form

AAB

ostinato

a repeated rhythmic or melodic pattern

counter melody

a distinct secondary melody played with a more prominent lead melody

shanking

sharp upstroke on the off beat in guitar

bubbling

off beat eight note rhythm played on they keys alternating hands

walking bass

a steady bass line that ascends and descends continuously

one drop beat

a drum beat where the first beat is left empty and the bass and cross stick snare hit together on beat 3

swing quavers

quavers that are played unevenly to create a bouncy, rolling groove common in jazz, blues, and shuffle styles

rittonelo

A ritornello is a recurring instrumental passage or theme in music, meaning "little return

plagal cadences

IV-I

what is the first mode

ionian

what is the second mode

dorian

what is the third mode

phrygian

whats the forth mode

lydian

what’s the fifth mode

mixalodian

what’s the sixth mode

aeolian

where does buffalo soldier originate from

Jamaica

what is buffalo soldier about

men from Africa fighting in America

what style of music is buffalo soldier

caribbean, reggae

what’s the structure of buffalo soldier

intro, verse 1, pre chorus, chorus, verse 2, chorus, chorus

what is the performing media in buffalo soldier

brass, guitar, bass guitar, organ, keyboard, percussion: clave cabbasa, drumkit

what instrument plays the main melody in buffalo soldier

male tenor vocals

what other instruments play melodies in buffalo soldier

brass, keyboard

when in the main melody played in buffalo soldier

the chorus

what scale does buffalo soldier use

A pentatonic

what is the time signature of buffalo soldier

4/4

what’s the tempo of buffalo soldier

allegro

what instruments drives the beat in buffalo soldier

drums