Music Theory: Basic Concepts, Intervals, and Chords

Vocabulary flashcards covering foundational music theory concepts including melody, pitch, chords, intervals, pulse, meter, and chord chart notation.

Melody (Melodi)

Tones that are played in a sequence one after another.

Pitch (Tonehøyde)

A term describing whether tones are higher (lighter) or lower (darker); for example, tones become higher moving to the right on a piano, and thicker guitar strings sound lower than thinner ones.

Chord (Akkord)

A harmony created by playing three tones simultaneously.

Major Chord (Dur-akkord)

A chord that typically has a happy or optimistic sound.

Minor Chord (Moll-akkord)

A chord that typically has a sad or mysterious sound.

Root Note (Grunntone)

The note that gives a chord its name and functions as the foundation or "home base" for the other tones in the chord (e.g., C in a C major chord).

Pulse (Puls)

The heartbeat of music; steady, regular beats occurring at equal distances in the background that you tap your foot to.

Measure / Bar (Takt)

A fixed way of dividing musical time by organizing pulse beats into recurring groups.

$4/4$ Time ($4/4$-takt)

The most common musical meter (typical in pop, rock, and disco) where pulse beats are organized into groups of $4$ beats, with the first beat receiving a slightly stronger accent.

Interval (Intervall)

The musical distance between two tones (such as from C to G).

Second (Sekund)

The interval distance from C to D.

Third (Ters)

The interval distance from C to E, which also serves as the middle tone in a triad chord.

Fourth (Kvart)

The interval distance from C to F.

Fifth (Kvint)

The interval distance from C to G, which also serves as the top note in a basic triad chord.

Sixth (Sekst)

The interval distance from C to A.

Seventh (Septim)

The interval distance from C to H (B).

Octave (Oktav)

The interval distance from C to the next C.

C Major (C-dur)

A chord composed of the notes C (root), E (third), and G (fifth).

G Major (G-dur)

A chord composed of the notes G (root), H (third), and D (fifth).

A Minor (A-moll)

A chord composed of the notes A (root), C (third), and E (fifth).

F Major (F-dur)

A chord composed of the notes F (root), A (third), and C (fifth).

Major Chord Formula (Dur)

A step-counting formula of $4 + 3$ used to build a major chord from its root.

Minor Chord Formula (Moll)

A step-counting formula of $3 + 4$ used to build a minor chord from its root.

Piano White Keys (Hvite tangenter)

The standard sequence of white keys on a piano keyboard: C, D, E, F, G, A, H, C.

Chord Chart (Akkordskjema)

A simplified notation system showing bars, beats, and chord placements, making it easy for musicians to play together in a band.

Bar Lines in a Chord Chart

Straight vertical lines that indicate where a measure begins and ends.

Beat Slashes in a Chord Chart

Diagonal slash marks that indicate the individual pulse beats ($1$, $2$, $3$, $4$) within each measure.