melody/harmony

Mode/modal

system of scales before major/minor

major

happy

take away three semitones to get minor

minor

sad

add three semitones to get to major

intervals

space between notes

obligato

a prominent solo instrument in vocal music

acciacatura

crushed note just before or on the beat

mordent

*-_- (upside down)*

trill

_-_-_-_-_-_-_

perfect cadence

ends nicely

\

imperfect cadance

sounds like there should be more

tierce de picardie

minor piece ending it major chord

harmonic minor scale

a minor scales that’s notes are the same ascending and descending

melodic minor scale

a minor scales that’s notes are different ascending and descending

natural

A minor (if G#)

C major

B flat

F major

F sharp

G major

atonal

no feeling of key

inverted pedal

repeated or sustained high note while piece develops underneath

chromatic

increases by a semitone

whole tone scale

scale that contains no semitones

glissando

sliding from one note to another

modulation

change of key

syllabic

each syllable is given one note only

melismatic

several notes sung to one syllable

counter melody

a second melody heard at the same time as main melody

pitch bend

changing a pitch of notes (holding guitar string upwards)

tone

interval of two semitones

semitone

smallest possible distance between two notes