MUS 1500 – Elements of Music & Organology (Ch. 1 & 2)

Vocabulary flashcards covering essential terms from Chapters 1 & 2 of MUS 1500: Elements of Music, form, dynamics, timbre, and the Sachs-Hornbostel instrument classification system.

Melody

A succession of pitches that create a musical idea, characterized by range, duration (rhythm), timbre, dynamics, and overall shape (melodic contour).

Rhythm

The length or duration of sounds, encompassing tempo, beats, accents, meter, texture, dynamics, and varying levels of rhythmic density.

Harmony

A combination of tones—often chords—that support and enrich a melody, possessing its own rhythm, dynamics, texture, and timbre.

Form

The overall structure of a piece of music, identifiable through melody, rhythm, harmony, dynamics, and texture; common commercial form is Verse/Chorus with a hook.

Dynamics

Indications of how loudly or softly music is performed, notated with symbols such as ff, f, mf, mp, p, pp.

Timbre

The color or quality of a sound; described with adjectives like reedy, warm, brassy, raspy, etc., and unique to each instrument or voice.

Tonality

The organization of music around a central pitch (key) that provides a sense of home or resolution.

Melodic Contour

The visual/aural shape of a melody as it moves up, down, or stays the same in pitch.

Tempo

The speed of the beat in music, ranging from slow to fast.

Beat

The regular, recurring pulse that organizes rhythm in time.

Accent

An emphasis placed on a particular beat or note, contributing to meter and rhythmic feel.

Texture

The way musical lines and layers are combined (e.g., monophonic, homophonic, polyphonic).

Riff

A short, repeated melodic or rhythmic figure used to ornament or drive a piece.

Verse/Chorus Form

A song structure alternating verses with a repeated chorus section.

Hook

A catchy musical or lyrical idea designed to grab the listener’s attention, often found in the chorus.

Sachs-Hornbostel System

A classification method for musical instruments based on how they produce sound.

Aerophone

Instrument producing sound from vibrating air (flutes, reeds, trumpets).

Chordophone

Instrument producing sound from vibrating strings (lutes, zithers, harps, lyres).

Membranophone

Instrument producing sound via a stretched membrane (drums).

Idiophone

Instrument that sounds through the vibration of its own material when plucked, struck, or shaken.

Lamellophone

Subtype of idiophone with metal tongues that vibrate to produce sound (e.g., mbira).

Electronophone

Instrument that requires electricity to generate sound (synthesizers, electric guitars).

Drone

A continuous sustained sound or pitch that underlies a melody.

Text Setting

The relationship between words and music, primarily syllabic or melismatic.

Syllabic

Text setting with one musical note per syllable of text.

Melismatic

Text setting with multiple notes sung on a single syllable.

Tuning System

The set of pitches commonly used in a musical tradition.

Rhythmic Density

The quantity of accented and unaccented beats within a given time span; how ‘busy’ the rhythm feels.

Free Meter

Music lacking a regular pulse or beat, creating a sense of rhythmic freedom.

Dynamic Markings (ff–pp)

Notation symbols indicating volume levels from very loud (ff) to very soft (pp).