Understanding the Fundamentals of Music

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and definitions related to the fundamentals of music, as discussed in the lecture.

Timbre

The quality or color of a musical sound that distinguishes different types of sound production, such as voices or instruments.

Meter

The rhythmic structure of music, determining how many beats are in each measure and how those beats are grouped.

Pitch

The perceived frequency of a sound, determining how high or low it is.

Tonality

The organization of music around a central pitch (tonic), creating a hierarchy of pitches and chords.

Cadence

A chord progression that concludes a musical phrase, section, or piece, conveying a sense of resolution.

Harmony

The combination of different musical notes played or sung simultaneously.

Augmented interval

An interval that is made one semitone larger than a perfect or major interval.

Diminished interval

An interval that is made one semitone smaller than a perfect or minor interval.

Polyphony

A musical texture involving two or more independent melodies sung or played simultaneously.

Homophony

A musical texture where one main melody is accompanied by chords.

Syncopation

A rhythmic effect where expected accents are displaced or emphasized in unexpected places.

Whole-tone scale

A scale consisting entirely of whole steps.

Circle of Fifths

A visual representation of the relationship between the 12 pitches of the chromatic scale, showing the key signatures and their relationships.