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music

Key

the major or minor mode of a composition

Major

a diatonic scale with half steps between E + F (3 and 4) and B + C (7 and 8)

Minor

a diatonic scale with half steps between D + E (2 and 3) and G + A (5 and 6)

Chromatic Scales

the western scale in which the octave is divided into 12 half steps

Duple Meter

Duple Meter

Rhythm

organization of sounds and durations of pitches and silences

Weak Beats (Duple Meter)

2 and 4 beat

Strong Beats (Duple Meter)

1 and 3 beat

Strong Beats (Triple Meter)

1 and 4 beat

Triple Meter

3 beats per measure

Compound Meter

subdivide beats into smaller grouping of 3

Weak Beats (Triple Meter)

Weak Beats (Triple Meter)

Allegro

fast

Andante

moderately slow

Adagio

slow

Lento

Slow

Dynamics

loudness or softness of a pitch

p

“piano” soft

mp

"mezzo piano" half soft

mf

“mezzo forte” half loud

f

“forte” loud

ff

"fortissimo" very loud

"fortissimo" very loud

Verse-Refrain Form

(AABA) one or 2 lines repeated at the beginning or end of the verse tying song together

Melismatic

(text setting) several notes sung to one syllable of text

Syllabic

(text setting) one syllable of text has one note

Responsorial

soloist answered by a choir

Moderato

moderately

vertical combinations of pitches to produce chords

pp

"pianissimo" very soft