Enjoyment of Music Essential Listening, 4th Edition Part 1

pitch

highness or lowness of a note, depending on the frequency.

frequency

Rate of vibration of a string or column of air, which determines pitch.

staff

The five parallel lines on which notes are written.

note

a musical symbol denoting pitch and duration

duration

Length of time something lasts; e.g., the vibration of a musical sound.

volume

degree of loudness or softness of a sound; also amplitude

tone color/timber

quality of sound that distinguishes one voice or instrument from another

melody

succession of single pitches perceived by the ear as a unity

range

distance between the lowest and highest pitches of a melody, instrument, or voice.

contour

The overall shape of a melodic line. It can move upward or downward or remain static.

interval

Distance and relationship between two pitches

conjunct

smooth, connected melody that moves principally by small intervals

disjunct

disjointed or disconnected melody with many leaps

phrases

a musical unit; often a component of a melody

cadences

resting place in a musical phrase; musical punctuation

countermelody

An accompanying melody sounded against the principal melody.

rhyme scheme

The arrangement of rhyming words or corresponding sounds at the end of poetic lines.

Climax

the high point in a melodic line or piece of music, usually representing the peak of intensity, range, and dynamics.

Rhythm

the controlled movement of music in time

beat

regular pulsation; a basic unit of length in musical time

accented

The emphasis on a beat resulting in its being louder or longer than another in a measure.

meters

organization of rhythm in time; the grouping of beats into larger, regular patterns, notated as measures

measures (or bars)

metric grouping of beats, notated on the musical staff with bar lines

measure (bar) lines

vertical lines on a staff that separate measures; each measure gets a specific number of beats.

downbeat

First beat of the measure, the strongest in any meter.

simple meters

duple, triple, and quadruple are the most common; each beat is divided into two

compound meters

Meter in which each beat is subdivided into three rather than two.

offbeats

a weak beat or weak portion of a beat

syncopation

Deliberate upsetting of the meter or pulse through a temporary shifting of the accent to a weak beat or an offbeat.

Polyrhythm

The simultaneous use of several rhythmic patterns or meters, common in twentieth-century music and in certain African musics.

nonmetric

Music lacking a strong sense of beat or meter, common in certain non-Western cultures.

upbeat

Last beat of a measure, a weak beat, which anticipates the downbeat.

duple meter

basic metrical pattern of two beats to a measure

triple meter

basic metrical pattern of three beats to a measure

quadruple meter

Basic metrical pattern of four beats to a measure. Also common time.

sextuple meter

compound metrical pattern of six beats to a measure

Harmony

the simultaneous combination of notes and the ensuing relationships of intervals and chords

Chord

simultaneous combination of three or more pitches that constitute a single block of harmony

Scale

series of pitches in ascending or descending order, comprising the notes of a key

Octave

interval between two notes eight diatonic pitches apart; the lower note vibrates half as fast as the upper and sounds an octave lower

Triad

common chord type, consisting of three pitches built on alternate notes of the scale

Tonic

The first note of the scale, or key; do.

Tonality

Principle of organization around a tonic, or home, pitch, based on a major or minor scale.

Dissonance

Combination of tones that sounds discordant and unstable, in need of resolution.

Consonance

Concordant or harmonious combination of tones that provides a sense of relaxation and stability in music.

Drone

Sustained sounding of one or several pitches for harmonic support, a common feature of some folk musics.

Half steps

Smallest interval used in the Western system; the octave divides into twelve such intervals; on the piano, the distance between any two adjacent keys, whether black or white. Also semitone.

Chromatic scale

Melody or harmony built from many if not all twelve pitches of the octave. A chromatic scale consists of an ascending or descending sequence of half steps.

Whole step

interval consisting of two half steps

Diatonic scale

Melody or harmony built from the seven tones of a major or minor scale. A diatonic scale encompasses patterns of seven whole tones and semitones.

Major scale

Scale consisting of seven different pitches that comprise a specific pattern of whole and half steps (W-W-H-W-W-W-H). Differs from the minor scale primarily in that its third degree is raised half a step.

Minor scale

Scale consisting of seven different pitches that comprise a specific pattern of whole and half steps (W-H-W-W-H-W-W). Differs from the major scale primarily in that its third degree is lowered half a step.

Sharp

a musical symbol that raises a pitch by a half step

Flat

a musical symbol that lowers a pitch by a half step

Tonic chord

Triad built on the first, or tonic, note of the scale, serving as the main chord of a piece and usually beginning and ending it.

Active chords

In the diatonic system, chords that need to resolve to the tonic chord. These include the dominant and subdominant chords.

Dominant

fifth note of the scale, sol

Subdominant

Fourth note of a scale, fa

Key

Defines the relationship of tones with a common center or tonic. Also a lever on a keyboard or woodwind instrument.

Transposition

the shifting of a piece of music to a different pitch level

Modulation

the process of changing from one key to another

Texture

The interweaving of melodic (horizontal) and harmonic (vertical) elements in the musical fabric.

Monophony

single-line texture, or melody without accompaniment

Polyphony

two or more melodic lines combined into a multi voiced texture

Counterpoint

The art of combining in a single texture two or more melodic lines.

Homophony

texture with principal melody and accompanying harmony

Imitation

Melodic idea presented in one voice or part and then restated in another, each part continuing as others enter.

Canon

type of polyphonic composition in which one musical line strictly imitates another at a fixed distance throughout

Rounds

Perpetual canon at the unison in which each voice enters in succession with the same melody

Form

Structure and design in music, based on repetition, contrast, and variation; the organizing principle of music

Strophic form

Song structure in which the same music is repeated with every stanza (strophe) of the poem.

Through-composed

Song structure that is composed from beginning to end, without repetitions of large sections.

Binary form (A-B)

Two-part (A-B) form with each section normally repeated.

Ternary Form (A-B-A)

three-part form based on a statement, contrast, and repetition

Theme

melodic idea used as a basic building block in the construction of music

Motive

Short melodic or rhythmic idea; the smallest fragment of a theme that forms a melodic-harmonic-rhythmic unit.

Sequence

restatement of an idea or motive at a different pitch level

call and response (responsorial)

performance style with a singing leader who is imitated by a chorus of followers

Improvisation

Creation of music at the same time as it is performed

Ostinato

A short melodic, rhythmic, or harmonic pattern that is repeated throughout a work or a section of one.

Movements

complete, self-contained part within a larger musical work

Tempo

rate of speed of the music

Dynamics

Element of musical expression relating to the degree of loudness or softness, or volume, of a sound.

Vocalise

A textless vocal melody, as in an exercise or concert piece.

Scat-singing

a jazz style that sets syllables without meaning (vocables) to an improvised vocal line

Secular music

Nonreligious music; when there is text, it is usually in the vernacular.

Vernacular

the common language of the people

Sacred music

Religious or spiritual music, for church or devotional use.

Syllabic

melodic style of one note set to each text syllable

Neumatic

Melodic style with two to four notes set to each syllable

Melismatic

melodic style characterized by many notes sung to a single text syllable

Word-painting

Musical pictorialization of words as an expressive device; a prominent feature of the Renaissance madrigal.

timbre/tone color

the quality of a sound that distinguishes one voice or instrument from another

Instrument

Mechanism that generates musical vibrations and transmits them into the air.

Soprano

Highest-ranged voice, normally possessed by women or boys.

Alto

Lowest of the female voices, also contralto

Tenor

Male voice of high range. Also a part, often structural, in polyphony.

Bass

lowest male voice

Aerophones

Instruments such as a flute, whistle, or horn that produce sound by using air as the primary vibrating means.

Chordophones

Instruments that produce sounds via vibrating strings, such as the guitar. The strings may be plucked, bowed, hit, or strummed