Terms 1,2, 7-10

Music

Organized sounds and silences.

Sound

An audible vibration.

Frequency

The number (speed) of vibrations per second that determine a musical pitch.

Fundamental

A base pitch from which a series of harmonics is produced, or a base pitch on which a chord is built.

Tone

The specific sound of an instrument or voice.

Interval

The distance between 2 pitches.

Octave

12 half steps; 8 notes apart; the distance from the fundamental to the first partial.

Decibel

The unit used to measure the volume of a tone.

Pitch

The highness or lowness of a tone, as determined by the loudest sound (frequency) heard in a given tone.

Articulation

Terms and symbols that indicate how notes are separated, sustained or connected.

Timbre

What makes a particular sound unique from another sound even when pitch and volume are identical.

Envelope

The attack, sustain, and decay and release of sound.

Notes

Symbols to indicate the duration of pitch.

Rests

Symbols to indicate the duration of silence.

Acoustics

The science of the production, development, and perception of sound.

Amplitude

The size of the vibrations that determine the volume of a pitch.

Hertz

The unit used to measure the frequency of a pitch.

Scientific Pitch Notation

A method of naming the notes combining a letter name, accidentals, and a number identifying the pitch's octave.

Enharmonic

Two notes that sound the same but have different names (e.g., F# and Gb).

Diatonic

Involving only notes proper to the prevailing key without chromatic alteration.

Staff

A set of 5 horizontal lines and 4 spaces that each represent a musical pitch.

Clef

A musical symbol used to indicate where pitches are written on a staff.

F Clef

Also known as the bass clef, it indicates the pitch of notes written on the staff.

G Clef

Also known as the treble clef, it indicates higher pitches on the staff.

Ledger Lines

Lines above or below the staff that extend the staff.

Grand Staff

The treble and bass clef staves connected with brackets.

Bar Lines

Lines that separate measures in music.

System

A set of staves in a musical score joined by a brace.

Bracket or Brace

A vertical bow-shaped bracket connecting two or more musical staves.

Measure

The distance between two bar lines.

Double Bar Line

Signifies the end of a piece of music.

Notehead

The elliptical part of the note.

Stem

Thin vertical line that extends from the note head.

Beam

The line that connects two notes.

Rest

Silence in music.

Flag

The mark added to a note stem to indicate the beat division of that note.

Accidental

A note of a pitch that is not a member of the scale or mode indicated by the most recently applied key signature.

Sforzando

An indication to make a strong, sudden accent on a note or chord.

Terrace Dynamics

A musical style characterized by abrupt volume shifts from soft to loud and back.

Ritardando

A term used in music to refer to gradually becoming slower.

Song Form

A song form where the B section is usually the bridge, also referred to as the '32 bar form'.

Binary

A musical structure consisting of two sections, often repeated, labeled AABB.

Continuous Binary

A type of binary form where the first section ends with any cadence other than an authentic cadence.

Sectional Binary

A binary form where the first section ends with an authentic cadence.

Ternary

A musical structure of three sections, ABA, typically with a recapitulation of the first section.

Rounded Binary

A form that combines features of binary and ternary structures, represented as AB(A), where part of the A section returns after the B.

Through-Composed

A musical form that features new music for each stanza.

Strophic

A form where the same music is used for each verse.

Sonata Allegro Form

A common structure for the first movement of a sonata, typically well-known in classical music.

Exposition

The section in sonata form where the first theme is in the tonic key, and the second theme is in the dominant key or relative major.

Development

The section where previously presented themes are expanded and explored, often in new keys.

Recapitulation

The section of sonata form where the first and second themes are restated in the tonic key.

Rondo

A musical form that alternates with a recurring theme, structured as ABACA.

Arch Form

A musical structure represented as ABCBA.

Basso Ostinato

A repeating bass line that provides a foundation for a piece.

Theme and Variations

A form where one theme is repeated in slightly different ways.

Passacaglia

A type of theme and variations characterized by a consistent basso ostinato.

Chaconne

A form of theme and variations that also features a basso ostinato.

Coda

The concluding measures of a composition that follow the PAC, often not part of the main thematic material.

Codetta

Similar to a coda, it refers to closing measures that follow the PAC.

Cadenza

Typically improvised or composed ornamental material performed by a soloist in a free style.

Texture

Describes the complexity of layers in music at any given moment.

Monophonic

A musical texture with one melodic line and no harmony or counterpoint.

Homophonic

A texture with one prominent melodic line accompanied by other parts that fill in the chords.

Chordal Homophony

A form of homophony where all voices move together with the same rhythm.

Melody with Accompaniment

A type of homophony with an independent melody where the accompaniment is not limited to chordal movement.

Ostinato

A repetitive short rhythmic, melodic, or harmonic pattern.

Alberti Bass

An accompaniment style using broken chords or arpeggios, typically following a 1-5-3-5 pattern.

Walking Bass

A bass line characterized by regular quarter note movement, resembling walking.

Polyphonic

A musical texture involving multiple independent melodies being played simultaneously.

Counterpoint

A type of polyphony where distinct musical lines harmonically complement each other.

Contrapuntal

Relating to counterpoint, a texture involving independent musical lines.

Imitative Polyphony

A texture where a main idea is echoed or imitated across different voices.

Fugue

A type of imitative polyphony where a theme is introduced in one voice and imitated by others.

Fugal Imitation

Imitative polyphony that mirrors the antecedent at different pitch levels.

Non-Imitative Polyphony

A polyphonic texture where the independent lines differ in rhythm and contour.

Counter Melody

A secondary melody played alongside the primary melody.

Heterophonic

A texture with a single melody being sung or played in various forms simultaneously.

Ragtime

An American musical style that features syncopated or 'ragged' rhythms.

Parallel Motion

Both voices move in the same direction by exactly the same interval.

Oblique Motion

One voice moves in any direction by any interval while the other remains on the same pitch, not moving at all.

Contrary Motion

The voices move by any interval in the opposite direction.

Similar Motion

When both voices move in the same direction, but by different intervals.

Disjunct Motion

Moving by skips and leaps.

Conjunct Motion

Moving by steps.

Static Motion

No movement.

Cadence

A progression of (at least) two chords that concludes a phrase, section, or piece of music.

Authentic Cadence (AC)

it occurs whenever a phrase ends with a Major FIVE Chord or Diminished SEVEN Chord leading to a Major/Minor TONIC Chord.

Perfect Authentic Cadence (PAC)

For an AC to be considered a PAC three things must occur: 1. The penultimate chord must be a Major FIVE not LEADING TONE. 2. Both chords must be in root position. 3. The highest note of the ONE CHORD must be the tonic of the scale.

Imperfect Authentic Cadence (IAC)

best separated into three categories: 1. Leading Tone - The FIVE chord is replaced with the LEADING TONE chord - the cadence still ends on TONIC chord. 2. Inverted ___ - Similar to PAC but the one or both chords are inverted. 3. Root Position _ - similar to PAC but the highest voice is NOT the tonic of the scale.

Deceptive Cadence (DC)

A chord progression that ends with the SUBMEDIANT chord. (usually V to vi).

Plagel Cadence (PC)

A chord progression where the SUBDOMINANT chord is followed by the TONIC chord (IV to I).

Half Cadence (HC)

A chord progression that ends with the DOMINANT chord (anything to a V).

Phrygian Half Cadence (PHC)

A chord progression where the subdominant chord (in first inversion) is followed by the dominant chord (IV6 -V). The root (not the bass note) of the final chord is approached from a half step above.

Motive or Motif

The smallest recognizable musical idea. A figure is not considered motivic unless it is repeated in some way.

Motivic Development

A restatement of the motive in some way. Examples include: 1. A motive can feature rhythm, pitch, and intervalic elements. 2. Any part of the motive can be varied in its repetitions (including pitch and rhythm).

Phrase

A set of notes that combine to make a musical sentence, which leads to a cadence.

Phrase Modification

A modification, in some way, of the original phrase.

Sub-Phrase

Some phrases have detectable divisions made of two or so motives. They might consist of two or three motives or be a particularly long motive with strong than usual closure.

Augmentation (Phrase)

A compositional device where a melody, theme or motif is presented in longer note-values than were previously used.