MUS 105, 1 Elements

Sound

Begins with a vibrating object (soundwave) and can be categorized as pleasant or unpleasant.

Music

The organization of sounds in time.

Pitch

Highness or lowness of sound, determined by frequency of vibration.

Interval

Distance between two tones.

Octave

Doubling or halving of frequency.

Range

Distance between highest and lowest tones of an instrument or voice.

Dynamics

Loudness or softness of sound, with terms like pianissimo (pp) and forte (f).

Crescendo

Gradually louder.

Decrescendo (diminuendo)

Gradually softer.

Tone Color (Timbre)

Quality that distinguishes tones, described as bright, dark, mellow, etc.

Vocal Range

Depends on physical makeup and training, classified into soprano, mezzo-soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, and bass.

A Cappella

Unaccompanied singing.

Musical Instruments

Six categories in Western music:String, Woodwind, Brass, Percussion, Keyboard, Electronic.

Rhythm

Flow of music through time; organized durations of sounds and silences.

Beat

Recurrent pulsation dividing music into equal time units.

Meter

Grouping of beats (2’s & 3’s).

Accent

Emphasis on a note.

Syncopation

Emphasis on unexpected notes or beats.

Tempo

Speed of the beat, indicated at the beginning of a piece.

Notating Pitch

Uses letter names (A-G) and staff notation.

Notating Rhythm

Indicates length of tones relative to others; includes duration symbols and rests.

Time Signature

Indicates the meter, written as two numbers (beats per measure and note type).

Melody

A series of single notes forming a recognizable whole, composed of phrases and cadences.

Harmony

Construction and progression of chords.

Chord

Three or more tones sounded simultaneously.

Consonance

Stable, restful chords.

Dissonance

Tense chords needing resolution.

Key

Centering of melody or harmony around a central note.

Major Scale

Bright, happy sound.

Minor Scale

Dark, sad sound.

Chromatic Scale

Utilizes all 12 notes within an octave.

Modulation

Change of key providing contrast within a piece.

Texture

Layering of sound and how layers relate.

Monophonic

Single melody.

Polyphonic

Two or more melodies.

Homophonic

One melody with accompaniment.

Musical Form

Organization of musical elements in time.

Repetition

Restating musical ideas.

Contrast

Introducing new ideas.

Variation

Reworking ideas.

Ternary Form (ABA)

Statement-Contrast-Return.

Strophic Form

Same music, changing text.

Binary Form (AB)

Two-part form.