Unit 2: Music Fundamentals II: Minor Scales and Key Signatures, Melody, Timbre, and Texture

Sharps

Sharps

________ are used for the ascending scale.

Enharmonic equivalent flats

________ are used for the descending scale.

exact interval size

The ________ is described by quantity and quality.

Heptatonic

________ scales- There are seven tones in the scale.

Agogic

________ accent- A type of accent that is created by emphasizing the duration of a note.

Major

________ and minor scales are heptatonic.

Natural minor scale

The sixth scale in the rotation of church modes

Three forms of minor

Natural, harmonic, and melodic

Minor pentachord

Same first five notes that the three forms of minor start with

Natural form of minor

No alterations to the key signature

Harmonic form of minor

The 7th scale degree is raised both ascending and descending

Melodic form of minor

The 6th and 7th scale degrees are raised

Scale degree

Each step of the scale

Tonic

The beginning pitch of the scale

Scale degree 1

The tone on which the scale is built, the tonal center

Scale degree 2

Above the tonic

Scale degree 3

Halfway between the tonic and dominant

Scale degree 4

A fifth below the tonic

Scale degree 5

Perfect fifth above the tonic

Scale degree 6

In between the subdominant and the tonic

Scale degree 7

Half step below Do

Parallel keys

Major and minor keys with different key signature but same tonic

Relative keys

Major and minor scales that have the same pitches and key signature

Three forms of minor

Natural, harmonic, and melodic

Natural form of minor

No alterations to the key signature

Harmonic form of minor

The 7th scale degree is raised both ascending and descending

Melodic form of minor

The 6th and 7th scale degrees are raised

Parallel keys

Keys that share the same tonic note but have different key signatures

Closely related keys

Keys that have a small number of differences in their key signatures

Distantly related keys

Keys that have a large number of differences in their key signatures

Modulation

The process of changing from one key or tonal center to another

Chromatic scale

Symmetrical scale with all pitches spaced a half step apart

Heptatonic scales

There are seven tones in the scale

Hexatonic scale

There are six tones in this scale

Whole-tone scale

Each pitch is a whole step apart

Pentatonic scale

Has five tones

Major pentatonic

To build it, in the Circle of Fifths, start from C up to 5 consecutive pitches

Relative minor pentatonic

It uses the same pitch as the C pentatonic but it starts on A

Interval

The distance between two pitches

Quality

Expressed by a number and determined by counting the distance between one letter name and the next letter name

Diminished interval

An interval that is one-half step smaller than perfect or minor

Augmented interval

An interval that is one-half step larger than major or perfect

Consonant intervals

Stable

Dissonant intervals

Unstable, the impression of activity or tension

Inverted intervals

Intervals are inverted by transferring the lower note an octave higher or by transferring the higher note an octave lower

Simple intervals

Intervals that are one octave or smaller in quantity

Compound intervals

Intervals that are larger than an octave

Timbre

Determined by how the sound is produced, what the instrument is made of, and the range of an instrument

Melody

A logical progression of pitches and rhythms

Conjunct

When the melody uses stepwise motion

Disjunct

When the melody uses skipwise motion

Motivic transformation

Changing or transforming the original motif by using these compositional devices

Fragmentation

When a portion of a motif or a larger musical idea is used, often repeated, and/or varied

Melodic sequence

A form of variation that refers to repeating the original motif starting on a different pitch

Melodic inversion (Inversion)

The imitation of the melody performed upside down from the original melody

Mirror inversion

If the inverted intervals are exact

Retrograde

When the melody is played backwards

Retrograde inversion

It plays the pitches of the original motif backwards and inverted

Rhythmic transformation

Changes the motif or themes rhythm in order to vary it from previous statements of the motif

Augmentation

A form of rhythmic variation where the pitches remain the same but the rhythms are equally lengthened (note values are made longer)

Diminution

The opposite of augmentation, note values are made shorter

Rhythmic displacement

Keeps the original rhythmic structure intact but moves it to a different place in the measure

Texture

Basic element of music

Monophonic

Has only one melodic line with no harmony or counterpoint

Homophonic

Has one melodic line that draws your attention

Chordal homophony

Every line or voice moving together with exactly the same or nearly the same rhythm

Melody with accompaniment

Clearly has only one melodic line, but the harmony is not limited to chords moving together

Ostinato

Short melodic, rhythmic, or harmonic pattern that is repeated throughout an entire composition or some portion of a composition

Ragtime

An American style of music that was popular at the turn of the 20th century

Sequence

The repeated melodic pattern at a different interval

Heterophonic

Theres only one melody but different variations of it are being sung or played at the same time

Alberti bass

An accompaniment figure played on a keyboard instrument with the left hand

Walking bass

A style of bass accompaniment or line that creates a feeling of regular quarter-note movement, similar to the regular alternation of feet while walking

Polyphonic (Polyphony, Counterpoint, Contrapuntal)

If more than one independent melody is occurring at the same time

Imitative

If the individual lines are similar in their shapes and sounds

Fugue

A form of composition popular in the Baroque era, in which a theme or subject is introduced by one voice and is imitated by other voices in succession

Nonimitative

If the voice shows little or no resemblance to each other

Countermelody

A secondary melody or line written to be played simultaneously with a more prominent melody

Solo

A single performer or a passage that is to be performed by a single performer

Soli

A directive to perform an indicated passage of a composition with an entire section of an ensemble

Tutti

All members play

Syncopation

The rhythmic displacement of the expected strong beat created by using dots, rests, ties, accent marks, rhythm, and dynamics

Hemiola

A special type of syncopation where the bead is temporarily regrouped into twos

Accents

Markings used in music notation to indicate emphasis or stress on a particular note or beat

Regular accent

Indicated by a diagonal line above or below the note

Strong accent

Indicated by a vertical line above the note

Staccato accent

Indicated by a dot above or below the note, and it indicates that the note should be played short and detached

Agogic accent

A type of accent that is created by emphasizing the duration of a note

Fermata

A symbol used in music notation to indicate that a note or rest should be held longer than its written value

Tenuto

A marking used in music notation to indicate that a note should be held for its full value

Meter

The organization of beats into regular groups

Duple meter

Two beats per measure

Triple meter

Three beats per measure

Quadruple meter

Four beats per measure

Compound meter

A combination of duple and triple meter

Irregular meter

It has an irregular grouping of beats