AP Music Theory Review

AP Music Theory

Hemiola

a feeling of 2 when you’re in 3 or 3 when you’re in 2

simple Meter

beat consistently has two divisions

compound Meter

The beat consistently has 3 divisions

assymmetrical

something that doesn’t fit into simple or compound meter/comon meters (ex. 5/4, 5/8)

Cross Rhythm

Different rhythms that are layered

mixed meter

Meter shifts

Simple Duple

2/4, 2/2

Simple Triple

3/4, 3/16

Simple Quadruple

4/4, 4/8

Compound Duple

6/8, 6/4

Compound Triple

9/8, 9/16

Compound Quadruple

12/8, 12/32

Ionian

Major (C-C)

Dorian

do re me fa sol la te do (minor sounding) (D-D)

Phrygian

Do ra me fa sol le te do (E-E)

Lydian

Do re mi fi sol la ti do (major sounding) (F-F)

mixolyidan

Do re mi fa sol la te do (major sounding) (G-G)

Aeolian

natural minor (A-A)

locrian

Do ra me fa se le te do

Monophony

1 melody (can be in octaves)

Polyphony

parts going against each other at the same time (cannons, rounds)

homophony

Things happening at the same time (melody and harmonies) (chordal harmony)

Heterophony

Same melody with little variations at the same time

chordal texture

When all the lines have the same rhythm

melody with accompaniment

Single melody with various accompanimental figurations

Contour

basic shape of melody (ascending, descending, conjunct, disjunct)

Conjunct

steps

Disjunct

Leaps

Simple interval

intervals whos sizes are smaller than or equal to an octave

compound interval

intervals larger than an octave

Syllabic

when each syllable corresponds to a single pitch (text setting)

melisma

when a syllable of text is sung with 2 or more pitches

Ostinato

Pattern that repeats

timbre

”tone color”- the distinctive “coloristic” quality of a musical sound

Tesitura

Range in which a voice or instrument is most comfortable

Anacrusis

upbeat or pickup

Agogic Accent

Emphasis of a note through its longer duration

Syncopation

Placement of an accent onto normally weak beats or divisions

polyrhythm

combination of two or more “conflicting” rhythmic patterns

Alberti Bass

Arpeggiated Chords

Walking bass

consists of mostly quarter notes

polyphonic imitation

Repetition of a musical idea heard in different voices

doubling

A melody is simultaneously duplicated in another part

Canon

Melody layered on itself

countermelody

secondary melodic line that sounds along with main melody

Dominant 7th

M (triad/chord) + m7 (note)

Major 7th

M (triad/chord) + M7

Minor 7th

m (triad/chord) + m7

half diminished 7th

d (triad/chord) + m7

diminished 7th

d (triad/chord) + m3 from last note

authentic Cadence

V - I

Plagal Cadence

IV - I

Half Cadence

Ends on V, sounds unresolved

Deceptive Cadence

ends on vi

Picardy 3rd

minor key but ends in major (V-I)

Phrygian half

Minor 4 in 1st inversion to a 5 (le → sol) (iv6 →V)

Anticipation

By step and remains the same (note of the second chord played early)

Neighboring Tone

By step and returns to original note by step

Escape

Step → skip; resolved to a skip in the opposite direction

Apoggiatura

Skip → step - skip resolved to a step in the opposite direction

Retardation

Keeps the note the same then steps upward

Passing tone

by step and continues in the same direction

suspension

keeps a note the same then steps downward

Tonicization

A process by which scale degrees or chords other than the primary tonic in a piece of music are made to sound like the tonic temporarily

Motif

A short musical statement; can be melodic, rhythmic, or both

Period

2 phrases; last phrase is stronger than the first phrase

diminution

shrinking the rhythmic duration of the motive

Augmentation

expanding the rhythmic duration of the motive

sequence

moving the motive up or down by a set interval

inversion

turning the motive upside down

harmonic sequence

a sequence involving the chord progression of a piece of music

tonal sequence

accommodates the diatonic scale, so that only the diatonic notes of a scale are used

False sequence

Repeats part of a figure and states the remainder in sequence - a mixture of sequence and repititon

Phrase

substancial musical thought usually ending with a harmonic, melodic, and rhythmic cadence. A complete musical thought

2 adjacent phrases may combine to form a period if:

Second phrase ends on a stronger cadence (PAC) than the first (half)

Parallel Period

both begin in the same manner

contrasting period

2 phrases are not similar in melodic content

form

the way in which music is organized in parts

Codetta

(“short” coda) - few measures in length or comes at end of section

Intro

Opening of the song before the main melody or lyrics appear

Interlude

Brief section of music that serves as a spacer between more substantial sections

Coda

(Outro) section of music at end of a movement (**after strong cadence**)

Bridge

Short passage to prepare for reappearance of the subject (theme), transitional section

Refrain

Single line of a song repeated many times

Tonic

Do

Supertonic

Re

Mediant

Mi

Subdominant

Fa

Dominant

Sol

Submediant

La

Leading Tone

Ti