AP Music Theory 1.1-2: Rhythm, Scales, and Key Signatures Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering rhythm terms, scale patterns, tonality concepts, and key signatures based on the lecture notes.

Time Signature

Indicates how many of what kind of note is in a measure.

Anacrusis

A feature where the last measure is incomplete so as to balance metrically with the pick up notes, with the anacrusis and last measure together equaling one complete measure.

Syncopation

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

Hemiola

A special type of syncopation in triple meters, in which the beat is temporarily regrouped into twos.

Major Scale Pattern

The pattern W W H W W W H, which puts half steps between scale degrees 3 and 4 and 7 and 8.

Major Tetrachord

A four-note group consisting of the pattern W W H.

Key Signatures

A specific series of pitches based on the pattern of whole steps and half steps that define a tonality.

Tonality

The principle of organizing a composition around that key note or mode.

Modality

Keys that can be defined as major or minor, possibly pentatonic or a church keytone.

The Circle of Fifths

The demonstration of the relationship of the tonal centers to each other.

C Major

A key containing no sharps or flats.

G Major

A key containing one sharp.

D Major

A key containing two sharps.

A Major

A key containing three sharps.

E Major

A key containing four sharps.

B Major

A key containing five sharps (enharmonic to Cb Major).

F# Major

A key containing six sharps (enharmonic to Gb Major).

C# Major

A key containing seven sharps (enharmonic to Db Major).

F Major

A key containing one flat.

Bb Major

A key containing two flats.

Eb Major

A key containing three flats.

Ab Major

A key containing four flats.

Db Major

A key containing five flats (enharmonic to C# Major).

Gb Major

A key containing six flats (enharmonic to F# Major).

Cb Major

A key containing seven flats (enharmonic to B Major).