Music in Society: Unit 1 Exam Flashcards

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering key terms from Chapters 1 through 6 of the Music in Society Unit 1 Exam Study Guide.

Pitch

Perceivable and measurable highness or lowness of a sound, determined by frequency (vibrations per second).

Note

A symbol placed on a staff that designates pitch frequency and duration.

Timbre

Tone color or distinct sound quality of a voice or instrument.

Melody

A tune comprising a succession of single pitches forming a recognizable whole; the horizontal and linear aspect of music.

Range

The distance between the lowest and highest notes of a melody.

Contour

The overall shape of a melodic line (e.g., ascending, descending, arch, wave, static).

Interval

The distance between two pitches.

Conjunct Melodies

Melodies that move by small, connected intervals.

Disjunct Melodies

Melodies that move by larger, disconnected intervals.

Phrase

A unit of meaning within a larger structure of melody, analogous to a clause in a sentence.

Cadence

The resting place at the end of a phrase, which can be inconclusive or conclusive.

Climax

The high point in a melodic line, representing a peak in intensity and range.

Countermelody

A secondary melody heard simultaneously against the main melody.

Rhythm

The fundamental movement of music in time that propels music forward.

Beat

The basic unit of rhythm; a regular pulse dividing time into equal segments.

Meter

The organization of rhythmic beats into regularly recurring patterns.

Downbeat

The first accented beat of each metrical pattern, coinciding with the conductor's downward stroke.

Simple Meters

Meters in which each beat is divided into two parts.

Compound Meters

Meters in which each beat is divided into three parts.

Syncopation

A deliberate shifting of accents to offbeats, creating rhythmic complexity.

Harmony

The simultaneous combination of sounds; the vertical aspect of music that adds depth.

Scale

A collection of pitches arranged in ascending or descending order.

Tonic

The first note of a scale, serving as the home base to other notes.

Tonality

The organization of music around a central pitch, the tonic.

Dissonance

A discordant combination of notes that creates instability and tension, resolving into consonance.

Consonance

A concordant, agreeable combination of notes that provides resolution, relaxation, and fulfillment.

Chromatic Scale

A scale built from all twelve equal semitones (half steps) of an octave.

Sharp

A symbol that raises a tone by a half step.

Flat

A symbol that lowers a tone by a half step.

Whole Step

An interval equal to two half steps.

Major Scale

A scale pattern associated with a cheerful, triumphant sound.

Minor Scale

A scale pattern associated with a darker, sadder sound, featuring a flatted third note.

Diatonic

Music clearly rooted in a major or minor key, typical of Baroque- and Classical-era styles.

Monophony

A single-voiced musical texture without accompaniment.

Polyphony

A texture featuring two or more distinct melodic lines combined simultaneously based on counterpoint.

Homophony

A texture featuring a single primary melody supported by accompanying chords and harmonies.

Imitation

A polyphonic unifying technique where a melodic idea is presented in one voice and then restated in another.

Strophic Form

A vocal form in which the same melody is repeated with each stanza of text.

Through-Composed Form

A vocal form in which no main section of music or text is repeated.

Theme

A main melodic idea used as a basic building block in constructing a larger work.

Motive

A small fragment of a theme.

Thematic Development

The expansion of a theme to provide clarity, coherence, and logic in larger musical forms.