Untitled Flashcards Set

Rhythm

The pattern of sounds and silences in music.

Beat

The basic unit of time in music, the pulse.

Accent

Emphasis placed on a certain note or beat.

Meter

The recurring pattern of beats in music; can be duple, triple, or compound.

Syncopation

A rhythmic concept that emphasizes beats or parts of beats that are normally not accented.

Tempo

The speed at which a piece of music is played.

Pitch

The perceived frequency of a sound; how high or low a note sounds.

Range

The distance between the lowest and highest pitches of an instrument or voice.

Scales

Sequential order of notes; can be diatonic or chromatic.

Interval

The distance between two pitches.

Melody

A sequence of notes that is musically satisfying; the main theme of a piece.

Phrase

A musical thought or idea, often a segment of a melody.

Melodic contour

The overall shape or movement of a melody; can be conjunct (stepwise) or disjunct (jumping).

Cadence

A progression of chords that brings a phrase to an end.

Harmony

The combination of different musical notes played or sung simultaneously.

Chord

A group of notes played together, creating harmony.

Consonant

Harmonies that are stable and pleasant to the ear.

Dissonant

Harmonies that create tension or a sense of instability.

Tonality

The character of a piece of music based on a key.

Major mode

A scale or key that sounds happy and bright.

Minor mode

A scale or key that sounds sad or somber.

Modulation

The process of changing from one key to another in music.

Timbre

The quality or color of a musical sound that distinguishes different types of sound production.

Rock instrumentation

The specific instruments used in rock music, typically including guitar, bass, drums, and vocals.

Texture

The way in which different musical voices or parts are combined.

Monophony

A single musical line without accompaniment.

Homophony

A primary melody accompanied by chords.

Polyphony

Multiple independent melodies occurring simultaneously.

Volume/Dynamics

The loudness or softness of music.

Form

The structure or layout of a music piece.

Tin Pan Alley

A term for the music publishing industry in New York City in the early 20th century.

Race records

Records produced for African American audiences before the 1940s.

Hillbilly music

An early term for folk or country music in the United States.

Rhythm and blues

A genre combining jazz, gospel, and blues influences.

12-bar blues form

A standard chord progression in blues music consisting of 12 bars.

Rockabilly

A music genre that blends rock and roll with country influences.

Doo-wop

A style of vocal-based rhythm and blues music characterized by vocal harmonies.

Jump blues

An up-tempo style of blues music that contributed to the development of rock and roll.

Call and response

A form of interaction between a singer and an audience or between musical instruments.

Chess Records

A record label in Chicago known for producing blues music.

Alan Freed

A disc jockey who was instrumental in popularizing rock and roll music.

Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller

A songwriting and producing team known for their contributions to early rock and roll.

Carl Perkins

A rockabilly musician known for his hit 'Blue Suede Shoes.'

Pat Boone

A popular singer known for covering rhythm and blues songs.