Musc205 Unit 1 Exam Terms

Melisma

The practice of singing multiple pitches for a single syllable of text.

Melody

A series of pitches laid out one-by-one in a distinct rhythmic profile.

Pitch

The frequency at which a sound vibrates; the position of a single sound in the complete range of sound. (relative)

• Fast vibration translates to “high” pitches

• Slow vibrations to “low” pitches

Scale

A collection of pitches that sound good together, drawn from the twelve evenly spaced tones that make up an octave.

Octave

The distance between a given pitch and the one that vibrates twice as fast or slow.

•  used as the central unit for organizing pitch space going back to Ancient Greece.

Major Scale

An eight-note scale in a major (positive) key.

Minor Scale

An eight-note scale in a minor (sharp) key.

Pentatonic Scale

A scale containing only five notes, available in both major and minor versions.

Diatonic

Melodies that stick to pitches drawn from a single scale.

Chromaticism

Use of pitches that lie outside of the chosen scale.

Pitch Class Def

The position of a single sound in the complete range of sound (relative)

• Low, High, Medium

• Lower pitches → local frye, chest voice (vibrations in your chest) 

  • louder, richer, more confident

  • We talk at this level

• Higher pitches → get more wavery and thinner (head voice) 

Melody

Most prominent/important in a musical texture Consists of a series of pitches performed over time

Tension and Release

Tension → leading away from home

Release → landing at home base

Range

How high or low a pitch is; The span of all of the pitches (wide/narrow)

Scales

Set of musical notes; used in a lot of western music to organize and build melodies and harmonies

• Pentatonic Scale - 5 notes || predictable → not a lot of tension; Tell a story instead

Harmony

Describes multiple pitches sounding at the same time, usually supporting a melody.

Class Defn: A combination of simultaneously sounding pitches; usually supports the melody

Consonant

Pleasant, harmonious pitches.

Dissonant

Clashing, or unharmonious pitches.

Chord

A stack of notes—three or more—that are sounded together.

Class Defn: Two or more simultaneously sounding pitches

Chord Progression

A sequence of harmonies played one after the other.

Class Defn: Series of cords played one after the other

Tonality

The organization of pitches, with some being more important than others due to their scale relationship.

Tonic

In tonality, the pitch that is most important is the first one in the scale. This first note of a scale represents its tonal home, the place to which the other pitches want to return.

Cord Quality

Refers to the emotional characteristics of chords; major for happy sounds and minor for sad sounds.

Timbre

The quality of a musical note, or how a note sounds. Use words similarly to how you would describe food to describe music. Stay away from descriptions tied to emotions

Texture

The density or thickness of music; how many layers a song has.

• Thick or Dense

• Thin or Sparse

Drums

Drums are not usually harmony or melody

• Unpitched: Drumset → Trap set/drum kit is mostly used in popular music (they have a pitch but they don’t change or tune the pitch)

• There are Talking Drums and Timpani that have a pitch but aren't used in popular music

Countermelody

 a subordinate melody accompanies a main melody less prominent than a main melody

• Usually, in popular music, there is only one melody

  • If you take out countermelody it wouldn't impact the song that much

• Contributes to the harmony

Melisma & Syllabic

 Relationship between melody and lyrics

• Melismatic: many notes for one syllable

• Syllabic (more common for popular music): single note for each syllable

A Cappella

Singing with no instrumental backgrounds.

Beat

The basic unit of time in music, the regular pulse that one taps their feet to.

• Steady vs. Unsteady 

• Weak vs Strong

Beat in hip hop

Instrumental track/Backing track

Tempo

The speed of the song, described as fast, slow, or moderate.

Rhythm

The duration of musical notes and their organization.

• Long and short note durations

• Backbeat/Upbeat || Downbeat

Rhythm: Triplets

playing 3 notes in one

Triplet Flow

dividing one beat into three divisions.

• Rapping 3 syllables in one beat

• Where does triplet flow come from?

  • Originally was formulated using the beat (snare) but was taken over by rap and is now infused in how the lyrics is sung.

• What can rapping in triplet flow do?

  • It creates a catchy and faster flow style when you add triples. 

  • It keeps the song engaging by incorporating a new style and flow

Rhythm: Son clave

bap bap bap rests bap bap

Rhythm: Tresillon

bap bap bap | bap bap bap

• Originated in Cuba

• Operated as a steady beat

Syncopation

When rhythms are off beat, creating a type of rhythm that adds tension.

• Low syncopation: means that the rhythm of a song adheres closely to the underlying meter.

• Notes: our bodily response to syncopation operates in a U-shape relationship. Too little syncopation, and we do not experience a strong bodily response

Build

Generates pent-up energy in music.

Drop

Releases pent-up energy, creating a moment of ecstatic joy.

Form

describes the large-scale musical structure of a composition and the way it can be broken down into different sections

Sections

think of a song like a short story, then each section would be a paragraph, each melody a sentence, each pitch a word. Thinking about form helps us understand the dramatic arc of a song, its emotional peaks and valleys. And just as there are well-proven ways to structure a story, there are certain song forms that pop composers reuse again and again

Bridge

Provides contrast within a song.

Pop Drop

build/drop shortened to fit a pop song

Post-chorus

any section that follows a chorus. [rarely used]

Chorus

The verse sets the scene, the pre-chorus builds tension, and the chorus reaches a point of climax

Verse-chorus form moves like a rollercoaster

The build and drop interrupts and intensifies the verse-chorus rollercoaster.

Tips for listening

• Lyrics and lyrical changes

• Harmonies (staying the same/ changing)

• Tension and release 

Verse-Chorus

The most common song structure since the 1960s, predictable and flexible.

Poetic form - Limerick, AABBA

Rhyme schemes

In music, we look at chorus and beats.

Sentimental Ballad

• A whole section of music you repeat with new lyrics

• Focus on storytelling; Long passages of lyrics

• Not necessarily a rhyme scheme 

• Popular in folk music 

32- Bar Form

• Also known as AABA form (popular as Jazz grows)

  • A has one harmony 

  • B has another

• 1920s, Tin Pan Alley (NYC)

• for m decided into 4 equal sections based on the harmony

• “I got Rhythm”, George and Ira Gershwin

• Music publishers on top of music publishers 

• Copywrite laws protect lyrics and melodies but not harmonies

  • Rhythm changes → same harmony different melodies

Verse

tells the story

Pre-chorus

energy increases, builds tension

Chorus

repeated part, high energy

Bridge

• something new, preparing us for the return of a chorus

  • Changing up the dynamic, the melody, the instruments etc.