Elements of Music

Rhythm

"flow"; movement of music in time; the specific duration of musical sounds

Pulse

steady, predictable duration between beats

Accent

weight or stress on a note

Measure

a basic unit of length; there is usually an accent on the first beat

Meter

the basic grouping of beats and accents

Syncopation

upsetting the normal pattern of accents; accents shifted to a weak beat

Tempo

the rate of speed at which a composition unfolds, usually measured in the speed betweenbeats

Grave

a very slow tempo

Andante

a moderate tempo

Presto

a very fast tempo

Metronome

developed in 1816 by J.N. Malzel; instrument to measure pulse

Accelerando

get gradually faster

Ritardando

get gradually slower

Dynamics

degree of loudness or softness of the music

Piano

soft

Forte

loud

Mezzo

moderately, must be combined with p or f

Crescendo

get gradually louder

Decrescendo (diminuendo)

get gradually softer

Sforzando

accent on a single beat

Timbre

quality or characteristics of a sound

Range

all of the notes produced by a voice or instrument

Register

specific areas in the range of an instrument or voice

Pitch

the frequency (highness or lowness) of a musical sound

Interval

the distance between two tones

Half step

the smallest interval in most Western music

Whole step

two half steps

Scale

from "scalar," "ladder"; organization of intervals

Key

the organization of pitches and chords around a central pitch

Tonic

first degree of a scale; chord built on the first degree of a scale

Dominant

fifth degree of a scale; chord built on the fifth degree of the scale

Melody

the curve of a musical line, consisting of pitches and durations; functions as a completeunit

Motive

a brief melodic figure which repeats frequently throughout a piece

Theme

an important melody in a musical composition

Sequence

a pattern of pitches transposed to start on another note

Phrase

a unit of meaning within a larger structure, comparable to a clause or sentence in language

Period

two phrases together

Texture

Horizontal and vertical relationships of musical material

Monophony

a texture consisting of one musical line

Homophony

a texture consisting of a melody and accompaniment

Polyphony

a texture consisting of two or more simultaneous musical melodies