Music Revision Notes

Dynamics and Tempo

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  • Piano (p): Quiet

  • Pianissimo (pp): Very quiet

  • Mezzopiano (mp): Moderately quiet

  • Mezzoforte (mf): Moderately loud

  • Forte (f): Loud

  • Fortissimo (ff): Very loud

  • Crescendo (<): Getting louder

  • Decrescendo/diminuendo (>): Getting quieter

  • Ritardando (rit.): Slowing down

  • Rallentando (rall.): Gradual slowing down

  • Accelerando (accel.): Getting faster

  • A tempo: Return to original tempo

  • Andante: Walking pace

  • Moderato: Moderate speed

  • Allegro: Fast/lively

  • Presto: Very fast

  • Lento: Slow

  • Adagio: Slow and expressive

  • Rubato: Flexible tempo

Instruments

Strings

  • Violin

  • Viola

  • Cello

  • Double bass

Woodwind

  • Flute

  • Bassoon

  • Oboe

  • Clarinet

Brass

  • Trumpet

  • Trombone

  • French horn

  • Tuba

Percussion

  • Timpani

  • Suspended cymbals

  • Xylophone

  • Marimba

  • Bass drum

  • Snare drum

Keyboard

  • Piano

  • Organ

  • Harpsichord

Guitar Family

  • Acoustic guitar

  • Electric guitar

  • Bass guitar

Voice Types

  • Soprano: Highest female

  • Mezzo-soprano: Middle female

  • Alto: Lowest female

  • Tenor: Highest male

  • Baritone: Middle male

  • Bass: Lowest male

Styles and Genres

  • Classical: 18th century, formal

  • Romantic: Emotional, expressive

  • Baroque: Ornamented, formal

  • Blues: 12-bar structure, soulful

  • Jazz: Syncopation, improvisation

  • Rock: Strong beat, electric guitar

  • Pop: Catchy melodies

  • Scottish: Folk music with bagpipes

  • World Music: Non-western, traditional styles

  • Musical Theater: Singing and acting

  • Opera: Drama sung completely

  • Oratorio: Non-staged religious opera

  • Choral: Choir music

  • Swing: 1930s/40s jazz style

  • Rock 'n' Roll: Early rock

  • Reggae: Jamaican music, relaxed feel

  • Ragtime: Bouncy piano music

Forms and Structure

  • Binary (AB)

  • Ternary (ABA)

  • Rondo (ABACA)

  • Theme and Variations

  • Verse: Repeating section

  • Chorus: Memorable section

  • Strophic: Unchanging verse

  • Through-composed: No repeats

  • Coda: Ending section

  • Introduction: Start of a piece

Texture

  • Homophonic: Main melody with support

  • Polyphonic: Multiple independent melodies

  • Contrapuntal: Another term for polyphonic

  • Imitative: One part imitates another

  • Unison: All parts same note

  • Octaves: Same melody, different octaves

Word Setting

  • Syllabic: One note per syllable

  • Melismatic: Many notes per syllable

Playing Techniques/Articulation

  • Arco: Bowing with strings

  • Pizzicato: Plucking strings

  • Con Sordino: Using a mute

  • Tremolando: Rapid note repetition

  • Glissando: Sliding between notes

  • Pedal: Sustained note

  • Roll: Rapidly repeated percussion

  • Accented: Strongly emphasized notes

Other Important Terms

  • Ostinato: Repeated pattern

  • Riff: Repeated phrase in pop/rock

  • Ground Bass: Repeated bass line

  • Alberti Bass: Broken chord bass line

  • Walking Bass: Stepwise bass line in jazz

  • Fill: Short drum breaks

  • Syncopation: Playing off the beat

  • Canon: Imitative musical form

  • Anacrusis: Pick-up notes

  • Drone: Sustained bass note