Listening To Music- Exam 1

What is music?

An art form and cultural activity characterized by the use of sound and silence. It involves rhythm, melody, harmony, and timbre.

Sound

Type of energy made by vibrations that travels in waves.

Scale

A series of notes arranged in ascending or descending order by pitch.
Range

Distance between the lowest and highest tone that can be played by a musical instrument or sung by a voice.

Average Range

1.5-2 octaves

Trained

1.5-3 octaves

Pitch

Perceived frequency of a sound. How high or low a sound is.

Interval

The difference in pitch between two tones. The distance between two pitches.

Octave

An interval between one musical pitch and another with double its frequency

Dynamics

Refers to the varying levels of volume of sound in he musical expression. Indicates the intensity of a sound or note and are an essential aspect of musical interpretation and composition.

Pianissimo

Very soft

Piano

Soft

Mezzo Piano

Moderately soft

Mezzo Forte

Moderately loud

Forte

Loud

Fortissimo

Very loud

Tone Color

Also known as timbre and refers to the quality or color of a sound that distinguishes different types of sound production, such as instruments or voices.

Vocal Music

Includes all forms of musical performance that use the human voice.

Instrumental Music

Encompasses music performed using musical instruments.

Electronic Music

Electronic devices and computers have become a significant medium for music production. Includes synthesizes, electronic keyboards, drum machines, and computer software.

Mixed Media

Involves a combination of different performing media

Soprano

Highest female voice

Mezzo-Soprano

Middle female voice

Alto

Lowest female voice

Tenor

Highest male voice

Baritone

Middle male voice

Bass

Lowest male voice

String

Produce sound through vibrations of strings (bow, pluck, or strike the strings)

Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass, and Harp

Woodwind

Produce sound by blowing air through a mouthpiece or over a reed

Flutes, Oboes, Clarinets, Bassoons, and Saxophones

Brass

Produce sound by buzzing the lips into a mouthpiece

Trumpets, Trombones, French Horns, and Tubas

Percussion
Produce sound when struck, shaken, or scraped

Xylophone, Timpani, Bass Drum, Snare Drum, Cymbals, and Auxiliary percussion

Rhythm

Pattern of recurring beats, sounds, or accents over time, creating a structured flow within a musical piece. Drives the tempo and pace of the composition often dictating the mood and feel of the music.
Beat

Refers to the regular rhythmic pulse in a song, acting as the foundational unit of time. Often what listeners tap their feet to. Can be interchanged with pulse

Beat vs Pulse

Beat is typically used to describe the basic unit of time in a piece of music while pulsee is more about the feel of the this steady beat
Meter

The pattern of the beats in a composition, usually grouped into regular measures or bars. Such as 4/4 or 3/4 where the top number denotes the number of beats in each measure and the bottom number specifies the note value that represents one beat.

Accents

Emphasis or stress placed on certain beats or notes, making them stand out compared to other. Often marked by a symbol indicating that the note should be played louder or with more force
Syncopation

This occurs when the normally unaccented beats or parts of beats are emphasized, disrupting the regular flow of rhythm and creating a sense of surprise or off-balance.
Tempo

The speed of the beat.

Musical Notation

System of symboles and marks used to represent musical sounds in written form. Allows composers to convey how a piece of music should be played or sung.

Staff

Fundamental component of musical notation, consiting of 5 horizontal lines and 4 spaces between them

Clef
A symbol placed at the beginning of a staff in musical notation that designates the pitch of the notes written on the staff. It sets the pitch range for the staff, allowing musicians to read and understand the specific notes.

Melody

A sequence of musical notes that are perceived as a single coherent entity. It serves as the main theme or focal point of a piece and are characterized by their pitch, rhythm, and contour.

Harmony

Refers to the simultaneous combination of notes and the ensuing relationships between these notes when played together

Cadence

Essential musical components, often described as the punctuation of music.

Pentatonic Scales

Used in many musical cultures around the world and are noted for their lack of semitones (half steps) which gives them a more open sound compared to heptatonic scales.

Keys

A piece refers o the tonal center or root note that provides foundation for the melody and harmony. It establishes the scale that the composition is based on and dictates which notes and chords are used predominantly through the piece.

Texture

Refers to the different layers of sound heard at once.

Musical Form

Refers to the structure and organization of a piece of music. Its the way a composition is laid out and how its different sections are arranged and repeated.