Basic Music Flashcards
nature of sound
vibration → transmission → reception → processing → interpretation
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sound source medium ear nervous system brain
(medium is usually air)
frequency
The number of sound waves per second producted by a sounding body.
CPS - cycles per second - Hz
pitch
When the frequency if vibration is regular.
Highness or lowness of the sound.
approximate range of human hearing
20 Hz - 16 kHz
timbre
The distinctive tone quality of a singing voice or a musical instrument.
Quality of the sound.
duration
Length of time of vibration.
Length of the sound.
intensity
The magnatude of force or energy of regular or irregular vibration.
Volume of the sound.
Amplitude of vibration.
great staff
Theoretical construction consisting of 11 lines and ten spaces with middle C as the 6th line.
measure (bar)
The space between any two adjacent bar lines.
related meters
Same metrical stress, but different unit of the beat.
beat
regularly recurring pulsations in music.
equivalent meters
2 different meters. 1 simple and 1 compoud that have the same beats per measure and same division of beat.
tempo
The rate of progression of beats and beat combinations.
metrical stress
Describes the beat grouping
- duple
- triple
- quadruple
Also describes the division of the beat
- simple - divisible by 2
- compound - divisible by 3
time signature (meter)
Musical symbol which indicates the metrical stress and unit of beat.
Upper numeral indicates metrical stress.
Lower numeral indicates unit or division of beat.
compound time
When any note divisible by “3” is used as the unit of the beat.
6 9 12
2 2 2
6 9 12
4 4 4
6 9 12
8 8 8
16/32/64 etc.
meter
Recurring pattern of accented and unaccented pulsations.
metrical stress
- beat groupings (number of beats in measure)
- duple - groups of 2
- triple - groups of 3
- quadruple - groups of 4
simple time
When any note devisible by “2” is used as the unit of the beat.
2 3 4
1 1 1
2 3 4
2 2 2
2 3 4
4 4 4
2 3 4
8 8 8
16/32/ etc.
composite meter (complex)
When music is composed of beats of unequal beat lenths.
active tones, major scale
supertonic 2
subdominant 4
submediant 6
leading tone 7
tendancy towards moving.
key signature
Chromatic signs extracted from teh scale and placed after a clef to indicate the key.
tonic
Primary pitch to which other pitches relate.
order of sharp major keys
G D A E B F# C#
1# 2#’s 3#s 4#s 5#s 6#s 7#s
stable tones, major scale
Tonic 1
Mediant 3
Dominant 5
Tendancy towrds being at rest.
tendancy tones, major scale
subdominant 4
- pulls to mediant 3
leading tone 7
- pulls to tonic 1
Active tones that exhibit a strong pull to a specific pitch.
names of scale degrees
1 2 3 4 5
tonic, supertonic, mediant, subdominant, dominant,
6 7
submediant, leading tone
order of flats
B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ C♭ F ♭
key
The term which refers to interval relationships within a peice of music which establish one pitch as the tonic.
enharmonic keys
(major)
Keys that are written differently (have different names) but sound the same are enharmonic keys.
- B major and C♭ major
- F♯ major and G♭ major
- C♯ and D♭ major
active tones
(natural minor)
Supertonic 2
Subdominant 4
Submediant ♭6
Subtonic ♭7
active tones
(harmonic minor)
supertonic 2
subdominant 4
submediant ♭6
leading tone 7
natural minor scale degrees
1 2 3 4 5
Tonic, supertonic, mediant, subdominant, dominant,
6 7
submediant subtonic
parallel keys
Keys that have the same tonic
(C major, C minor)
relative keys
Keys that have the same key signature
(1 major, 1 minor)
stable tones
(melodic minor)
Tonic 1
Mediant ♭3
Dominant 5
order of flat natural minor keys
d g c f b♭ e♭ a♭
1♭ 2♭s 3♭s 4♭s 5♭s 6♭s 7♭s
active tones
(melodic minor)
supertonic 2
subdominant 4
raised submediant 6 (passes to leading tone)
subtonic ♭7 (passes ↓ to lowered submediant)
tendancy tones
(melodic minor)
lowered submediant ♭6 pulls to dominant
leading tone 7 pulls to tonic
tendancy tones
(harmonic minor)
submediant (♭6) pulls to dominant
leading tone (7) pulls to tonic
tendancy tones
(natural minor)
submediant ♭6 pulls to dominant 5
order of sharp natural minor keys
e b f♯ c♯ g♯ d♯ a♯
1♯ 2♯s 3♯s 4♯s 5♯s 6♯s 7♯s
enharmonic minor keys
G♯ minor + A♭ minor
D♯ minor + E♭ minor
A♯ minor + B♭ minor
stable tones
(harmonic minor)
tonic 1
mediant ♭3
dominant 5
stable tones
(natural minor)
tonic 1
mediant ♭3
dominant 5
