Bolded terms from chapters 1 - 10 Flashcards
Interval larger than that between two adjacent tones in the scale.
Leap
Mezzo-soprano
Female voice of fairly low range, though not so low as alto.
Adagio
Slow.
Computer music
Composition including sounds generated and manipulated by computer.
Quadruple meter
Pattern of 4 beats to the measure.
Thin stick used by many conductors to beat time and indicate pulse and tempo.
Baton
Widely used keyboard instrument of great range and versatility, whose sound is produced by felt-covered hammers striking against steel strings.
Piano
Symbol which notates a pitch one half step higher than the pitch that would otherwise be indicated – for example, the next higher black key on the piano.
Sharp sign (symbol is ♯)
Pattern of 3 beats to the measure.
Triple meter
Treble clef
Notation on a staff to indicate relatively high pitch ranges, such as those played by a pianist’s right hand.
Three-part form (A B A)
Form that can be represented as statement (A); contrast (B); return of statement (A).
Percussion instrument of definite pitch, made up of flat metal bars set in a frame and played by striking with small metal hammers.
Glockenspiel
Euphonium
Brass instrument similar in shape to the tuba and the baritone horn, with a higher range than the tuba’s, commonly used in bands.
Leap
Interval larger than that between two adjacent tones in the scale.
Characteristic way of using melody, rhythm, tone, color, dynamics, harmony, texture, and form in music.
Style
Definite pitch percussion instrument
Produces a tone.
Triad
Most basic of chords, consisting of three alternate tones of the scale, such as do, mi sol.
Instruments whose sound is produced by two narrow pieces of cane held between the player’s lips; these pieces vibrate when the player blows between them.
Double-reed woodwinds
Consonance
Tone combination that is stable and restful.
Single-reed woodwind instrument with a beak-shaped mouthpiece, cylindrical in shape with a slightly flared bell.
Clarinet
Moderately fast.
Allegretto
Tambourine
Percussion instrument of indefinite pitch, consisting of a skin stretched across a shallow cylinder, with small circular plates set into the cylinder which jingle when the skin is struck or the cylinder is shaken.
Dotted rhythm
Long-short rhythmic pattern in which a dotted note is followed by a note that is much shorter.
Triplet
In notation of rhythm, three notes of equal duration grouped within a curved line with the numeral 3, lasting only as long as two notes of the same length would normally last.
Smallest woodwind instrument, having the highest range; a smaller version of the flute.
Piccolo
Produces a noiselike sound.
Indefinite pitch percussion instrument
Tenor
Male voice of high range.
Snare drum; Side drum
Percussion instrument of indefinite pitch, in the shape of a cylinder with a stretched skin at either end. A “snare” of gut or metal is stretched below the lower skin and produces a rattling sound when the drum is stuck.
Grave
Very slow, solemn.
In notation of rhythm, three notes of equal duration grouped within a curved line with the numeral 3, lasting only as long as two notes of the same length would normally last.
Triplet
Performance of a single melodic line by more than one instrument or voice at the same pitch or in different octaves.
Unison
Percussion instrument of definite pitch, consisting of flat wooden bars set in a frame and played by striking with hard plastic or wooden hammers.
Xylophone
Wavy line attached to the stem on a note, indicating how long that note is to be held relative to the notes around it.
Flag
Presentation of a melodic idea by one voice or instrument that is immediately followed by its restatement by another voice or instrument, as in a round.
Imitation
Melody that serves as the starting point for an extended piece of music.
Theme
Accenting of a note at an unexpected time, as between two beats or on a weak beat. Syncopation is a major characteristic of jazz.
Syncopation
Allegro
Fast.
Slightly curved stick strung tightly with horsehair, used to play string instruments.
Bow
Words, usually at the beginning of a piece of music and often in Italian, which specify the pace at which the music should be played.
Tempo indication
Variation
Changing some features of a musical idea while retaining others.
Monophonic texture
Single melodic line without accompaniment.
Composition including sounds generated and manipulated by computer.
Computer music
Moderately loud.
Mezzo forte; mf
Woodwind instrument, usually made of metal, with a high range, whose tone is produced by blowing across the edge of a mouth hole.
Flute
Note
In notation, a black or white oval to which a stem or flags can be added.
Percussion instrument of definite pitch, with suspended metal tubes that are struck with a hammer.
Chimes
Becoming slower.
Ritardando
Interval between two adjacent tones in the scale.
Step
Xylophone
Percussion instrument of definite pitch, consisting of flat wooden bars set in a frame and played by striking with hard plastic or wooden hammers.
Keyboard instrument
Instrument – such as the piano, organ or harpsichord – played by pressing a series of keys with the fingers.
Very soft.
Pianissimo; pp
Instrument whose sound is produced, modified, or amplified by electronic means.
Electronic instrument
Quintuple meter
Pattern of 5 beats to the measure.
String instrument with a lower range than the violin and a higher range than the cello.
Viola
Unaccented pulse preceding the downbeat.
Upbeat
Emphasis of a note, which may result from its being louder, longer, or higher in pitch than the notes near it.
Accent
First, or stressed, beat of a measure.
Downbeat
Bow
Slightly curved stick strung tightly with horsehair, used to play string instruments.
Measure
Rhythmic groups set off by bar lines, containing a fixed number of beats.
Half step
Smallest interval traditionally used in western music; for example, the interval between ti and do.
Major key
Music based on a major scale.
As fast as possible.
Prestissimo
Allegretto
Moderately fast.
Shift from one key to another within the same piece.
Modulation
Notation showing all the parts of a musical ensemble, with a separate staff for each part, and with simultaneously sounded notes aligned vertically; used by the conductor.
Score
Dynamics
Degree of loudness or softness in music.
Largo
Very slow, broad.
Saxophone
Family of single-reed woodwind instruments.
Flat sign (symbol is ♭)
Symbol which notates a pitch on half step lower than the pitch that would otherwise be indicated – for example, the next lower key on the piano.
Changing some features of a musical idea while retaining others.
Variation
Cymbals
Percussion instrument of indefinite pitch, consisting of a pair of metal plates, played by striking the plates against each other.
Double-reed woodwinds
Instruments whose sound is produced by two narrow pieces of cane held between the player’s lips; these pieces vibrate when the player blows between them.
Accelerando
Becoming faster.
“Distance” in pitch between any two tones.
Interval
Tonic key; Home key
Central key of a piece of music, usually both beginning and ending the piece, regardless of how many other keys are included.
Short, detached manner of performing a melody.
Staccato
Double bass; Bass
Largest string instrument, having the lowest range of the string family.
Slow.
Adagio
Crescendo (symbol is < )
Gradually louder.
Part of the total range of an instrument or voice. The tone color of the instrument or voice may vary with the register in which it is played or sung.
Register
Vertical line on a note indicating how long that note is to be held relative to the notes around it.
Stem
Regular, recurrent pulsation that divides music into equal units of time.
Beat
System of electronic components that can generate, modify, and control sound; used to compose music and to perform it.
Synthesizer
French horn; Horn
Brass instrument of medium range, whose tube is coiled into a roughly circular shape and fitted with valves, commonly used in symphony orchestras and in bands.
Triple meter
Pattern of 3 beats to the measure.
Brass instruments of moderately low range, whose tube is an elongated loop with a movable slide, commonly used in symphony orchestras, bands, and jazz ensembles.
Trombone
Highest tone or emotional focal point in a melody or a larger musical composition.
Climax
Bassoon
Double-reed woodwind instrument, made of wood, having a low range.
Presto
Very fast.
Tone combination that is stable and restful.
Consonance
Interval twice as large as the half step; for example, the interval between do and re.
Whole step
Whole step
Interval twice as large as the half step; for example, the interval between do and re.
Instrument consisting of a bellows between two keyboards (piano-like keys played by the right hand, and buttons played by the left hand) whose sound is produced by air pressure that causes free steel reeds to vibrate.
Accordion
Two numbers, one above the other, appearing at the beginning of a staff or the start of a piece, indicating the meter of the piece.
Time signature; meter signature
Sharp or flat signs immediately following the clef sign at the beginning of a piece of music, indicating the key in which the music is to be played.
Key signature
Pattern of 7 beats to the measure.
Septuple meter
In notation, a set of five horizontal lines between or on which notes are positioned.
Staff
Sound
Vibrations that are transmitted, usually through the air, to the eardrum, which sends impulses to the brain.
Scale including all twelve tones of the octave; each tone is a half step away from the next one.
Chromatic scale
English horn
Double-reed woodwind instrument, slightly larger than the oboe and with a lower range, straight in shape with an egg-shaped bell.
Striking differences of pitch, dynamics, rhythm, and tempo that provide variety and change of mood.
Contrast
Woodwind insturment
Instrument whose sound is produced by vibrations of air in a tube; holes along the length of tube are opened and closed by the fingers, or by pads, to control the pitch.
Upbeat
Unaccented pulse preceding the downbeat.
Largest brass instrument, with the lowest range, commonly used in symphony orchestras and bands.
Tuba
Small fluctuations of pitch that make the tone warmer, produced in string instruments by rocking the left hand while it presses the string down.
Vibrato
Pitch range
Distance between the highest and lowest tones that a given voice or instrument can produce.
Flag
Wavy line attached to the stem on a note, indicating how long that note is to be held relative to the notes around it.
Family of woodwind instruments whose sound is produced by blowing into a “whistle” mouthpiece, usually made of wood or plastic.
Recorder
Accent
Emphasis of a note, which may result from its being louder, longer, or higher in pitch than the notes near it.
Cello; Violoncello
String instrument with a range lower than that of the viola and higher than that of the double bass.
Symbol used in notation of pitch to cancel a previous sharp or flat sign.
Natural sign (symbol is ♮)
Recorder
Family of woodwind instruments whose sound is produced by blowing into a “whistle” mouthpiece, usually made of wood or plastic.
Number of layers of sound that are heard at once, what kinds of layers they are, and how they are related to each other.
Musical texture
Becoming faster.
Accelerando
Concertmaster
Principal first violinist in a symphony orchestra.
Small wedge of plastic, leather, or quill used to pluck the strings of certain instruments, such as the guitar, koto, and harpsichord.
Plectrum (plural form is plectra)
Chord
Combination of three or more tones sounded at once.
Viola
String instrument with a lower range than the violin and a higher range than the cello.
Male voice of high range.
Tenor
Baritone horn
Brass instrument similar in shape to the tuba, with a higher range, commonly used in bands.
Counterpoint
Technique of combining two or more melodic lines into a meaningful whole.
Minor key
Music based on a minor scale.
Dissonance
Tone combination that is unstable and tense.
Vibrations that are transmitted, usually through the air, to the eardrum, which sends impulses to the brain.
Sound
Instruments whose sound is produced by a single piece of cane, or reed, fastened over a hole in the mouthpiece. The reed vibrates when the player blows into the mouthpiece.
Single-reed woodwinds
Music based on a minor scale.
Minor key
Female voice of high range.
Soprano
Glockenspiel
Percussion instrument of definite pitch, made up of flat metal bars set in a frame and played by striking with small metal hammers.
Style
Characteristic way of using melody, rhythm, tone, color, dynamics, harmony, texture, and form in music.
Complete cadence
Definite resting place, giving a sense of finality, at the end of a phrase in a melody.
Staccato
Short, detached manner of performing a melody.
Key; tonality
Central note, scale, and chord within a piece, in relationship to which all other tones in the composition are heard.
Percussion instrument of indefinite pitch, consisting of a triangular length of metal suspended from a hook or cord, played by striking with a metal rod.
Triangle
Vivace
Lively.
Incomplete cadence
Inconclusive resting point at the end of a phrase, which sets up expectations for the following phrase.
Very slow, solemn.
Grave
Fast.
Allegro
Combination of three or more tones sounded at once.
Chord
Combination of the treble and bass staves, used in keyboard music to encompass the wide range of pitches produced by both hands.
Grand staff
Organization of musical ideas in time.
Form
Ordered flow of music through time; the pattern of durations of notes and silences in music.
Rhythm
Melody that serves as the starting point for an extended piece of music.
Theme
Leader of a performing group of musicians.
Conductor
Brass instrument of medium range, whose tube is coiled into a roughly circular shape and fitted with valves, commonly used in symphony orchestras and in bands.
French horn; Horn
System of writing down music so that specific pitches and rhythms can be communicated.
Notation
Keyboard instrument, widely used from about 1500 to 1775, whose sound is produced by plectra that pluck its wire strings. The harpsichord was revived during the 20th century.
Harpsichord
Tone combination that is unstable and tense.
Dissonance
Plectrum (plural form is plectra)
Small wedge of plastic, leather, or quill used to pluck the strings of certain instruments, such as the guitar, koto, and harpsichord.
Computer
Tool used to synthesize music, to help composers write scores, to store samples of audio signals, and to control synthesizing mechanisms.
Tie
In notation of rhythm, an arc between two notes of the same pitch indicating that the second note should not be played but should be added to the duration of the first.
Lively.
Vivace
Imitation
Presentation of a melodic idea by one voice or instrument that is immediately followed by its restatement by another voice or instrument, as in a round.
Interval
“Distance” in pitch between any two tones.
Very slow, broad.
Largo
Percussion instrument of definite pitch, with metal bars that are struck by hammers controlled by a keyboard.
Celesta
Symbol on the staff indicating relatively low pitch ranges, such as those played by a pianist’s left hand.
Bass clef
Smooth, connected manner of performing a melody.
Legato
Male voice range lower than a tenor and higher than a bass.
Baritone
Notation
System of writing down music so that specific pitches and rhythms can be communicated.
Range
Same as “pitch range.”
Degree of loudness or softness in music.
Dynamics
Brass instrument similar in shape to the tuba, with a higher range, commonly used in bands.
Baritone horn
Rhythmic groups set off by bar lines, containing a fixed number of beats.
Measure
Instrument – such as the piano, organ or harpsichord – played by pressing a series of keys with the fingers.
Keyboard instrument
Sounding of the individual tones of a chord in sequence rather than simultaneously.
Broken chord; arpeggio
Interval between two tones in which the higher tone has twice the frequency of the lower tone.
Octave
Central key of a piece of music, usually both beginning and ending the piece, regardless of how many other keys are included.
Tonic key; Home key
Step
Interval between two adjacent tones in the scale.
Organ; Pipe organ
Keyboard instrument with many sets of pipes controlled from two or more keyboards including a pedal keyboard played by the organist’s feet. The keys control valves from which air is blown across or through openings in the pipes. (The electric organ is an electronic instrument that is sometimes designed to imitate the sound of a pipe organ.)
Series of seven tones within an octave, with an eighth repeating the first tone and octave higher, composed of a specific pattern of whole and half steps; the half step between the second and third tones is characteristic.
Minor scale
Flute
Woodwind instrument, usually made of metal, with a high range, whose tone is produced by blowing across the edge of a mouth hole.
Part of a melody.
Phrase
Gong; Tam-tam
Percussion instrument of indefinite pitch, made up of a large flat metal plate that is suspended and struck with a mallet.
Tempo
Basic pace of the music.
Instrument whose sound is produced by vibrations of air in a tube; holes along the length of tube are opened and closed by the fingers, or by pads, to control the pitch.
Woodwind insturment
Apparatus that produces ticking sounds or flashes of light at any desired constant speed.
Metronome
Female voice of fairly low range, though not so low as alto.
Mezzo-soprano
Moderately soft.
Mezzo piano; mp
Studio with tape recorders and other equipment used to create electronic music by modifying and combining recorded sounds.
Tape studio
Double-reed woodwind instrument, made of wood, having a low range.
Bassoon
Basic pace of the music.
Tempo
In notation of rhythm, an arc between two notes of the same pitch indicating that the second note should not be played but should be added to the duration of the first.
Tie
Prestissimo
As fast as possible.
Pattern of 4 beats to the measure.
Quadruple meter
Bass clef
Symbol on the staff indicating relatively low pitch ranges, such as those played by a pianist’s left hand.
Mute
Device used to veil or muffle the tone of an instrument. For string instruments, the mute is a clamp that fits onto the bridge; for brass instruments, it is a funnel-shaped piece of wood, metal, or plastic that fits into the bell.
Member of the clarinet family, having a low range. Its shape is curved at the end before flaring into a bell.
Bass Clarinet
Indefinite pitch percussion instrument
Produces a noiselike sound.
Guitar
Plucked string instrument with six strings stretched along a fretted fingerboard.
Ritardando
Becoming slower.
Stem
Vertical line on a note indicating how long that note is to be held relative to the notes around it.
Notation on a staff to indicate relatively high pitch ranges, such as those played by a pianist’s right hand.
Treble clef
Sharp sign (symbol is ♯)
Symbol which notates a pitch one half step higher than the pitch that would otherwise be indicated – for example, the next higher black key on the piano.
Contrabassoon
Double-reed woodwind instrument with a register one octave lower than that of the bassoon.
Timpani; Kettledrums
Percussion instruments of definite pitch, shaped like large kettles with calfskin or plastic stretched across the tops, played with soft padded mallets.
Dominant chord
Triad built on the fifth note of the scale, which sets up tension that is resolved by the tonic chord.
Major scale
Series of seven different tones within an octave, with an eighth tone repeating the first tone an octave higher, consisting of a specific pattern of whole and half steps; the whole step between the second and third tones is characteristic.
Double-reed woodwind instrument with a register one octave lower than that of the bassoon.
Contrabassoon
Staff
In notation, a set of five horizontal lines between or on which notes are positioned.
Modulation
Shift from one key to another within the same piece.
Homophonic texture
Term describing music in which one main melody is accompanied by chords.
Polyphonic texture
Performance of two or more melodic lines of relatively equal interest at the same time.
String instrument
Instrument whose sound is produced by the vibration of strings.
Pattern of 2 beats to the measure.
Duple meter
Meter
Organization of beats into regular groups.
Means of playing a string instrument by which the strings are plucked, usually with a finger of the right hand.
Pizzicato
Theme
Melody that serves as the starting point for an extended piece of music.
Progression form a dissonance to a consonance.
Resolution
Tremolo
Rapid repetition of a tone, produced in string instruments by quick up-and-down strokes of the bow.
Pitch
Relative highness or lowness of a sound.
Stop (double, triple, quadruple)
Means of playing a string instrument by which the bow is drawn across two, three, or four strings at the same time or almost the same time.
Definite resting place, giving a sense of finality, at the end of a phrase in a melody.
Complete cadence
Triad built on the fifth note of the scale, which sets up tension that is resolved by the tonic chord.
Dominant chord
Most basic of chords, consisting of three alternate tones of the scale, such as do, mi sol.
Triad
Clef
Symbol placed at the beginning of the staff to show the exact pitch of notes placed on each line and space.
Form that can be represented as a statement (A) and counterstatement (B).
Two-part form; Binary form (A B)
Violin
String instrument with the highest range of the string family.
String instrument with a range lower than that of the viola and higher than that of the double bass.
Cello; Violoncello
Keyboard instrument with many sets of pipes controlled from two or more keyboards including a pedal keyboard played by the organist’s feet. The keys control valves from which air is blown across or through openings in the pipes. (The electric organ is an electronic instrument that is sometimes designed to imitate the sound of a pipe organ.)
Organ; Pipe organ
Means of playing a string instrument by which the bow is drawn across two, three, or four strings at the same time or almost the same time.
Stop (double, triple, quadruple)
Smallest interval traditionally used in western music; for example, the interval between ti and do.
Half step
Moderato
Moderate.
Very loud.
Fortissimo; ff
Tone color; Timbre
Quality of sound that distinguishes one instrument or voice from another.
Pizzicato
Means of playing a string instrument by which the strings are plucked, usually with a finger of the right hand.
Principal first violinist in a symphony orchestra.
Concertmaster
Musical texture
Number of layers of sound that are heard at once, what kinds of layers they are, and how they are related to each other.
Reiteration of a motive, phrase, or section, often used to create a sense of unity.
Repetition
Performance of two or more melodic lines of relatively equal interest at the same time.
Polyphonic texture
Central tone of a melody or larger piece of music. When a piece is in the key of C major, for example, C is the keynote.
Keynote; tonic
Mezzo piano; mp
Moderately soft.
Theme
Melody that serves as the starting point for an extended piece of music.
Loud.
Forte; f
Cornet
Brass instrument similar in shape to the trumpet, with a mellower tone.
Sound that has a definite pitch, or frequency.
Tone
Unison
Performance of a single melodic line by more than one instrument or voice at the same pitch or in different octaves.
Rapid repetition of a tone, produced in string instruments by quick up-and-down strokes of the bow.
Tremolo
Alto; Contralto
Female voice of low range.
Produces a tone.
Definite pitch percussion instrument
Percussion instruments of definite pitch, shaped like large kettles with calfskin or plastic stretched across the tops, played with soft padded mallets.
Timpani; Kettledrums
Downbeat
First, or stressed, beat of a measure.
Dotted note
Note with a dot to the right of it. This dot increases the note’s undotted duration by half.
Percussion instrument of indefinite pitch, the largest of the orchestral drums.
Bass drum
Form
Organization of musical ideas in time.
(1) Resting place at the end of a phrase in a melody. (2) Progression giving a sense of conclusion, often from the dominant chord to the tonic chord.
Cadence
Single melodic line without accompaniment.
Monophonic texture
Score
Notation showing all the parts of a musical ensemble, with a separate staff for each part, and with simultaneously sounded notes aligned vertically; used by the conductor.
Cadence
(1) Resting place at the end of a phrase in a melody. (2) Progression giving a sense of conclusion, often from the dominant chord to the tonic chord.
Baton
Thin stick used by many conductors to beat time and indicate pulse and tempo.
Decrescendo; Diminuendo (symbol is > )
Gradually softer.
Distance between the highest and lowest tones that a given voice or instrument can produce.
Pitch range
Series of seven different tones within an octave, with an eighth tone repeating the first tone an octave higher, consisting of a specific pattern of whole and half steps; the whole step between the second and third tones is characteristic.
Major scale
Fortissimo; ff
Very loud.
Piano
Widely used keyboard instrument of great range and versatility, whose sound is produced by felt-covered hammers striking against steel strings.
Accordion
Instrument consisting of a bellows between two keyboards (piano-like keys played by the right hand, and buttons played by the left hand) whose sound is produced by air pressure that causes free steel reeds to vibrate.
Instrument whose sound is produced by the vibration of strings.
String instrument
Piccolo
Smallest woodwind instrument, having the highest range; a smaller version of the flute.
Moderately slow, a walking pace.
Andante
Tone
Sound that has a definite pitch, or frequency.
Instrument of definite or indefinite pitch whose sound is produced by striking by hand, or with a stick or hammer, or by shaking or rubbing.
Percussion instrument
Climax
Highest tone or emotional focal point in a melody or a larger musical composition.
Time signature; meter signature
Two numbers, one above the other, appearing at the beginning of a staff or the start of a piece, indicating the meter of the piece.
Central note, scale, and chord within a piece, in relationship to which all other tones in the composition are heard.
Key; tonality
Symbol which notates a pitch on half step lower than the pitch that would otherwise be indicated – for example, the next lower key on the piano.
Flat sign (symbol is ♭)
Reed
Very thin piece of cane, used in woodwind instruments to produce sound as it is set into vibration by a stream of air.
Relative highness or lowness of a sound.
Pitch
Forte; f
Loud.
Bass drum
Percussion instrument of indefinite pitch, the largest of the orchestral drums.
Female voice of low range.
Alto; Contralto
Two-part form; Binary form (A B)
Form that can be represented as a statement (A) and counterstatement (B).
Synthesizer
System of electronic components that can generate, modify, and control sound; used to compose music and to perform it.
Double-reed woodwind instrument with a relatively high range, conical in shape with a small flared bell.
Oboe
Beam
Horizontal line connecting the flags of several eighth notes or sixteenth notes in succession, to facilitate reading these notes.
Instrument, made of brass or silver, whose sound is produced by the vibrations of the player’s lips as he or she blows into a cup- or funnel-shaped mouthpiece. The vibrations are amplified and colored in a tube that is flared at the end.
Brass instrument
Percussion instrument
Instrument of definite or indefinite pitch whose sound is produced by striking by hand, or with a stick or hammer, or by shaking or rubbing.
Register
Part of the total range of an instrument or voice. The tone color of the instrument or voice may vary with the register in which it is played or sung.
Percussion instrument of indefinite pitch, in the shape of a cylinder with a stretched skin at either end. A “snare” of gut or metal is stretched below the lower skin and produces a rattling sound when the drum is stuck.
Snare drum; Side drum
Tempo indication
Words, usually at the beginning of a piece of music and often in Italian, which specify the pace at which the music should be played.
Percussion instrument of indefinite pitch, consisting of a pair of metal plates, played by striking the plates against each other.
Cymbals
Septuple meter
Pattern of 7 beats to the measure.
Legato
Smooth, connected manner of performing a melody.
Gradually louder.
Crescendo (symbol is < )
Bass
Male voice of low range.
Quality of sound that distinguishes one instrument or voice from another.
Tone color; Timbre
Chromatic scale
Scale including all twelve tones of the octave; each tone is a half step away from the next one.
Harmony
How chords are constructed and how they follow each other.
In a melody, the immediate repetition of a melodic pattern on a higher or lower pitch.
Sequence
Contrast
Striking differences of pitch, dynamics, rhythm, and tempo that provide variety and change of mood.
Progression
Series of chords.
Pianissimo; pp
Very soft.
Keynote; tonic
Central tone of a melody or larger piece of music. When a piece is in the key of C major, for example, C is the keynote.
How chords are constructed and how they follow each other.
Harmony
Minor scale
Series of seven tones within an octave, with an eighth repeating the first tone and octave higher, composed of a specific pattern of whole and half steps; the half step between the second and third tones is characteristic.
Brass instrument similar in shape to the tuba and the baritone horn, with a higher range than the tuba’s, commonly used in bands.
Euphonium
Phrase
Part of a melody.
Key signature
Sharp or flat signs immediately following the clef sign at the beginning of a piece of music, indicating the key in which the music is to be played.
Vibrato
Small fluctuations of pitch that make the tone warmer, produced in string instruments by rocking the left hand while it presses the string down.
Conductor
Leader of a performing group of musicians.
Horizontal line connecting the flags of several eighth notes or sixteenth notes in succession, to facilitate reading these notes.
Beam
Electronic instrument
Instrument whose sound is produced, modified, or amplified by electronic means.
Bass Clarinet
Member of the clarinet family, having a low range. Its shape is curved at the end before flaring into a bell.
Triangle
Percussion instrument of indefinite pitch, consisting of a triangular length of metal suspended from a hook or cord, played by striking with a metal rod.
Note with a dot to the right of it. This dot increases the note’s undotted duration by half.
Dotted note
Plucked string instrument with six strings stretched along a fretted fingerboard.
Guitar
Very high-pitched whistle-like tones, produced in bowed string instruments by lightly touching the string at certain points while bowing.
Harmonics
Harp
Plucked string instrument, consisting of strings stretched within a triangular frame.
Scale
Series of pitches arranged in order from low to high or high to low.
Tool used to synthesize music, to help composers write scores, to store samples of audio signals, and to control synthesizing mechanisms.
Computer
Inconclusive resting point at the end of a phrase, which sets up expectations for the following phrase.
Incomplete cadence
Percussion instrument of indefinite pitch, made up of a large flat metal plate that is suspended and struck with a mallet.
Gong; Tam-tam
Pattern of 5 beats to the measure.
Quintuple meter
Harmonics
Very high-pitched whistle-like tones, produced in bowed string instruments by lightly touching the string at certain points while bowing.
Soprano
Female voice of high range.
In notation, a black or white oval to which a stem or flags can be added.
Note
Gradually softer.
Decrescendo; Diminuendo (symbol is > )
Trombone
Brass instruments of moderately low range, whose tube is an elongated loop with a movable slide, commonly used in symphony orchestras, bands, and jazz ensembles.
String instrument with the highest range of the string family.
Violin
Broken chord; arpeggio
Sounding of the individual tones of a chord in sequence rather than simultaneously.
Brass instrument
Instrument, made of brass or silver, whose sound is produced by the vibrations of the player’s lips as he or she blows into a cup- or funnel-shaped mouthpiece. The vibrations are amplified and colored in a tube that is flared at the end.
Tape studio
Studio with tape recorders and other equipment used to create electronic music by modifying and combining recorded sounds.
Trumpet
Brass instruments with the highest range, commonly used in symphony orchestras, bands, and jazz and rock groups.
Double-reed woodwind instrument, slightly larger than the oboe and with a lower range, straight in shape with an egg-shaped bell.
English horn
Plucked string instrument, consisting of strings stretched within a triangular frame.
Harp
Natural sign (symbol is ♮)
Symbol used in notation of pitch to cancel a previous sharp or flat sign.
Family of single-reed woodwind instruments.
Saxophone
Music based on a major scale.
Major key
Series of chords.
Progression
Rhythm
Ordered flow of music through time; the pattern of durations of notes and silences in music.
Largest string instrument, having the lowest range of the string family.
Double bass; Bass
Piano; p
Soft.
Brass instrument similar in shape to the trumpet, with a mellower tone.
Cornet
Triad built on the first, or tonic, note of the scale, serving as the main chord of a piece and usually beginning and ending it.
Tonic chord
Very thin piece of cane, used in woodwind instruments to produce sound as it is set into vibration by a stream of air.
Reed
Term describing music in which one main melody is accompanied by chords.
Homophonic texture
Device used to veil or muffle the tone of an instrument. For string instruments, the mute is a clamp that fits onto the bridge; for brass instruments, it is a funnel-shaped piece of wood, metal, or plastic that fits into the bell.
Mute
Mezzo forte; mf
Moderately loud.
Symbol placed at the beginning of the staff to show the exact pitch of notes placed on each line and space.
Clef
Andante
Moderately slow, a walking pace.
Oboe
Double-reed woodwind instrument with a relatively high range, conical in shape with a small flared bell.
Sextuple meter
Pattern of 6 beats to the measure.
Percussion instrument of indefinite pitch, consisting of a skin stretched across a shallow cylinder, with small circular plates set into the cylinder which jingle when the skin is struck or the cylinder is shaken.
Tambourine
Celesta
Percussion instrument of definite pitch, with metal bars that are struck by hammers controlled by a keyboard.
Clarinet
Single-reed woodwind instrument with a beak-shaped mouthpiece, cylindrical in shape with a slightly flared bell.
Beat
Regular, recurrent pulsation that divides music into equal units of time.
Repetition
Reiteration of a motive, phrase, or section, often used to create a sense of unity.
Grand staff
Combination of the treble and bass staves, used in keyboard music to encompass the wide range of pitches produced by both hands.
Metronome
Apparatus that produces ticking sounds or flashes of light at any desired constant speed.
Moderate.
Moderato
Series of pitches arranged in order from low to high or high to low.
Scale
Baritone
Male voice range lower than a tenor and higher than a bass.
Syncopation
Accenting of a note at an unexpected time, as between two beats or on a weak beat. Syncopation is a major characteristic of jazz.
Male voice of low range.
Bass
Pattern of 6 beats to the measure.
Sextuple meter
Improvisation
Creation of music at the same time as it is performed.
Single-reed woodwinds
Instruments whose sound is produced by a single piece of cane, or reed, fastened over a hole in the mouthpiece. The reed vibrates when the player blows into the mouthpiece.
Octave
Interval between two tones in which the higher tone has twice the frequency of the lower tone.
Creation of music at the same time as it is performed.
Improvisation
Brass instruments with the highest range, commonly used in symphony orchestras, bands, and jazz and rock groups.
Trumpet
In notation of rhythm, a symbol to indicate the duration of silence in the music.
Rest
Tuba
Largest brass instrument, with the lowest range, commonly used in symphony orchestras and bands.
Soft.
Piano; p
Harpsichord
Keyboard instrument, widely used from about 1500 to 1775, whose sound is produced by plectra that pluck its wire strings. The harpsichord was revived during the 20th century.
Sequence
In a melody, the immediate repetition of a melodic pattern on a higher or lower pitch.
Duple meter
Pattern of 2 beats to the measure.
Same as “pitch range.”
Range
Organization of beats into regular groups.
Meter
Form that can be represented as statement (A); contrast (B); return of statement (A).
Three-part form (A B A)
Technique of combining two or more melodic lines into a meaningful whole.
Counterpoint
Chimes
Percussion instrument of definite pitch, with suspended metal tubes that are struck with a hammer.
Tonic chord
Triad built on the first, or tonic, note of the scale, serving as the main chord of a piece and usually beginning and ending it.
Long-short rhythmic pattern in which a dotted note is followed by a note that is much shorter.
Dotted rhythm
Very fast.
Presto
Resolution
Progression form a dissonance to a consonance.
Rest
In notation of rhythm, a symbol to indicate the duration of silence in the music.
