Chapter 4: The Organization of Musical Sounds Flashcards
Half step
Smallest interval used in the Western system; the octave divides into 12 such intervals. On the piano, the distance between any two adjacent keys, whether black or white; aka semitone; two half steps make up a whole step
Whole step
Interval consisting of two half steps
Chromatic
Melody or harmony built from many if not all 12 pitches of the octave; this kind of scale consists of an ascending or descending sequence of 12 half steps
Diatonic
Melody or harmony built from the 7 pitches of a major or minor scale; this kind of scale encompasses patterns of 7 whole steps and half steps
Sharp sign (♯)
Musical symbol that indicates raising a pitch by a half step
Flat sign (♭)
Musical symbol that indicates lowering a pitch by a half step
Tonic chord
Triad built on the first scale note, the I chord
Active chords
In the diatonic system, chords that need to resolve the tonic chord. These include the dominant and subdominant chords.
Dominant
The fifth scale step, “sol”
Subdominant
The fourth scale step, “fa”
Key
Defines the relationship of pitches with a common center, or tonic.
Transposition
The shifting of a piece of music to a different pitch level.
Modulation
The process of changing from one key to another.
True or false: Virtually all Western music is made up of the same 12 pitches and their duplications in higher and lower octaves.
True
Name the intervals 2 half steps = C - C♯ = C♯ - D = C - D = 12 half steps =
1 whole step 1 half step 1 half step 1 whole step 1 octave
Within each major scale, there are certain relationships between pitches. What are these relationships based on?
Tension and resolution
What are the two poles of traditional harmony?
The tonic (point of ultimate rest) and the dominant (represents the active harmony)
What is a basic progression of harmony in Western music?
Tonic going to dominant and returning to tonic
In _____ music, both the melody and harmony are firmly rooted in the key.
Diatonic
Composers from which era explored chromaticism in their music?
Romantic era
Pentatonic scale
Five-note pattern used in some African, Far Eastern, Central European, and Native American music; can also be found in Western music as an example of exoticism
Microtone
Musical interval smaller than a half step (semitone), prevalent in some non-Western music and modern music
Inflection
Small alteration of the pitch by a microtonal interval.
Rest chord
A chord that achieves a sense of resolution or completion, normally the tonic
Dominant chord
Chord built on the fifth scale step, the V chord
Subdominant chord
Chord built on the fourth scale step, the IV chord
