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Music Appreciation > Chapters 1-3 Vocabulary > Flashcards

Chapters 1-3 Vocabulary Flashcards

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Ultimate Music Theory flashcards
1
Q

Melody

A

Succession of single pitches perceived by the ear as a unity.
A line, or the tune, in music.

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2
Q

Contour

A

The overall shape of a melodic line. It can move upward or downward or remain static.
How it moves up and down

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3
Q

Range

A

Distance between the lowest and highest pitches of a melody, an instrument, or a voice.
Span of pitches

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4
Q

Interval

A

The distance between any two pitches.

The distance and relationship between two pitches

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5
Q

Conjunct

A

Smooth, connected melody that moves principally by small intervals.
A melody that moves in small, connected intervals

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6
Q

Disjunct

A

Disjointed or disconnected melody with many leaps.

A melody that moves by leaps

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7
Q

Phrases

A

A musical unit; often component of a melody.

Units that make up a melody

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8
Q

Cadences

A

Resting place in a musical phrase; a musical punctuation.

Phrases end in resting places

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9
Q

Countermelody

A

An accompanying melody sounded against the principal melody.
A melody may be accompanied by a secondary melody.
Against a melody

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10
Q

Pitch

A

Highness or lowness of a note, depending on the frequency.

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11
Q

Frequency

A

Rate of vibration of a string or column of air, which determines pitch.
Number of vibrations per second

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12
Q

Note

A

A musical symbol denoting pitch and duration.

Each pitch with a symbol called a note on a staff

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13
Q

Staff

A

The five parallel lines on which notes are written

Five parallel lines

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14
Q

Duration

A

Length of time something lasts; e.g., the vibration of a musical sound.
Length of time of the pitch

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15
Q

Volume

A

Degree of loudness or softness of a sound.

Loudness or softness

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16
Q

Tone Color and Timbre

A

The quality of a sound that distinguishes one voice or instrument from another. (Also Tone Color)

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17
Q

Rhyme Scheme

A

The arrangement of rhyming words or corresponding sounds at the end of poetic lines.
The way the last syllables in each line rhyme.

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18
Q

Climax

A

The high point in a melodic line or piece of music, usually representing the peak of intensity, range, and dynamics.
The high point in a melodic line.

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19
Q

Rhythm

A

The controlled movement of music in time.

What moves music forward in time.

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20
Q

Meter

A

Organization of rhythm in time; the grouping of beats into larger, regular patterns, notated as measures.

21
Q

Measures/Bars

A

Metric grouping of beats, notated on the musical staff with bar lines.

22
Q

Beats

A

Regular pulsation; a basic unit of length in musical time.

The basic units

23
Q

Downbeat

A

First beat of the measure, the strongest in any meter.

Measures often begin with a strong downbeat

24
Q

Simple Meters

A

Meter in which the beat is divided into two, as in duple, triple, and quadruple meters.
Duple, triple, and quadruple– are the most common.

25
Q

Compound Meters

A

Divides each beat into three rather than two.

26
Q

Offbeats

A

A weak beat or weak portion of a beat.

27
Q

Syncopation

A

Deliberate upsetting of the meter or pulse through a temporary shifting of the accent to a weak beat of an offbeat.

28
Q

Poly-rhythm

A

The simultaneous use of several rhythmic patterns or meters, common in twentieth-century music and certain African musics.

29
Q

Non-metric

A

Music lacking a strong sense of beat or meter, common in certain non Western cultures.

30
Q

Accent

A

The emphasis on a beat resulting in its being louder or longer than another in a measure.

31
Q

Measure Lines/Bar Lines

A

Vertical lines on a staff that separate measures, or bars.

Regular vertical lines through the staff

32
Q

Duple Meter

A

Basic metrical pattern of two beats to a measure.

Alternates a strong downbeat with a weak beat

33
Q

Triple Measure

A

Basic metrical pattern of three beats to a measure.

One strong beat and two weak ones.

34
Q

Quadruple Meter

A

Basic metrical pattern of four beats to a measure. (Also Common Time)
Primary accent on the first beat and a secondary accent on the third

35
Q

Sextuple Meters (Compound Duple)

A

Compound metrical pattern of six beats to a measure.

Has six beats to a measure, or two main beats that each divides into three

36
Q

Harmony

A

The simultaneous combination of notes and the ensuing relationships of intervals and chords.
Describes the vertical aspects of music: how notes (pitches) sound together

37
Q

Chord

A

Simultaneous combination of three or more pitches that constitute a single block of harmony.
The simultaneous sounding of three or more pitches

38
Q

Scale

A

Series of pitches in ascending or descending order, comprising the notes of a key.
Sequence of pitches

39
Q

Triad

A

Common chord type, consisting of three pitches built on alternate notes of the scale (e.g., steps in 1-3-5, or do-mi-sol).
Three alternate pitches of a scale

40
Q

Major Scale

A

Scale consisting of seven different pitches that comprise a specific pattern of whole and half steps (W-W-H-W-W-W-H). Differs from the minor scale primarily in that its third degree is raised half a step.

41
Q

Minor Scale

A

Scale consisting of seven different pitches that comprise a specific pattern of whole and half steps (W-H-W-W-H-W-W). Differs from the major scale primarily in that its third degree is lowered half a step.

42
Q

Tonic

A

The first note of the scale, or key; do.

The central pitch around which a melody and its harmonies are built.

43
Q

Tonality

A

Principal of organization around a tonic, or home, pitch, based on a major or minor scale.
Principle of organization

44
Q

Dissonance

A

Combination of tones that sounds discordant and unstable, in need of resolution.
Created by an unstable, or discordant, combination of pitches.

45
Q

Consonance

A

Concordant or harmonious combination of pitches that provides a sense of relaxation and stability in music.
Occurs with a resolution of dissonance, producing a stable or restful sound.

46
Q

Upbeat

A

Last beat of a measure, a weak beat, that anticipates the downbeat.

47
Q

Octave

A

Interval between two notes eight diatonic pitches apart; the lower note vibrates half as fast as the upper and sounds an octave lower.
An interval spanning eight notes.

48
Q

Drone

A

Sustained sounding of one or several pitches for harmonic support, a common feature of some folk musics.

Music Appreciation (19 decks)

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