Concepts Flashcards
A capella
Unaccompanied singing
Accelerando
The tempo becomes gradually faster
African music
Music from Africa, which often features voice and African drums
Alberti bass
Broken chords played on a piano by the left hand outlining the harmonies, while the right hand plays the melody. Very popular in the classical period
“When you know your scales and your arpeggios”
Allegro
At a brisk speed
Alto
The lowest female voice
Anacrusis
An upbeat
Andante
A tempo at walking speed, at a moderately slow tempo
Arco
String players use the bow to create sound
Arpeggio
Notes of a chord played one after the other in ascending or descending order
Aria
A solo song. Could be from an opera (Italian) or oratorio (religious,German), for example
Atonal
Music which has no feeling of key, major or minor. It will sound dissonant. A feature of Serial Music
A tempo
The music returns to the main tempo after there has been a change
Backing vocals
Singers who support the lead singer, usually singing in harmony in the background
Baritone
A male voice type. The range is between that of a bass and a tenor
Baroque
Music Composed between 1600-1750
Bass Drum
A big, low sounding instrument from the persuasion family
Bass (voice)
The lowest male voice
Bass Guitar
A low pitched electric string instrument with four strings
Bothy ballad
A folk song from the north east of Scotland, sung in the Doric dialect by men about farming life. Often has many verses
Bassoon
A low sounding, double reeded woodwind instrument
Binary
Music in two sections, AB form
Bodhran
An Irish wooden drum played with a beater
Bongo Drums
A percussion instrument with two fairly high-pitched drums joined in a pair, played with the hands
Brass Band
An ensemble of brass and percussion instruments
Broken Chord
The notes of a chord played separately
Cadenza
This is a significant part of a concerto where the soloist really gets to show off.
Canon
Strict imitation where one part begins to play a melody and another enters shortly afterwards with exactly the same melody
Cello
Instrument from the string family, smaller that a double bass, lower pitched that a violin and viola
Castanets
A popular Spanish untuned percussion instrument
Celtic Rock
A style that mixes Celtic folk with rock music
Chord Progression
A series of related chords
Chorus
Music sung by a group of singers
Or
The refrain between verses of a song
Chromatic
Notes which ascend or descend consecutively in intervals of semitones
Chromatic scale
A scale that plays all the notes including semitones e.g. A,A flat,B,B flat
Change of key
A move from one key to another (modulation)
Cluster
A group of notes which clash when played together
Clarsach
A small Scottish harp used in folk music. The Garlic word for harp
Classical
Music composed between around 1750-1810. The era of Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven
Coda
A passage at the end of a piece which brings it to a finish
Con sordino
Muted
Compound time
The beat is divided into groups of 3, e.g. 6/8, 9/8, 12/8
Concerto
A concerto is a large-scale work for a solo instrument (or solo instruments) accompanied by an orchestra.
A typical concerto has three movements - a fast opening movement, a slow and lyrical movement, then a fast movement to finish.
Clarinet
A sing reed instrument of the woodwind family
Contrapuntal
Texture with two or more parts each of which has an interesting and independent melodic line. It is similar in meaning to polyphonic
Contrary Motion
Two parts which move in opposite directions
Countermelody
A second melody played alongside the main melody- two different melodies which fit together
Cymbals
A metal percussion instrument, played in pairs which are stuck together, or singly. Also part of the drum kit
Cross Rhythms
Contrasting rhythms played at the same time or played with unusual emphasis
Descant
A countermelody which is sung above the main melody. It’s often featured in hymns
Distortion
A electronic effect used in rock music to colour the sound of an electric guitar. It creates a fuzzy sound, rather than the usual clean sound
Dixieland
One instrument per part - Jazz - Improvisation
Dotted rhythms
A long note followed by a shorter one, or vice versa, like a scotch snap
Double stopping
On a string instrument, playing on two strings (notes)
Double Bass
The largest and lowest instrument of the string family
Drone
Note (or two notes) held while other music is played above it
Flute
A woodwind instrument made of metal, plated by blowing into the mouthpiece rather that by using a reed
Flutter Tonguing
An effect created by rolling your ‘r’s while playing a brass or woodwind instrument
Fortissimo - ff
The music is to be played very loudly
French Horn
A brass instrument with curled metal tubing and a bell shaped opening
Gaelic psalm
Unaccomplished psalms (like hymns) sung in Gaelic. One singer usually begins with the congregation joining in afterwards
Glissando
Sliding from one note to another, taking in all the notes in between
Gospel
Songs written with religious lyrics often in praise or thanksgiving to God
Ground bass
Often used in the Baroque era. A theme in the bass which is repeated many times while the upper parts vary
Glockenspiel
A tuned percussion instrument with metal bars in a similar pattern to the piano
Guiro
An untuned percussion instrument made of hollow wood which is scaled by a wooden stick along ridges one the outer surface
Harmony
When a ground of singers or instrumentalists play at different pitches
Harp
A large string instrument which has 47 strings
Homophonic
A texture where all the parts play or sing similar a rhythm at the same time
Harpsichord
A keyboard instrument which looks like a small grand piano. Used extensively in the Baroque era before the invention of the piano. Sound is produced by the strings being plucked inside the instrument when keys are pressed.
Hi-Hat Cymbals
Used as part of a drum kit- two cymbal which can be opened and closed with a foot pedal or hit with drumsticks
Imitation
The melody is immediately copies in another part
Imperfect Cadence
Two chords at the end of a phrase, the last being being chord V, making it sound unfinished
Indian music
Music from India which uses instruments such as the sitar and tabla
Impressionism
A 20th century style connected to the art movement of the same name. Brief musical ideas merge and change, creating a blurred and vague outline, often using pentatonic and whole tone scales or modes
Inverted Pedal
A note is held on or repeated continuously at a high pitch while other music is played underneath
Jig
A fast Scottish dance in compound time
Melismatic
Several notes sung to one syllable
Major
Music in major keys generally sound bright and cheerful
Mezzo Forte
The music is to be played moderately loud
Mezzo Piano
The music is to be played moderately quietly
Mezzo soprano
A female voice type. The range is between that of soprano and alto
Minor
Music in a minor key often seems sadder and darker than music in a minor key
Middle 8
A section of a pop song which provides a contrast to the opening section, so called because it is 8 bars long
Modulation
The music changes key
Moderato
The music is to be played at a moderate or medium tempo
Minimalist
A style created in the 1960s by American composers, based on simple rhythmic and melodic figures which are constantly repeated which change slightly
Mouth Music
Unaccompanied rhythmic Scottish songs with Gaelic or nonsense words, originally invented as a substitute for instruments when music was required for dancing
Muted
Using a device which reduces the volume, or rather alter the sound of the instrument (con sordino)
Oboe
A woodwind instrument with a double reed
Octave
The distance of eight notes, for example from one C to the next C
Opera
A drama set to music with soloists, chorus and orchestral accompaniment, performed in costume on a stage
Ornament
A decoration to a melody be adding extra notes. A trill is an example
Pan Pipes
Typically made from bamboo or cane bound together, an instrument associated with Latin America. Sound is made by blowing across the top of the pipes
Pedal
Short for pedal point. A sustained or repeated note in the bass, beneath changing harmonies
Pentatonic scale
A scale made up of five notes. Folk music is often based on aversion of the pentatonic scale - C,D,E,G,A
Perfect Cadence
When the final two chords of a phrase are chords V the chord I, making the music sound finished
Pianissimo- pp
The music is to be played very softly
Pibroch
Music for solo bagpipes in theme and variation form, ornamented with grace notes
Pitch Bend
Changing the pitch of a note slightly - like pulling a string on a guitar up or down after the note has Ben plucked to change the pitch
Pizzicato
Plucking the stings instead of using the bow
Piccolo
The highest pitched woodwind instrument, a half sized flute played in the same way, but sounding and octave higher
Ragtime
A style of dance music popular at the end of the 19th century and helped to influence jazz. Ragtime music is typically played on piano, with a vamp accompaniment in the bass, and a catchy melody featuring off-beat accents (syncopation)
Rallentando
The tempo of the music gradually slows down
Rapping
Rhyming lyrics which are spoken and performed in time to a beat. Rap is popular in hip hop and grime music
Recorder
An early woodwind instrument. There are four main types: descant, treble, tenor and bass
Reggae
A style of music developed in the late 1960s in Jamaica. It features strong accents on the 2nd and 4th beats of the bar. Bob Marley is the most famous reggae artist.
Reverb
An electronic effect which can give the impression for different hall acoustics. Some electric guitar amps include a reverb effect
Riff
A repeated phrase usually found in jazz or pop music
Ritardando
The music slows down
Robato
Fluctuates in speed (fast,slow,fast,slow)
Rock
A style of popular music with a heavy driving beat, usually featuring electric guitar, bass guitar and drum kit
Roll
A very fast repetition of a note on a percussion instrument to make it last longer
Romantic
Music composed between around 1810 and 1900 belongs to the Romantic era. Orchestras were bigger and composers often focused on the portrayal of emotions
Rondo
A from where the first section keeps returning between contrasting different sections - ABACADA etc
Rubato
A rhythmic feature meaning ‘robbed time’. The tempo is flexible to allow the performer to slow down or speed up to provide more expression. Romantic music often uses rubato
Polyphony
Texture where two or more melodic lines weave independently of each other
Saxophone
A woodwind instrument made of metal and uses a single reed
Scale
A sequence of notes moving by step in ascending or descending order
Scat singing
Nonsense words, syllables and sounds who’s are improvised by the singer, used is jazz music
Scots Ballad
A Scottish song which tells a story like Loch Lomond or Flower of Scotland
Scotch Snap
A very short accented note before a longer note - e.g. a semi quaver followed by a dotted quaver. A common feature in strathspeys
Semitone
A distance of half a time e.g. from B-Bb or E-F. One the piano this is from any hey to the nearest white or back key; on the guitar, from one fret to another
Sequence
A pattern of notes which is repeated at a higher or lower pitch
Sfrorzando - sfz
The music is to be played with a sudden emphasis
Simple Time
The music has two, three or four beats in each bar. Each beat can be divided into 2 e.g. 2/4, 3/4, 4/4
Sitar
A plucked Indian stringed instrument
Snare Drum
A percussion instrument eh did forms part of a drum kit. Found in the pipe band, and also used as part of the orchestra
Soprano
The highest pitched female voice
Strathspey
A Scottish dance in 4/4 time and featuring Scotch snaps and dotted rhythms
String crossings
Changing strings
Strophic
A form wherein a song has the same music in verses/choruses. Most songs are strophic rather that through composed
Swing
A jazz style which started in the 1930s, performed by a big band
Symphony
A complex composition written for a full orchestra. It usually has four movements. At least on of these movements is traditionally in sonata form
Syllabic
Vocal music where each syllable is given one note only
Syncopation
A catchy rhythm where strongly accented notes are played against the beat
Tabla
Indian drums, often use to accompany the sitar
Tambourine
A percussion instrument
Tenor
A high male voice
Ternary
A piece is structured in three sections, where section A is followed by a B section which has a contrasting melody, and is then followed by a repetition of the A section.
Theme and variation
A structure where the melody is played, then repeated in various ways with variations so that it sounds different each time but the main theme is still recognisable
Tremolando
When you play the same note very fast which a bow on a string instrument to create a “trembling” effect
Triangle
An untuned percussion instrument
Trill
An ornament where two notes a step apart are played repeatedly, often at the door of a phrase
Trombone
A brass instrument that has a slide instead of valves
Trumpet
A brass instrument which can play high pitched noises
Tuba
The largest and lowest pitched brass instrument
Timpani
A large drum with skin stretched across a large bowl. Timpani are usually made of copper and played in sets, with each drum being tuned to a different note.
Tone
A distance of two semitone, e.g. from B-A or E-F#
Unison
When a group of singers or instrumentalists play at the same, tempo and pitch
Vamp
A rhythmic accompaniment where a bass note is played on the beat and a chord is followed off the beat. Often a feature in Scottish music and ragtime music
Verse
Music is repeated with different words in between a chorus
Viola
A string instrument which looks similar to a violin but is slightly bigger and lower pitched
Violin
The smallest and highest pitched string instrument
Walking bass
A bass line often featured in jazz music. It is regular in rhythm and moves up and down a pattern of notes. Often played on the double bass or bass guitar
Waulking Song
A traditional rhythmic song sung in Gaelic by women in the western isles of Scotland while they waulked woollen cloth to soften and shrink it
Whole tone scale
A scale that only uses whole tones e.g. C, D, E, F#, G#, A#, C
Wind Band
Sometimes know as a concert band, featuring woodwind, brass and percussion instruments
Xylophone
A tuned percussion instrument with wooden bars, set out like a piano
Recitative
Kind of like a soliloquy
Can be in a musical
A type of vocal writing where the music follows the rhythm of speech, used in operas and oratorios. A recitative is usually a short section for solo voice with sparse accompaniment. Its purpose is to move the story along. Recitatives are most often sung immediately before an Aria (Italian word for song).
