DRSMITH Flashcards
Improvisation
When a tune is made up on the spot
Melisma
Vocal technique where one syllable is sung over more than one note
Conjunct
Moving by step in the scale
Disjunct
Not moving by steps in the scale, has leaps in the melody
Passing note
A note not belonging to the harmony but interposed to secure a smooth transition
Diatonic
Using only notes of the key’s scale
Chromatic
Using note in the key scale but also those that aren’t
Portamento
Vocal slide
Polyrhythms
Many rhythms played at once
Syncopation
A rhythm using emphasised notes in between beats
Monophonic
One melody with no harmony
Polyphonic
Lots of melodies at the same time
Timbre
The quality or colour of a sound
Allegro
Fast
Presto
Very Fast
Moderato
Moderate
Andante
Walking Pace
Adagio
Slowly and Stately
Largo
Very slow
Sforzando / sfz
Suddenly loud
Consonant
Standard chords that have a root, 3rd and 5th
Dissonant
Chords that have strange notes in them (7ths or diminished or augmented chords)
Rubato
Speeding up and slowing down as a form of expression
Anacrusis / Upbeat
Where the tune begins before the first beat of a full bar
What is a sequence?
A passage of music which is repeated at a higher or lower pitch
Homophonic
Chordal texture where parts move at the same time
Blues Turnaround
Chords V - IV - I
Glissando
Continuous slide between two notes
Heterophony
Two parts with a very similar melody
Mixolydian
Major scale with b7
