Elements of Music Flashcards
Duration
Organisation of sound and silence and their lengths in music
Duration descriptors
Rhythm, metre, beat & pulse, tempo, syncopation, subdivision, swing time, free time
Pitch
The relative highness and lowness of sounds
Melody
The organised patterns of sounds or pitches
Melody descriptors
contour, range, steps & leaps, tones/semitones, intervals, melodic patterns (ostinato), sequence, imitation, riff/hook, motif, arpeggiation, ornamentation
Harmony
Simultaneous sounding of more than one pitch and vertical organisation in music
Harmony descriptors
triads, cadences, 7 9 11 chords, drone, power chords, chord progression, consonance/dissonance, suspension/resolution, chromaticism, chromatic/altered chords
Tonality
The organisation of pitches that establishes tonal relationships
Tonality descriptors
Diatonic, modal, chromaticism, modulation, related key, atonality & tone row, polytonality
Texture
How sounds are combined, and how they interact and function in a piece of music
Texture descriptors
Layers, dense, sparse, voicing, layering of instruments, changes in layers, roles of instrument & voices, monophony, homophony, polyphony
Structure
The organisation of a piece of music on both a macro and micro level
Structure descriptors
Sections, repetition, contrastm, unity, variety, call & response, common structures
Dynamics
The relative volume or intensity of a sound(s) or note(s)
Dynamic descriptors
Loud, moderate, soft, dynamic variation (crescendo/diminuendo), terraced, mixing
Articulation
Refers to how specific notes or passages are played or sung
Articulation descriptors
accent, staccato, marcato, tenuto, spiccato, off/onset, legato, phrasing, slur, pizzicato, touch and fingering
Repetition
A musical pattern or idea that is established and used again
Variation
Changes or modifications to establish musical ideas or patterns while retaining ideas or patterns
Transition
The shift from one musical idea or section to another
Contrast
Where significant musical material is introduced or where significant musical changes are made to established music patterns
Diminution
The shortening of the time values of notes in a melodic part
Augmentation
The lengthening of the time values of notes in a melodic part
Inversion
To invert a chord or an interval so that the original bottom note becomes an upper note
Counter melody
A group of notes perceived as a melody to be played with the original melody
Fills
A short musical passage, riff or rhythmic sound that helps sustain the listeners attention in between melodies
Retrograde
A melodic line that is the reverse of a previously stated line
