Gcse Musical Terminology:melody Flashcards
Melody
Succession of notes that form a tune
Anacrusis
Up beat note
Conjunct
Stepwise melodic movement (going upon /down by steps )
Disjunct
Leaping melodic movement ( not going up in steps /down )
Arpeggio
Playing notes of a chord one at a time ( like a Broken chord) up and down, over one or more octave
Broken chord
Playing notes of a chord. One at a time
Scalic
Ascends or decending (a portion of)a scale
Range
Describes how large /small the pitch range is in a piece
Low pitch
Notes towards the bass end of pitch range ⬇️
High pitch
Notes towards the treble end of pitch range ⬆️
Sequence
Repetition of a phrase at a higher or lower pitch (playing same part just higher or lower )
Imitation
Copying of a melody in other parts of a piece
Leitmotif
Musical idea representing a character, place , item or idea
Motif
Characteristic musical idea that is used prominently in a piece
Semitone
Smallest interval from one note to another
Tone/major 2nd
Interval of 2 semitones . (Semitone +semitone =tone )
Major 3rd
Interval between tonic and third note of a major scale
Perfect 4th
Interval between tonic and subdominant of a major/minor scale
Perfect 5th
Interval between the tonic and dominant of a major /minor scale
Major 6th
Interval between tonic and sixth note of a major scale
Major 7th
Interval between the tonic and seventh note of a major scale
Octave
Interval. (Space ) between 2 notes ofthe same name
Microtone
Interval smaller than even a semitone !
Chromatic movement
Melodic movement by a semi note
Pentatonic
Melody using 5 notes (5 notes in a pentatonic scale)
Blue notes
Flattened notes . Typical in blues and jazz genre (b flat or any flat )
Ornamentation
Decorative elements added to a melody
Trill
Rapid alteration between 2 adjacent notes
Mordent
Ornament where there is a single rapid alter with the note above or below
Appoggiatura
Type of ornament lasting half the value of the main note
Turn
Type of ornament where notes sound in the order notes above , below , main
Acciaccatura
Type of ornament where note is played just above the main note
Counter melody
Melody that sounds against the MAIN melody
Answering phrase
Phrase that forms a natural pairing with the opening phrase
Thematic
Reusing parts of the main melody
Fan fare
Short musical idea that introduces important something