Harmonic Flashcards
Accompanied
When a solo instrument or voice plays alongside an accompanying instrument. This is often a piano, but may be a guitar, harp, organ, harpsichord or small ensemble of instruments.
Cadence
The final two chords which form a conclusion to a musical phrase or passage. There are four common cadences; Perfect / Imperfect / Plagal / Interrupted
Change of Key
When music moves deliberately from one key to a different key. This process is more correctly known as modulation.
Chord
A group of notes played at the same time.
Chord Change
A move from one chord to a different chord.
Consonance
Notes which sound well together. The opposite of dissonance.
Contrary Motion
This is when two or more parts are moving in opposite directions in pitch - either away from each other or towards each other.
Discord / Dissonance
Notes which don’t sound well together - notes which clash. The opposite of consonace.
Drone
i. One or more notes held on in the bass part whilst the melody and harmony move above.
ii. The three low-pitched notes on the bagpipes which sound continuously and come from the three upright pipes over the piper’s shoulder.
Imperfect Cadence
A cadence of two chords at the end of a musical phrase or sentence which has any chord moving to the 5th chord of the key.
? - V
This often leads to modulation to the dominant.
Major
A major tonality. All the notes of a piece come from a major scale and the key chord is a major triad. The triad is made up of a major third and a minor third. The third of the scale is major.
Minor
A minor tonality. All the notes of a piece come from a minor scale and the key chord is a minor triad. The triad is made up of a minor third and a major third. The third of the scale is minor.
Modulation
To change key. When music changes key as it is going along it modulates. Modulation is a change of key.
Perfect Cadence
A cadence of two chords at the end of a musical phrase or sentence which ends with the chords V - I or V^7 - I. In C major this would be a chord of G major with or without a seventh, followed by a chord of C major. The music always sounds finished at perfect cadence.
Tonal / Tonality
Based on a key. There are two main tonalities, major and minor. Tonality is to do with keys and the relationships between keys.
Vamp
A rhythmic accompaniment with a bass note played on the strong beats and a harmony chord played on weaker beats.
Added 6th
A chord where the sixth note of the scale is included as an added note. e.g. in C major the notes C/E/G/A. These chords are very common in jazz and swing/big band music.
Da Capo Aria
Arias in Ternary (ABA) form were common in the Baroque Period. This is where the opening section is repeated after the middle section.
Diminished 7th / Diminished Chord
A chord or arpeggio consisting of a series of minor third intervals. e.g. C - Eb - F# - A - C
Dominant 7th
Where the flattened seventh note is added to a chord built on the dominant. e.g. in C major: G / B / D / F
Interrupted Cadence
A cadence of two chords at the end of a musical phrase or sentence which ends on the chords V - VI. The music always sounds unfinished at an interrupted cadence.
Modal / Mode
A term used to describe music which is neither major nor minor,
but built on one of the very early scales or modes. Renaissance
music is modal as the major and minor tonalities did not exist then.
Modes are often used in jazz for improvising.
Plagal Cadence
A cadence of two chords at the end of a musical phrase or
sentence which ends with the chords IV – I. In C Major this would
be a chord of F major followed by a chord of C Major. The music
always sounds finished at Plagal cadence.
Tierce De Picardie
A major chord at the end of a piece which has been in a minor key.
