Harmony & Tonality Flashcards
Relative minor of C major?
A minor.
What is a key signature?
The group of sharps or flats written at the start of a piece of music.
Relative minor of E major?
C sharp minor.
Relative major of C minor?
E flat major.
Tone means…
Major or minor or modal.
Music in a major key sounds…
Happy.
Music in a minor key sounds…
Sad.
Modal music?
Built around ancient scales called modes. It sounds weird.
Define harmony.
The combination of different sounds, accompanies the melody.
What does ‘diatonic’ mean?
When the notes belong to the main key.
What does ‘chromatic’ mean?
When the notes don’t belong to the main key.
What does a sharp do?
Raises a note by a semitone.
What does a flat do?
Lowers a note by a semitone.
Define modulation.
When a piece of music changes key.
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th
Tonic Supersonic Mediant Subdominant Dominant Submediant Leading note Tonic
Define cadence.
Two chords that mark the end of a phrase or the end of the piece of music.
Perfect cadence =
Dominant - Tonic
Sounds completely finished, like a full stop.
Plagal cadence=
Subdominant - Tonic
A ‘full stop’ but not as strong as a perfect cadence. Sounds gentler. Used at end of hymns.
Imperfect cadence=
Any chord- Dominant chord. A musical comma, sounds unfinished, more music will follow.
Interrupted cadence=
Dominant chord- Submediant.
A musical comma, also known as ‘surprise’ cadence.
What is a ‘consonant’?
Chords and intervals that sound nice.
What does ‘dissonant’ mean?
Chords and intervals that don’t sound nice, they clash. Creates tension which is released when the music becomes consonant.
What is ‘Tièrce de Picardie’?
Music in a minor key, that ends on a major chord. Used by a lot of Baroque composers.
What is a drone?
A long, held note(s) in the bass.
What is a ‘pedal’?
Long repeated notes in the bass part.
