key vocab Flashcards
accent
a type of articulation in which a particular note is accented
acciaccatura
a note of decoration played in as short a time as possible
added seventh
adding a further note to a triad (the 7th note from the root)
Alberti Bass
an accompaniment (normally played in the left handoff a keyboard part) using broken chords to produce a regular rhythmic pattern
appoggiatura
a note of decoration which is written in small type but given its full noted value being taken from the flowing note. (leaning note)
arch form
A B C B A (at least 5 sections)
arpeggio
playing the notes of a chord by spreading them out
articulation
the addition of specific instructions for performance (e.g. accents, staccato’s)
augmentation
the doubling of note values or the widening of intervals
bar
a unit of music, where the number of beats is shown by the time signiture
binary form
A B (two sections in a similar style)
bi-rhythm
the use of two different rhythms together
blue note
a note which has be altered/flattened in blues music
bpm
beats per minute
broken chords
normally referring to a type of accompaniment figure derived from spreading the notes of the chords
cadence
a progression of two chords which end a musical phrase
cadenza
a solo vocal or instrumental passage improvised using the music heard before
call and response
the opening phrase is answered or completed by other performers (they take turns)
canon/canonic
imitation where performers enter with the same tune before the previous has finished (like a round e.g. London burning)
chamber group
small group of players or singers (e.g. a string quartet)
chamber music
music written for small groups of performers
chromatic
music written using both white and black notes of the piano (a scale which moves in semi tones)
coda
a rounding off section
con arco
with bow
con sordino
with mute
concerto
solo and orchestra
conjunct
melodic movement in steps
consonnant
sounds well/nice together (no clashing)
continuo
a bass line written in the baroque period
contrapuntal / polyphonic
a type a texture where parts rhythmically move separately
crescendo (cresc.)
gradually getting louder
cyclic
theme that reoccurs throughout the piece
da capo aria
a solo song in ternary form
diatonic
music written using the notes of a scale
diminuendo (dim.)
gradually getting quieter
diminution
shortening the value of a melody or reducing intervals
disjunct
melodic movement in leaps
dissonant
sounds clashy when played together
back beat
when notes 2 and 4 have the emphasis
double-stopping
the playing of adjacent strings simultaneously
drone
sustained notes (normally 2 but can be more) in a rhythmic pattern
drum fill
usually heard at the end of a phrase, when the drummer plays a free rhythmic pattern alone
forte (f)
loud
fortissimo (ff)
very loud
falsetto
a high male adult voice
free rhythm
where the music is not set by regular bar lines but decided by the performer
glissando
sliding from one note to another
portamento
sliding from ne note to another (another word for glissando)
ground bass
music where a bass pattern is repeated a number of times while parts above vary
homophonic
a music texture when parts rhythmically move together
hemiola
where 2 bars of 3/4 are played as 3 bars of 2/4
imitation
coping what has just been heard
improvisation
when a performer makes up the music around a chord sequence
interval
the distance between 2 notes
inervsion
turning a melody upside down but keeping the intervals the same
irregular rhythms
music where the time signature chances a lot
key signiture
tells the performer how many sharps or flats in a piece of music
layered
music built up over several strands
major
happy sounding tonality
metre
refers to the number of beats per bar (time signature)
mezzo forte (mf)
fairly loud
minor
sad sounding tonality
minuet and trio
a dance written in 3/4, there are 2 sections in binary form, with a trio in contrast to/and an orchestral minuet
modal
a major and minor sounding tonality
modulation
moving from 1 key to another
mordent
the insertion of a note above (upper mordent) or note below (lower mordent) before the written note
mezzo piano (mp)
fairly quiet
octaves
playing the same tune but at an 8th interval apart
ornamentation
decorating with written pitch
ostinato
a repeated musical phrase or rhythm
piano (p)
quiet
pianissimo (pp)
very quiet
passing note
a melodic note placed between 2 harmony notes which results in stepwise movement
pentatonic
a scale based on 5 notes
phrasing
dividing a melody into phrases or short units
pitch bend
technique associated with guitars, the player frets a string and then pushes it sideways to raise the pitch, (the pitch is altered slightly)
pizzicato
plucking of strings instead of using a bow
polyrhythm
where several different rhythms are played/sung together
portamento
sliding/ glissando
primary chords
based on notes 1,4&5 of a scale
rapping
speaking rhythmically using a pattern of rhyming phrases over a musical backing
regular rhythm
music which keeps a single time signiture
rondo form
music in at least 5 section where the first section is repeated after each new section A B A C A
rubato
‘robbed time’ where a player uses a certain amount of freedom with the tempo to add expression to the music
scalic
melodic movement using a scale moving up or down in steps
scherzo
Italian term for joke
secondary chords
chords based on 2nd, 3rd & 6th notes of a scale
semitone
the smallest difference in pitch
sequence
the repetition of a phrase at a higher or lower pitch
sforzando (sfz)
an accent, a note to be emphasized
simple time
time signature where the beat is divided by 2
single melody line
music with neither a countermelody or descant or other supporting lines
sonata
a composition, usually 4 movements, for 1 or 2 instruments
staccato
play notes crisply and detached
tempo
the speed of music
texture
the number and type of sounds heard together
theme and variations
a form in which an opening theme is subject to variations upon each successive repetition
through composed
a song in which the music changes continually
timbre
the characteristic sounds of different instruments and voices, including techniques heard
tonal
a sense of belonging to the key
tone
the difference between 2 semi tones
triadic
a type of melodic movement through the triad
trill
the rapid repetition of 2 adjacent notes
turn
a decoration of a written note adding the pitch above and the pitch below
unison
playing/singing thee same tune together without harmony at the same pitch at the same time
vibrato
a rapid and regular fluctuation in pitch used to produce a richer tone
antiphonal
melody passed between parts (like semi interlinked choirs)
