Melody Flashcards
Tune
Short, easy to remember, complete by itself
Ex: commercial jingles for product, happy birthday song
Theme
Music that is recurring
Ex: cartoons, movie scores
Lyrical
Song like in character, melody stays the same but words change
Ex: church hymns, songs on the radio
Half step
Next closest possible note
Whole step
Distance of 2 half steps
Major scale
Pattern of whole and half steps
Ex: WWHWWWH
ABC#DEF#G#A
Minor scale
Pattern of whole and half steps
Ex: WHWWHWW
ABCDEFG
Biggest difference between major and minor scales happen on —— scale degree
3rd
TONIC
1st note of any scale, gives the key of the song
Chromatic Scale
Moves only in half steps
Whole Tone Scale
Moves only in whole steps
Pentatonic Scale
Only has 5 tones
Ex: music from Asian countries, early gospel songs, early folk songs
Harmony
When 2 or more tones sounded together, adds depth
Chord
Combination of 3 or more pitches in a meaningful sound, most common is a TRIAD
TRIAD
Interval of a 3rd on another 3rd
Tonality
Dominance of tonic over all other scale degree
Ex: joy to the world
Dominant
Scale degree that has strongest pull back to the tonic, 5th degree scale
Cadences on the Dominant
When a dominant chord moves to a tonic chord at a phrase ending= Authentic Cadence
Subdominant
2nd strongest pull back to the tonic, 4th degree scale
Plagal Cadence
When subdominant chord moves to tonic chord (Amen Cadence)
Consonant
Music that can be described as passive and easy to listen to
Dissonant
Music that is active and filled with tension
Monophonic
Single, unaccompanied melody
Ex: children’s songs, Gregorian chant
Polyphonic
Multiple melody lines, offset
Ex: rounds, counter point
Homophonic
One melody, all other parts provide harmony or support
Ex: church hymns, choral music, popular music we have today
Motive/motivic melody
Short fragment, incomplete by itself
