Melody/Harmony

Question 0

Chord Progression

Answer 0

(I, IV, V, VI) A series of related chords. At N5 level, these chords are built on the 1st, 4th, 5th and 6th notes of a major or minor scale.

Question 1

Atonal

Answer 1

Music which has no feeling of key, major or minor. It is very dissonant and lacks a ‘nice’ melody and accompaniment.

Question 2

Chords

Answer 2

C major (CEG)
G major (GBD) 
F major (FAC) 
A minor (ACE

Question 3

Chromatic

Answer 3

Notes which ascend or descend consecutively in intervals of semitones.

Question 4

Cluster

Answer 4

A group of notes which clash when played together.

Question 5

Contrary Motion

Answer 5

Two parts which move in opposite direction, e.g. As one part ascends the other descends.

Question 6

Countermelody

Answer 6

A second melody played alongside the main melody, with the two of them fitting together with different tunes.

Question 7

Descant

Answer 7

A countermelody which accompanies and is sung above the main melody, often during hymns.

Question 8

Flat (b)

Answer 8

An accidental which lowers the note by a semitone e.g. A to Ab.

Question 9

Glissando

Answer 9

Sliding from note to another, taking in all the notes in between, where possible.

Question 10

Grace Note

Answer 10

A type of ornament, played as a quick, crushed note before the main note of a melody.

Question 11

Imperfect Cadence

Answer 11

Two chords at the end of a phrase, the last being chord V (the dominant), making it sound unfinished.

Question 12

Inverted Pedal

Answer 12

A note which is held on or repeated continuously at a high pitch, while other music goes on underneath.

Question 13

Key Signatures

Answer 13

C major (no #/b)
A minor (no #/b)
G major (F#)
F major (Bb)

Question 14

Melismatic

Answer 14

A type of ‘word setting’ where several notes sung to one syllable.

Question 15

Modulation

Answer 15

When the music changes key.

Question 16

Natural

Answer 16

An accidental which removes any other accidental by raising or lowering a note by a semitone e.g. F# lowers to F natural, Gb to G natural.

Question 17

Perfect Cadence

Answer 17

Two chords at the end of a phrase, specifically the dominant to tonic chords (chord V-chord 1), making the phrase sound finished.

Question 18

Pitch Bend

Answer 18

Changing the pitch of a note slightly, e.g. By plucking a string on a guitar then pulling the pressed fretboard string downwards or upwards.

Question 19

Semitone

Answer 19

A distance of half a tone, e.g. B to Bb or F# to G on a keyboard, or from one fret to the next on a guitar.

Question 20

Sharp #

Answer 20

An accidental which raises the note by a semitone e.g. C to C#.

Question 21

Syllabic

Answer 21

A type of ‘word setting’ in vocal music where each syllabic is given one note only.

Question 22

Tone

Answer 22

A distance of two semitones between two notes, e.g. from B to A or F to G on a keyboard, or two frets on a guitar.

Question 23

Trill

Answer 23

Moving quickly and repeatedly between two notes which are a step apart.

Question 24

Whole Tone Scale

Answer 24

A scale built on entirely on whole tones. It uses no semitones, e.g. C, D, E, F#, G#, A# (Bb), C.