Melody/Harmony Flashcards
Acciaccatura
An ornament which sounds like a crushed note played very quickly on the beat or just before it.
Added 6th
Eg. C E G A
Diminished 7th
Eg. C Eb F# A
Dominant 7th
Eg. C E G Bb
Harmonic minor scale
Eg. C D Eb F G Ab B C
Interrupted cadence
Chords V-VI at the end of a phrase. In a major key, chord VI is minor. Sounds unfinished.
Interval
The distance between two notes.
Melodic minor scale
Eg. C D Eb F G A B C
C Bb Ab G F Eb D C
Mode/modal
Usually this refers to any of the early scales e.g. Dorian mode (white notes D to D on a keyboard)
Mordent
An ornament consisting of the main note, the note above, the main note.
Obbligato
A prominent solo instrument part in a piece of vocal music.
Plagal cadence
Chords IV to I at the end of a phrase. It sounds finished.
Relative major
The major key with the same key signature as one minor key.
Relative minor
The minor key with the same key signature as one major key.
Tierce de picardie
The final chord of a piece in a minor key is changed to major.
Ascending
Notes which rise in pitch.
Descending
Notes which fall in pitch.
Discord
A chord in which certain notes clash.
Repetition
An exact repeat of a musical idea.
Sequence
A melodic phrase which is repeated at a higher or lower pitch.
Ornament
Decorating a melody by adding short notes.
Pedal
A held note or repeated notes in the bass beneath changing upper parts.
Atonal
No feeling of key.
Glissando
Sliding from one note to another.
Grace note
A type of ornament played as a quick, crushed note before the main note of a melody.
Imperfect cadence
The last chord at the end of a phrase is V. Sounds unfinished.
Inverted pedal
A note held, or repeated, in an upper part.
Melismatic
Vocal music where several notes are sung to each syllable.
Modulation
A change of key.
Perfect cadence
Chords V to I at the end of a phrase. Sounds finished.
