Melody/Harmony

Question 1

Appoggiatura (AH)

Answer 1

Comes from the Italian ‘to lean upon’

Takes half the time value of the main note (two thirds if the main note is dotted)

Question 2

Augmented triad (AH)

Answer 2

Major triad but the 5th degree is raised by a semitone

E.g. Eb G B

Question 3

Suspension (AH)

Answer 3

A note from one chord is held over to the next chord creating a discord, and is then resolved by moving one step to make a concord
Adds richness and drama

Question 4

Tritone (AH)

Answer 4

A dissonant interval
Sounds harsh and unpleasant
Consists of two notes, three tones away from each other
It lies right between the least harsh sounding intervals: the perfect 4th and perfect 5th

Question 5

Turn (AH)

Answer 5

An ornament consisting of the note above, the main note, the note below, and the main note again

Question 6

Acciaccatura (H)

Answer 6

Ornament that sounds like a crushed note

Played just before the beat

Question 7

Added 6th (H)

Answer 7

A major or minor triad with a major 6th on top

E.g. C E G A or C Eb G A

Question 8

Diminished 7th (H)

Answer 8

A diminished triad with a diminished 7th on top
Four notes, each a minor 3rd above the last
E.g. C Eb Gb Bbb

Question 9

Diminished triad (H)

Answer 9

Three notes, each a minor third above the last

E.g. C Eb Gb

Question 10

Dominant 7th (H)

Answer 10

A major triad with a minor 7th on top

E.g. C E G Bb

Question 11

Harmonic minor scale (H)

Answer 11

Minor scale with a raised 7th

Sounds middle eastern

Question 12

Interrupted cadence (H)

Answer 12

Chords V to VI at the end of a phrase

Sounds unfinished

Question 13

Interval (H)

Answer 13

The distance between two notes

Question 14

Melodic minor scale (H)

Answer 14

Minor scale with a raised 6th and 7th on the way up but not on the way down

Question 15

Modes (H)

Answer 15

Used before major and minor keys

Can be found in both folk and jazz

Question 16

Obbligato (H)

Answer 16

Prominent solo instrument part in a piece of vocal music

Instrumental countermelody played above singers

Question 17

Mordent (H)

Answer 17

Ornament consisting of the main note, the note above, the main note

Question 18

Plagal cadence (H)

Answer 18

Chords IV to I at the end of a phrase

Sounds finished, like an ‘amen’ ending

Question 19

Tierce de Picardie (H)

Answer 19

When a piece in a minor key ends on a major chord

Question 20

Relative major/minor (H)

Answer 20

Relative major and minor keys are those with the same key signature

Question 21

Atonal (N5)

Answer 21

No feeling of key

Question 22

Chromatic (N5)

Answer 22

Notes that move by the interval of a semitone

Question 23

Cluster (N5)

Answer 23

Chord made of consecutive notes which clash

Question 24

Contrary motion (N5)

Answer 24

Two parts moving in opposite directions

Question 25

Countermelody (N5)

Answer 25

A melody played against the main melody

Question 26

Descant (N5)

Answer 26

A melody sung above the main melody

Question 27

Glissando (N5)

Answer 27

Sliding from one note to another

Question 28

Grace note (N5)

Answer 28

Ornament played as a quick, crushed note | Played before the main note of a melody

Question 29

Imperfect cadence (N5)

Answer 29

When a phrase end on chord V | Sounds unfinished and tense

Question 30

Inverted pedal (N5)

Answer 30

A note held or repeated in an upper part

Question 31

Melismatic (N5)

Answer 31

Vocal music where several notes are sung to each syllable

Question 32

Modulation (N5)

Answer 32

A change of key

Question 33

Perfect cadence (N5)

Answer 33

Chords V to I at the end of a phrase | Sounds finished

Question 34

Pitch bend (N5)

Answer 34

Changing the pitch of a note | E.g. by pushing a guitar string upwards

Question 35

Syllabic (N5)

Answer 35

Vocal music where each note is given one syllable

Question 36

Trill (N5)

Answer 36

Moving quickly and repeatedly between adjacent notes

Question 37

Whole tone scale (N5)

Answer 37

Scale where every interval is a tone | Sounds vague

Question 38

Arpeggio (N4) / Broken chord (N4)

Answer 38

The notes of a chord are played separately

Question 39

Drone (N4)

Answer 39

A note held on or repeated in the bass

Question 40

Major tonality (N4)

Answer 40

Sounds bright or happy

Question 41

Minor tonality (N4)

Answer 41

Sounds dark, creepy or sad

Question 42

Ornament (N4)

Answer 42

Decorating a melody with extra notes

Question 43

Pedal (N4)

Answer 43

A held note or repeated notes in the bass beneath changing upper parts

Question 44

Pentatonic (N4)

Answer 44

A five note scale Do, re, mi, sol and la Often used in Scottish music

Question 45

Scat singing (N4)

Answer 45

Nonsense words and sounds made up by the singer | Used mainly in jazz

Question 46

Vamp (N4)

Answer 46

Rhythmic accompaniment | Bass note on the beat and a chord off the beat

Question 47

Discord (N3)

Answer 47

A chord in which certain notes clash

Question 48

Question and answer (N3)

Answer 48

A musical phrase (question) followed by another (answer) | These phrases usually balance each other

Question 49

Repetition (N3)

Answer 49

An exact repeat of a musical idea

Question 50

Sequence (N3)

Answer 50

A melodic phrase that is repeated at a higher or lower pitch