Music Flashcards
Which chord is the tonic chord?
Chord I
Which chord is the subdominant chord?
Chord IV
Which chord is the dominant chord?
Chord V
What is a triad?
3 note chord
What is an inversion?
The notes of a chord rearranged
What is the tempo of the music?
The speed of the music
What is the metre?
The time signature
What does lento mean?
Slowly
What does largo mean?
Slowly and stately
What does adagio mean?
Leisurely
What does andante mean?
At walking pace
What does moderato mean?
Moderately
What does allegro mean?
Fast
What does vivace mean?
Lively
What does presto mean?
Very quickly
What does syncopation mean?
Off beat rhythms
What does it mean if the note is dotted?
To add 1 half of the original note length onto the note
What does simple time mean?
When the pulse can be divided into 2 equal beats
What does compound time mean?
When the pulse can be divided into 3 equal beats
How long is a semiquaver?
1/4 beat
How long is a quaver?
1/2 beat
How long is a crotchet?
1 beat
How long is a minim?
2 beats
How long is a semibreve?
4 beats
What does the top number of a time signature mean?
The number of beats in a bar
What does the bottom number of a time signature mean?
What note value the beats are
What does the bassline of a piece of music often consist of?
Low notes, root note of the chord (or lowest note if it’s an inversion), low instruments (such as electric bass, double bass, tuba, piano, timpani), repetitive riffs/ostinatos
What is a riff?
It usually stays on one note and is short and repeated
What is an ostinato?
A repeated phrase or rhythm
What is a melody?
The tune
What is the harmony?
The chords
What is the tonality?
The key
What is a chromatic melody?
Notes that are outside the key
What is a diatonic melody?
Notes that are inside the key
What is a conjunct melody?
Notes that are next to each other (moving step by step)
What is a disjunct melody?
Doesn’t move by step - moves in leaps
What is an ascending phrase?
Melody that goes upwards (the pitch moves upwards)
What is a descending phrase?
Melody that goes downwards (the pitch moves downwards)
What is a triadic melody?
A melody that contains the notes of a chord or arpeggio
What is binary form?
A musical form with 2 related sections, both of which are usually repeated - AB
What is ternary form?
A 3 part musical form which consists of an initial idea (A) following a contrasting section (B) before a return to the first idea (A) - ABA
What is rondo?
A musical form that contains a principle theme (A) which alternates with one or more contrasting themes (B, C) - ABACA
What is theme and variation?
When you have a main theme which is then repeated but altered each time, usually to make it more complex
What is a crescendo?
Getting louder
What is a decrescendo/diminuendo?
Getting quieter
What is texture?
Texture describes how layers of sound within a piece of music interact
What is a monophonic texture?
A texture consisting of a single musical line
What is a polyphonic texture?
2 or more melodies or parts that play at the same time, weaving in and out of each other
What is a homophonic texture?
A texture based on chords - a melody sat on top of moving chords (the chords move with the melody)
What is melody and accompaniment?
A melody and accompaniment texture is when you can clearly distinguish between the melody and accompaniment - this could be a pop song with a solo singer accompanied by a band or the first violins in an orchestra playing the melody while the rest accompany
What is imitation?
Where a melody in one part is repeated a few notes later in a different part, overlapping the melody in the first part which continues - for example, a flute may imitate a tune just played by the oboe (Exactly the same)
What is call and response/antiphony?
A compositional technique, often a succession of 2 distinct phrases that works like a conversation in music - 1 musician offers a phrase, and a second player answers with a direct commentary or response (Different)
What is unison?
All instruments playing the same thing at the same time
What is a scalic melody?
A melody that contains the notes of a scale
