music 300-350 Flashcards
What is syncopation?
Syncopation occurs when beats are stressed at unexpected or unusual times.
What does a 5/8 time signature indicate?
A 5/8 time signature means that there are five (5) beats per measure and that the eighth (8) note receives one beat.
How does a note change if a dot is added next to it?
A dot next to a note indicates that the duration of the note equals the length of the original note plus half its length. For example, a dotted eighth note has the length of an eighth note plus a sixteenth note.
In what unit is tempo usually measured?
Tempo is usually measured in beats per minute.
What is the difference between the terms adagio and allegro?
both adagio and allegro are terms that indicate; however, adagio means “slow” while allegro means “fast.”
What does the tempo marking “maestoso” mean?
“majestically”
What is melody?
Melody refers to a series of pitches that form a cohesive tune.
How are notes on the staff named?
Notes on the staff are named using the letters A through g.
What is another name for the treble clef?
G clef
What is another name for the bass clef?
F Clef
The second line from the bottom of a treble-clef staff is a
G
What is the grand staff?
The grand staff includes both the treble and bass clef staffs so that a wide range of pitches can be seen at once.
What is a scale?
A scale is a sequence
what textural and melodic similarities exist between a fugue and a motet
both feature extensive polyphony and melodic repetition
how many sections does a piece of binary from contain
two
what is the typical chord progression within sections in binary form
the first section moves from the tonic to the dominant; the second section moves from the dominant back to the tonic
how is rounded binary form different from simple binary form
in rounded binary form, the first section returns to the tonic in a slightly modified way after the second section, thus creating the a section, in simple binary the b section contains the return to the tonic
what is the differenve between ternary form and rounded binary form
ternary form has three sections. the third section is identical to the first whereas rounded binary form includes a return if the A section in a modified form
what is the structure of a rondo
a rondo contains one section that alternates with at least two other sections, creating the structure abacada
what is the name of the binary form most common in american popular music
verse/chorus or verse/ refrain
what is a bridge
a bridge is a unique section added to a binary form song, typically before the last refrain
how does the inclusion of a bridge add to the musical complexity of binary form
the bridge is typically written in the dominant, which increases the musical tension of the work before returning to the tonic in the final chorus
what is the term for the form of a song that contains several unique sections without repetition
through composed
mozarts” ah, vous dirais-je maman” takes the well known tune of “Twinkle twinkle little star” and repeats it again and again in many different forms, so its form is that of
theme and variations
what are the three sections of a work written in sonata form
exposition, development, and recapitulation
what is the purpose of the exposition in sonata form
the exposition serves to introduce the main theme or themes of the piece in the tonic key
in what key does the development of a piece in sonata form typically end
the dominant
what is the purpose of the recapitulation in sonata form
the recapitulation restates the main theme of the piece, often with variation
what is a coda
a coda is a final section in a piece that gives it a formal sense of closure by emphasizing dominant harmonies and their resolution to the tonic one last time
what chords or keys are typically accentuated in the coda
the coda typically focuses on the subdominant or dominant harmonies and then resolves to the tonic key
during what two musical eras was the sonata form most popular
classical and romantic
a piece that begins with an opening themes, modulates through a number of different keys and ends with a restatement of the opening theme is in what form
sonata form
along with binary form, what other form has had a significant influence upon most american popular music
12 bar blues
what is the alphabetic structure of 12 bar blues
aab:the first four bars (A) are repeated (A) and then resolved by a contrasting four-bar section (B)
in typical 12 bar blues, how many measures long is each phrase
each of the three phrases in the 12 bar blues progression is four measures or bars long
what is the typical chord progression of the third phrase of 12 bar blues
1,4,5,1
what combination of instruments is usually responsible for creating the timbre we associate with country music
fiddle, acoustic guitar, steel guitar, and banjo
What is a diatonic scale?
A diatonic
What is the sequence of whole and half steps of a major scale?
Major scales all follow the following sequence: whole, whole, half, whole whole, whole, half. Thus the half steps fall between the third and fourth notes of the scale and between the seventh and eighth.
What is the name of the first note in a scale?
The first note in a scale is called the tonic.
The dominant represents what scale degree?
The dominant is the fifth note in a major or minor scale.
What is the significance of the seventh note in a scale?
The seventh note is known as the leading tone because it creates a musical tension that seems to “lead” the ear to the tonic note.
In a D major scale, what are the letter names of the dominant and leading tones?
In a D major scale, A is the dominant and C# is the leading tone.
what word is used two notes that are notated differently according to the key in which they occur but that are, in fact, the same note
enharmonic
how and why is the circle of fifths constructed
the circles of fifths is constructed by starting with C and ascending by fifths until C is again reached. they key C has no sharps or flats in it. Each subsequent key in the circle of fifths has one more sharp than the previous key
how does the ascending melodic minor scale differ from the descending melodic minor scale
in the ascending scale the sixth and seventh notes are raised a half step in comparison to the natural minor scale. in the descending scale, the sicth and seventh notes re not raised, making it identical to the natual minor scale
in order form highest to lowest pitch, what are the three ranges of the female voice
soprano, mezzo soprano, and alto
in order form lowest to highest pitch, what are the three ranges of the male voice
bass, baritone, and tenor
what is the another name for the alto voice range
contralto
although the alto and tenor voice ranges overlap greatly in pitch, how do they differ
though overlapping in pitch range alto and tenor parts are distinct from each other because the physiology of the female and male voices give each one a unique timbre
