Music- Glossary Flashcards
a chord containing two distinct diatonic harmonies simultaneously
polychord
the time period after a film has been shot, when it is edited and mixed with other visual and audio components; most musical scores are added to movies during this time
post-production
the preparation period before a film begins shooting
pre-production
the time period when shooting (filming) a movie takes place
production
a popular musical style that features many syncopated rhythmic patterns against a steady accompaniment
ragtime
a nickname for western European music that emphasized expressivity dating from around 1830 through 1900
Romantic
a version of a film after an editor has selected the best shots; a temp track is often dubbed to this cut to show to test audiences
rough cut
a digital recording of a sound (often acoustic) that is then manipulated electronically
sample
a film score in which music occurs continuously – or almost continuously – throughout the movie
saturation scoring (same as wall-to-wall music)
the version of the film that is sent to the film lab for final adjustments and then for mass reproduction
answer print
an instruction to proceed from the end of one musical section to the next with no pause in between
segue (pronounced “seg-way”)
semi-digetic music
(same as implied source music) music that both the audience and the onscreen characters can hear, but the source of the music is not visible
a cinematic term for the musical cue played
during the opening credits of a film
main titles
major tritone progression
a harmonic pattern in which
a major triad is followed by a second major triad, the
root pitch of which is a tritone away from the initial
triad’s root
melismatic text-setting
a type of singing in which
multiple notes correspond to a single syllable of poetry
metronome
a device that can be set to a desired tempo
and which then maintains a steady pulse at that speed
SMPTE timecode
a group of four numbers that identify the hour (or reel), the minute, the second, and the frame of a film or video
the first version of a film, which puts all the shots in order according to the script
assembly cut
a low-budget commercial film primarily of the 1950s, intended to serve as the second movie in a double-feature screening
B-movie
multi-tracking
the process of taking separate recordings
and assembling them to play simultaneously
musique concrète
a label for music produced by
assembling and manipulating the recordings of “real-
world” sounds
non-diegetic music
music that is heard only by a movie’s
audience, not the characters on the screen
source music (same as diegetic music)
music that both audience and onscreen characters can hear and see
ondes martenot
an electronic instrument resembling a
theremin but played with a keyboard. It can project
only one pitch at a time, but can produce a variety of
tone colors
syllabic text-setting
a type of singing in which each syllable of poetry is set to a single note
synth pad
a long, sustained note or chord produced by a synthesizer, similar to a drone
orchestration
the process of allocating the pitches
of a score’s melodies and harmonies to particular
instruments
arpeggio
a chord whose individual pitches are played in succession rather than simultaneously, in the manner that one would strum a guitar or harp
synthesizer
a musical instrument with a keyboard that generates sounds electronically
original score
custom scores created to suit the specific scenes in the movie
temp love
a nickname for a directors’ preference for the temp track music instead of a custom score written for a film
assembly cut
the first version of a film, which puts all the shots in order according to the script
temp score (same as temp track)
an audio track consisting of pre-existing music, superimposed on a rough cut of a film to test the effectiveness of the planned musical choices
B-movie
a low-budget commercial film primarily of the 1950s, intended to serve as the second (less-publicized) movie in a double-feature screening
tone poem
a single-movement programmatic work for orchestra (also called a “symphonic poem”); the genre originated in the Romantic era
temp track (same as temp score and scratch track)
an audio track consisting of pre-existing music, superimposed on a rough cut of a film to test the effectiveness of the planned musical choices
braaam
a sharply accented, loud, heavy, low-register chord, often with a harsh, brassy tone quality
cinema
a word that can refer to movies, movie theaters,
and the film industry
tremolo
the process of allocating the pitches
of a score’s melodies and harmonies to particular
instruments
celesta
a small percussion instrument with metal bars that are struck by felt hammers operated by a piano-like keyboard
compilation score
aka adapted score
a film score assembled from pre-existing pieces of music
adapted score
aka compilation score
a film score assembled from pre-existing pieces of music
cue
a musical passage designed to support a particular
portion of a film
cue sheet
a vaudeville-era term for the list of moments when music should accompany a particular performance; in the film era, it refers to a detailed plan for music during a film
custom score
aka original score
music written to enhance a specific film
cymbal roll
a technique of sustaining a cymbal’s sound by hammering it with beaters or drumsticks
diegetic music
aka source music
music that both audience and the onscreen characters can hear and see
drone
a long, sustained pitch, usually in a low register
end titles
a cinematic term for the musical cue played during the closing credits of a film
falsetto
a technique that shifts the male voice into an artificially high register
fermata
a symbol indicating that a note (or silence) should be sustained longer than its notated value, briefly halting the underlying pulse of the music
film noir
a genre (and style) of film that contains pessimistic storylines, often featuring cynical detectives, and filmed in black-and-white
fine cut
aka locked cut
the version of the film that contains the final edits of the shots (to which music, sound effects, and special effects will be added)
locked cut
aka fine cut
the version of the film that contains the final edits of the shots (to which music, sound effects, and special effects will be added)
foley artists
the people who replicate the sounds of the natural world that would be audible in a particular scene of a film, so those noises can be retained even if dialogue is replaced by dubbing
glissando
a rapid, sweeping glide up or down through the pitches of an instrument (players of string instruments can slide up or down their fingerboard)
implied source music
aka semi-diegetic music
music that both the audience and the onscreen characters can hear, but the source of the music is not visible
intertitle
a short insertion of typed text, usually in a silent film, that contains dialogue or other explanations of the situation
leitmotif
a melodic fragment representing a particular person, object, or idea
lydian mode
a harmony prevalent in the Medieval period, resembling a major scale but with a raised fourth degree
minimalism
a style of music that employs very small
amounts of material in simple, often repetitive ways
(resembling ostinato patterns)
vaudeville
a stage presentation consisting of many
short, unconnected performances by a large array of
entertainers demonstrating a wide variety of skills,
many unrelated to music
vibrato
a slight trembling or oscillating sound added in performance by various means (back-and-forth movements of the hand, air support, etc.); the effect adds intensity to the note
wah-wah trumpet
a method of playing the trumpet by
slowly blocking and unblocking the bell with a hand
or mute
walking bass
a description for a bass line that moves in stepwise (conjunct) motion up or down
wordless choir
a tone color created by a chorus singing
sustained vowel sounds or humming
wall-to-wall music
nickname for saturation scoring (a tone color created by a chorus singing
sustained vowel sounds or humming)
