Music/Italian Terms Flashcards
The 5 lines on which music is written on
Stave
Score
Musical name for sheet music
The clef for higher-pitched melody instruments (flute, oboe, violin, soprano voices etc.)
Treble clef
Bass clef
The symbol/clef for low pitched instruments (Tuba, trombone, bass etc.)
Alto clef
The symbol/clef for mid-ranged/low female voices
The symbol/clef for mid-ranged/high male voices
Tenor clef
A symbol that makes a note a 1/2 step or a semitone higher
Sharp (#)
Flat (b)
A symbol that makes a note a 1/2 step or a semitone lower
A symbol that cancels a sharp or a flat from an accidental or key signature
Natural
Phrase marks
A symbol to indicate the length of a phrase. Helps the performer to know where to breathe.
Tie
A curved line to join two of the same pitch. (When played, sounding like one note)
Rapid alternation between the indicated note and the note directly above it
Trill
An ornament involving 3 notes, starting on the note above the indicated note
Turn
Upper/lower mordent
An ornament involving 2 notes
Acciaccatura
An ornament involving two or three notes. Sometimes called a crushed note.
Appogiatura
Similar to acciaccatura but the notes are played in a variety of rhythm, indicated by the note on the score.
Anacrusis / Up-beat
A note or group of notes at the start of a phrase, beginning on an upbeat.
A regular, consistent pattern of beats indicated by the time signature
Metre
The ‘heartbeat’ of the music. Although the music may have different rhythms, the pulse will remain steady.
Pulse
An interval of silence between notes
Rest
When two different rhythmic patterns are played together at the same time
Cross rhythm
Polyrhythm
When two or more rhythmic patterns, contrasting in metre are played at the same time.
Swing rhythm
Syncopated, jazzy rhythm
Stepwise / Scalic
Movement of a melody upwards or downwards using the notes of the scale
Leap
Movement of a melody upwards or downwards with a jump of one note to another
Passing note
A note which links the note before and after, usually on the weak beat of the bar.
Interval
The distance between two notes.
Major scale
A ‘happy-sounding’ scale, played going up or down, constructed as follows:
Tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone, tone, semitone
Minor scale
A ‘sad-sounding’ scale, played going going or down, constructed as follows: Tone, semitone, tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone.
Chromatic scale
A 13-note scale, where every note is a semitone apart.
Blues scale
A major scale with a flattened 3rd and 7th, which replace the 2nd and 6th notes.
Bend / slide / glissando
A slide from one note to the next.
Range
The notes indicating the highest note to the lowest note in a piece of music, instrument or voice.
Diatonic
Harmony using notes from a scale (sounding normal to us)
Dissonant
Harmony using notes outside the key, creating dissonances (clashes). Often employed to create suspense or tension
Atonal
Music without any sense of key.
Harmony of mainly using notes of a semitone apart.
Chromatic
Major chord
A ‘happy-sounding’ chord.
Minor chord
A ‘sad-sounding’ chord.
A triad with an added 4th note (7th note above the root)
Seventh chord
Tonic chord (I)
The ‘home chord’, built on the root note of the key.
Sub-dominant chord (IV)
A ‘primary chord’, built on the 4th note of the key.
Dominant chord (V)
A ‘primary chord’, built on the 4th note of the key.
Blue note
A note that has been altered/flattened in blues music, most frequently the 3rd, 5th or 7th degree of the scale
Perfect cadence
Dominant to tonic (V - I). Like a full stop. Giving the music a good ending or a sense of completion.
Imperfect cadence
Ending on the dominant (V). Usually acts as a musical comma. I - V / II - V / IV - V.
Plagal cadence
Subdominant to tonic (IV - I). Another example of a full-stop or completion but not as strong as a perfect cadence.
Interrupted cadence
‘Surprise cadence’. Dominant to submediant. Music will feel very unresolved with the ending chord on VI (a chord of opposites). Requires further music to resolve it. (V-VI)
Chordal
Block chords, simplest way of playing chords.
Arpeggiated
Also known as broken chords. Playing each note of a chord separately.
Broken chords
Also known as arpeggiated chords. Playing each note of a chord separately.
Triad
A 3 note chord
Comping
Playing a chord sequence to an interesting rhythm on the piano.
Primary chords
The 3 most important chords in any key. I, IV and V
Simple harmony
Harmony using only basic chords
The sequence of chords in a piece
Harmonic progression
The speed of the chord changes
Harmonic rhythm
Moving from one key to another. The change of keys in a piece.
Modulation
Played in the bass, like a pedal but often with two notes played simultaneously. Sustained creating a ‘buzzing’ or ‘droning’ sound.
Drone
A 12 bar, repeating chord sequence
12-bar blues (I / I / I / I / IV / IV / I / I / V / IV / I / I)
Largo
Very slow
Andante
At a walking pace
Moderato
Moderately
Allegro
Fast
Vivace
Lively
Presto
Very fast
Accelerando
Gradually getting faster
Rallentando
Gradually getting slower
Rubato
Robbed time
Pianissimo
Very softly
Piano
Softly
Mezzo piano (mp)
Moderately soft
Mezzo forte (mf)
Moderately loud
Forte (f)
Loud
Fortissimo (ff)
Very loud
Crescendo (cresc)
Gradually getting louder
Decrescendo
Gradually getting softer
Diminuendo (Dim)
Gradually getting softer
Staccato
Detached
Legato
Slurred
Arco
Bowed
Tremolo
Playing strings instruments with a rapid up and down of the bow on the string/s.
Accent
Note played with emphasis
Sforzando (sfz)
Suddenly loud
