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12 Music > Music Terminology > Flashcards

Music Terminology Flashcards

1
Q

Ballad songs

A

slow, in the form of a love song

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2
Q

comedy songs

A

emphasis on lyrics

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3
Q

character songs

A

emotive, expression of feeling

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4
Q

dramatic songs

A

the title theme

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5
Q

production numbers

A

chorus, all/many characters singing at once

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6
Q

liberetto

A

words of an opera

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7
Q

overture

A

introduction to the opera, a medley

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8
Q

recitative

A

speech like song over acompaniment

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9
Q

aria

A

song in ternary form, shows how a character is feeling/changing

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10
Q

entr’act

A

overture between acts

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11
Q

underscore

A

music played in the background

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12
Q

segue

A

orchestral section used to link scenes

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13
Q

syncopation

A

emphasis on weak/off beats

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14
Q

rhythmic motif

A

a rhythmic fragment which is repeated

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15
Q

riff

A

a repeated patern

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16
Q

anticipation

A

a note that is played before a strong beat

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17
Q

polyrhythm

A

two or more independent rhythms played at once

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18
Q

cross rhythm

A

conflicting rhythmic patterns are used simultaneously

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19
Q

diatonic major scale

A

I II III IV V VI VII VIII

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20
Q

diatonic minor scale

A

I II III(b) IV V VI VII VIII

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21
Q

blues

A

I III V(b) V(nat) VII(b) VIII

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22
Q

pentatonic

A

5 note scale

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23
Q

chromatic

A

all 12 semitones

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24
Q

microtonal

A

a difference of <1 semitone between each note

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25
Q

whole tone scale

A

very ambiguous/vague

26
Q

12 tone row

A

all 12 notes are played before any are repeated

27
Q

tonality

A

pitch arrangements chosen by the composer, usually based on a scale/mode

28
Q

tonal centre

A

the tone/note the scale in centred around

29
Q

diatonic

A

the major/minor scales of western music

30
Q

improvisation

A

music played on the fly, no planning involved

31
Q

scale degrees

A

numbers used to identify each scale note

32
Q

melody

A

the horizontal succession of pitches

33
Q

definite pitch

A

a tuned sound

34
Q

indefinite pitch

A

an untuned sound

35
Q

counter melody

A

a melody played simultaneously with the main melody

36
Q

melodic contour

A

the shape of the melody

37
Q

Register

A

the ‘height’ of the sound (high/middle/low)

38
Q

range

A

the extent of the notes used

39
Q

ornamentation

A

decoration of a melody with special features to add interest

40
Q

Melodic Ostinato

A

a repeated melodic pattern

41
Q

motif

A

a melodic fragment heard throughout the piece that helps to unify the music

42
Q

sequece

A

the immediate repetition of a melodic fragment at a different pitch

43
Q

melisma

A

multiple notes on one syllable

44
Q

harmony

A

two or more pitches sounding together

45
Q

triad

A

a chord with a simple structure of three notes

46
Q

modulation

A

the change of key in music

47
Q

consonant

A

harmonious sound, nice sounding

48
Q

dissonant

A

clash-y sounding

49
Q

dynamics

A

the loudness/softness of the music

50
Q

articulation

A

the way notes are performed

51
Q

expressive devices

A

contribute significantly to expressing the style/mood

52
Q

glissandro

A

a slide from one note to another

53
Q

trills

A

rapid alternation between two notes

54
Q

staccato

55
Q

legato or tenuto

A

long and smooth

56
Q

accent

A

emphasis on note, punchy

57
Q

stoccato accent

A

short and punchy

58
Q

slur

A

running two notes together

59
Q

sforzando

A

suddenly loud and then soft again

60
Q

crescendo

A

gradually getting louder

61
Q

decrescendo

A

gradually getting softer

62
Q

terraced dynamics

A

block dynamics

12 Music (3 decks)

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