Music Terminology - Melody

Question 1

Conjunct Melody

Answer 1

A melody that moves by STEP (stepwise)

Question 2

Disjunct Melody

Answer 2

A melody that moves by LEAP

Question 3

Sequence

Answer 3

Where a passage of music is repeated at a higher or lower pitch

Question 4

Repetition

Answer 4

When a melody, or part of a melody is repeated again in succession.

Question 5

Imitation

Answer 5

Immediate (or shortly after) repetition of a melody or motif, in a different voice or instrument. This can be exact, transposed or some variation (inversion).

Question 6

Contrast

Answer 6

When a melody is presented in a way that differs from previous versions. This keeps the listeners interest.

Question 7

Intervals

Answer 7

Refers to the distance between notes of a melody. If it leaps by a Perfect 4th or tritone etc.

Question 8

Melodic Fragment

Answer 8

A smaller chunk of a larger melody. In some instances this fragment may be developed further.

Question 9

Portamento

Answer 9

A slide between two pitches. Slightly different from Glissando as the slide happens as close to the second note as possible. Glissando is a more noticeable slide.

Question 10

Ornamentation

Answer 10

When a melody features decorations and embellishments such as trills, turns, mordents and grace notes.

Question 11

Phrasing

Answer 11

Describes the way a musician shapes a melody line, to reflect the intentions of the music.

Question 12

Passing Notes

Answer 12

Non-harmony note. A passing note will not belong to the chord but links together the 2 that are.

Question 13

Auxiliary Notes (Neighbour Notes)

Answer 13

Non-harmony note. The melody will move to a note that’s a step away from the harmony tone and then move back again.

Question 14

Augmentation

Answer 14

When the rhythm(s) of a melody are increased (in most cases, doubled) in length.

Question 15

Diminution

Answer 15

When the rhythm(s) of a melody are decreased (often halved) in length.

Question 16

Episode

Answer 16

An element found in music that is a digression from the main structure of the composition. It is a passage that is not a part of the main theme groups of a composition, but is an ornamental or constructive section added to the main elements of the composition

Question 17

Idée Fixe

Answer 17

A term referring to a recurring theme that appears in many movements of the same composition.

Question 18

Leitmotif

Answer 18

A recurring motif in a composition (usually an opera) which represents a specific person, idea, or emotion.

Question 19

Thematic Transformation/Development

Answer 19

Musical expansion of a theme achieved by varying its melodic outline, its harmony, or its rhythm.

Question 20

Diatonic

Answer 20

Where the notes of the melody belong to the key of the music.

Question 21

Chromatic

Answer 21

Where the notes of the melody exist outside of the key of the music.

Question 22

Arpeggio/Broken Chord

Answer 22

Playing the notes of a chord consecutively. The individual notes are sounded one after the other instead of simultaneously (at the same time)

Question 23

Scalic

Answer 23

In the manner of a scale; notes in succession that move stepwise.

Question 24

Pentatonic

Answer 24

Melody that uses the notes of the Pentatonic scale.

Question 25

Blue Notes

Answer 25

A slight drop of pitch on the third, seventh, and sometimes the fifth tone of the scale, common in blues and jazz.

Question 26

Guide Tones

Answer 26

The Guide Tones are the 3rd and 7th of a chord. They are the most harmonically important notes of the chord. This is because they determine the quality of the chord – whether it's Major, minor, minor-Major or Dominant.

Question 27

Chromatic Scale

Answer 27

Where a melody moves up/down by semitones

Question 28

Whole Tone

Answer 28

A melody that moves only in whole tones (no semitones)

Question 29

Modal

Answer 29

Having to do with modes; this term is applied most particularly to music that is based upon the Gregorian modes, rather than to music based upon the major, minor, or any other scale.

Question 30

12-Tone

Answer 30

A melody that uses all 12 notes of the Chromatic scale. This is commonly associated with 20th Century Music, particularly Dodecaphony.

Question 31

Klangfarbenmelodie

Answer 31

A term coined by composer Arnold Schoenberg to describe a style of composition that employs several different kinds of tone colors to a single pitch or to multiple pitches. This is achieved by distributing the pitch or melody among several different instruments.

Question 32

Octatonic

Answer 32

A melody that uses the Octatonic scale

Question 33

Range

Answer 33

Refers to the distance that a melody covers, in terms of pitch. A narrow range melody will use notes that are close to one another, a wide range melody with cover a larger distance.

Question 34

Syllabic

Answer 34

A word is attached to every note of the melody. There is no melisma.

Question 35

Melismatic

Answer 35

A group of many notes (usually at least 3 or 4) sung melodically to a single syllable.

Question 36

Riff

Answer 36

In Pop and Jazz compositions, a short ostinato, two to four bars long.

Question 37

Lick

Answer 37

In popular music genres such as Country, Blues, Jazz or Rock music, a lick is "a stock pattern or phrase" consisting of a short series of notes used in solos and melodic lines and accompaniment.