Music terms Flashcards

1
Q

a cappella

A

Style of singing without any instruments accompanying the voice(s)

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2
Q

accelerando

A

gradually speeding up

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3
Q

accent

A

Marking placed on a note to indicate significance

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4
Q

adgio

A

slow speed for a song

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5
Q

allegretto

A

moderately fast speed for a song

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6
Q

allegro

A

fast speed for a song

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7
Q

altissimo

A

very high range of notes

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8
Q

alto

A

Lowest boy’s/woman’s vocal range

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9
Q

adante

A

Relaxed speed for a song, like walking

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10
Q

appoggiatura

A

Grace notes that take some of the following note’s duration

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11
Q

arpeggio

A

notes of chord played individually

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12
Q

a tempo

A

indicates to return to the original speed of the song

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13
Q

bass

A

Lowest male vocal range (or) tones of low frequency. Opposite of treble

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14
Q

beat

A

continued rhythm of a song

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15
Q

bend

A

Sliding a note up or down a little in jazz

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16
Q

brass

A

Instruments like trumpets, tubas, and trombones

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17
Q

bridge

A

Section of a song that differs from the refrain or verse

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18
Q

cadenza

A

solo section of a song

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19
Q

canon

A

Musical theme that is repeated and layered

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20
Q

carol

A

a festive, usually religiouss song

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21
Q

chord

A

groups of notes played simultaneously

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22
Q

clef

A

Symbol on the staff to define note range (for example, G clef, bass clef)

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23
Q

coda

A

final section of a song

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24
Q

coloratura

A

ornamentation of a vocal part

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25
Q

contralto

A

lowest female vocal range

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26
Q

countertenor

A

highest male vocal range

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27
Q

crescendo

A

gradually increasing the volume

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28
Q

decelerando

A

gradually slowing down

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29
Q

decrescendo

A

gradually decreasing the volume

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30
Q

dirge

A

A song expressing grief; commonly heard at funerals

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31
Q

dynamics

A

indications of volume in a song

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32
Q

encore

A

Another song played at the end of a concert by request

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33
Q

falsetto

A

Vocal range above the normal, especially in men

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34
Q

fermata

A

Marking to indicate holding a note longer than usual

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35
Q

fine

A

the end

36
Q

flat

A

Marking indicating that a note should be lowered by one tone

37
Q

forte

A

loud

38
Q

fortissimo

A

very loud

39
Q

harmony

A

The use of multiple notes simultaneously to create chords

40
Q

hymn

A

dong praising a deity

41
Q

intro

A

beginning of a song

42
Q

key

A

One of the 12 notes that a song can be based on

43
Q

largo

A

slowly

44
Q

legato

A

smoothly connected

45
Q

marcatto

A

every note accented

46
Q

measure

A

Short unit of a song comprising a cycle of beats

47
Q

medley

A

song made up of parts of other songs

48
Q

malisma

A

changing the note during one syllable

49
Q

meter

A

the rhythmic beat of a song

50
Q

metrenome

A

Timekeeping device that produces regular beats

51
Q

mezzo-forte

A

moderately loud

52
Q

mezzo-piano

A

moderately soft

53
Q

motif

A

A short musical idea that repeats itself in songs

54
Q

natural

A

Marking that cancels an existing sharp or flat

55
Q

octave

A

the 8 notes compromising the scale

56
Q

orotorio

A

Large musical composition, like an opera

57
Q

percussion

A

Instruments that are struck like drums or bells

58
Q

pianissimo

A

very soft

59
Q

piano

A

soft

60
Q

pitch

A

The ordering of musical tones based on frequency

61
Q

poco

A

a little

62
Q

prelude

A

musical introduction

63
Q

presto

A

quickly

64
Q

rest

A

a period of silence in a song

65
Q

ritard

A

slowing down

66
Q

rondo

A

A form of a song where the theme is alternated between other sections

67
Q

rubato

A

Flexible speed, not like a metronome

68
Q

scale

A

A sequence of notes all either ascending or descending

69
Q

semitone

A

Half-step. The smallest interval between notes

70
Q

sforzando

A

suddenly loud and accented

71
Q

sharp

A

Marking indicating that a note should be raised by one tone

72
Q

saprano

A

highest female vocal range

73
Q

staccato

A

making each note very short

74
Q

staff

A

the 5 lines on which the notes are placed

75
Q

subito

A

suddenly

76
Q

syncopation

A

Style with emphasis on the upbeats

77
Q

tacet

A

slient

78
Q

tempo

A

speed of song

79
Q

tenor

A

high male vocal range

80
Q

tenuto

A

Marking that indicates holding a note slightly longer

81
Q

tessitura

A

Middle or most comfortable part of a note range

82
Q

treble

A

Tones of high frequency; Opposite of bass

83
Q

trill

A

quickly alternating between 2 notes

84
Q

tutti

A

all

85
Q

vibrato

A

not wavering up or down

86
Q

woodwonds

A

Instruments including flutes, oboes, and saxophones