Music Terms - Specialized Concepts

Question 1

Pentatonic

Answer 1

A scale consisting of five notes per octave, often associated with folk music and non-Western musical traditions.

Question 2

Modal

Answer 2

Referring to music based on modes rather than traditional major or minor scales, often associated with ancient and non-Western music.

Question 3

Tonal center

Answer 3

The central pitch or key of a piece of music, providing a sense of stability and orientation.

Question 4

Heterophony

Answer 4

Music in which multiple performers play simultaneous variations of the same melody, creating a rich, textured sound.

Question 5

Anacrusis

Answer 5

A pickup note or notes occurring before the first downbeat of a phrase, often used to lead into the main theme.

Question 6

Rubato

Answer 6

Flexible tempo, where the performer speeds up or slows down for expressive effect, often used in romantic and expressive music.

Question 7

Conducting

Answer 7

Directing a musical performance by giving cues to performers with a baton or hands, guiding the ensemble’s interpretation and expression.

Question 8

Score

Answer 8

The written notation of a piece of music, showing all parts simultaneously, used by performers and conductors for reference.

Question 9

Lead sheet

Answer 9

A simplified musical notation indicating melody, lyrics, and chord symbols, commonly used in jazz and popular music.

Question 10

Improvisation

Answer 10

Creating or performing music spontaneously, without prior preparation.

Question 11

Head

Answer 11

The main melody or theme of a jazz composition.

Question 12

Walking bass

Answer 12

A steady, stepwise bass line commonly used in jazz.

Question 13

Swing

Answer 13

A rhythmic feel characterized by uneven eighth notes and a strong sense of groove.

Question 14

Bebop

Answer 14

A complex and fast-paced style of jazz characterized by intricate melodies and harmonies.

Question 15

Modal jazz

Answer 15

Jazz that emphasizes the use of modes rather than chord progressions.

Question 16

Fusion

Answer 16

A style of music that combines elements of jazz with rock, funk, or other genres.

Question 17

Latin jazz

Answer 17

Jazz music with strong influences from Latin American rhythms and instrumentation.

Question 18

Bossanova

Answer 18

A Brazilian style of music characterized by its relaxed tempo and syncopated rhythms.

Question 19

Samba

Answer 19

A Brazilian dance style with a fast tempo and distinctive syncopated rhythm.

Question 20

Riff

Answer 20

A short, repeated melodic or rhythmic pattern.

Question 21

Lick

Answer 21

A short melodic or rhythmic phrase often used in improvisation.

Question 22

Chorus

Answer 22

A repeated section of music, often with the same melody and lyrics.

Question 23

Hook

Answer 23

A catchy or memorable melodic or rhythmic motif that grabs the listener’s attention.

Question 24

Groove

Answer 24

A strong, infectious rhythm or beat that propels the music forward.

Question 25

Drop

Answer 25

A sudden decrease in volume or intensity, often used for dramatic effect.

Question 26

Fade

Answer 26

Gradual decrease in volume, often used to end a song.

Question 27

Mixing

Answer 27

Adjusting the balance, EQ, and effects of individual tracks in a recording.

Question 28

Mastering

Answer 28

Final stage of audio production, preparing the recording for distribution.

Question 29

Arrangement

Answer 29

The organization and adaptation of a piece of music for performance or recording.

Question 30

Segue

Answer 30

Smooth transition from one section of music to another.

Question 31

Vamp

Answer 31

Repeating musical figure or chord progression used as an accompaniment.

Question 32

Sample

Answer 32

A recorded snippet of sound used in music production.

Question 33

Loop

Answer 33

A repeating section of music, often created electronically.

Question 34

Dubbing

Answer 34

Technique of remixing and manipulating recorded music to create new versions.

Question 35

Compression

Answer 35

Audio processing technique used to reduce dynamic range.

Question 36

Reverb

Answer 36

Acoustic effect simulating the sound reflections in a physical space.

Question 37

Delay

Answer 37

Audio effect that repeats the input signal after a certain amount of time.

Question 38

Distortion

Answer 38

Audio effect that alters the sound waveform, adding harmonics and saturation.

Question 39

Phaser

Answer 39

Modulation effect that creates a sweeping, swirling sound.

Question 40

Flanger

Answer 40

Modulation effect similar to a phaser but with a more pronounced, jet-like sound.

Question 41

Chorus

Answer 41

Modulation effect that simulates the sound of multiple instruments playing together.

Question 42

Pitch shift

Answer 42

Altering the pitch of a sound without changing its duration.

Question 43

Transpose

Answer 43

Shifting a piece of music to a different key or pitch level.