music theory terms

Question 1

conjunct

Answer 1

if a melody is conjunct it moves up and the scale 1 step at a time

Question 2

disjunct

Answer 2

a melody that takes leaps up and down a scale

Question 3

scale

Answer 3

a scale is a set of notes usually ordered by highest to lowest in pitch. most scales in western music are built by seven different notes which are seperated by a series of tones and semitones.

Question 4

tone

Answer 4

a tone Is the space between notes such as c to d

Question 5

semitone

Answer 5

a semitone is the least possible notes in-between notes. c and C sharp for example. or half a tone

Question 6

interval

Answer 6

the relative space between two pitches such as the space between c and c

Question 7

octave

Answer 7

c to c

Question 8

perfect 5th

Answer 8

a perfect is an interval that stands on its own not being considered in the vain of major or minor such as the distance between c and g

Question 9

constence

Answer 9

if an interval is consonant like the perfect 5th it sounds harmonious

Question 10

dissonance

Answer 10

if an interval is dissonant the notes clash together

Question 11

tritone

Answer 11

a tritone is three tones for example c,e,g

Question 12

chord

Answer 12

a chord is three of more notes played together to create a sense of harmony

Question 13

triad

Answer 13

3 notes

Question 14

major chord

Answer 14

a “happy sounding” chord

Question 15

minor chord

Answer 15

a more spooky sounding chord

Question 16

harmony

Answer 16

when notes are played together to create a movement in the music

Question 17

tertiary harmony

Answer 17

harmony build of staking thirds

Question 18

quartal harmony

Answer 18

chords built from fourths

Question 19

arpegio

Answer 19

a chord broken apart and played one after the other

Question 20

riff

Answer 20

short repeated melodic phrase

Question 21

ostinato

Answer 21

a riff but like classical

Question 22

motif

Answer 22

a short reoccurring phrase used like a building block

Question 23

sequence

Answer 23

a repeated motif in a higher or lower pitch

Question 24

diminish

Answer 24

cut all of the note values on half
making the interval (key signatures)
c to c flat

Question 25

augment

Answer 25

to make larger c to C sharp

Question 26

inversion

Answer 26

same intervals but in a different directions to invert a chord is to place the bottom note at the top

Question 27

modulation

Answer 27

key change

Question 28

cadence

Answer 28

short chord progression or phrase used to end a musical sentence a perfect cadence is to move from the fifth chord (dominant) to the first chord or tonic

Question 29

dominant

Answer 29

dominant is the 5th chord

Question 30

tonic

Answer 30

first chord

Question 31

toniczation

Answer 31

temporarily changing key for a moment

Question 32

secondary dominant

Answer 32

the fifth chord of one of the other chords in the key

Question 33

transposition

Answer 33

rewriting the music out in a different key

Question 34

key

Answer 34

a key is the gravitational centre of a piece of music. if the key is c major the music will want to resolve back to its tonic note c

Question 35

diatonic

Answer 35

to play within the key