Music Theory Terms Flashcards
Crescendo
Gradually getting louder
Sforzando
A strong accent
Legato
Smooth transition between notes
Slur
Smooth articulation grouping a group of notes
Pianoissimo (pp/ppp)
Played very softly
Virtuosic
Elaborate, complex, difficult playing style/music
Piano (p)
Played softly
Fortepiano
Loud dynamic followed by soft dynamic (fp)
Dynamics
The volume of the music
Forzando
A strong accent
Fortissimo (ff/fff)
Played very loudly
Forte (f)
Played loudly
Mezzoforte (mp)
Played moderately loud
Mezzopiano (mp)
Played moderately soft
Staccato
Detached articulation
Double stopping
Playing two notes at the same time on a stringed instrument
Staccatitissimo
Very detached articulation
Improvisation
A performer inventing music on the spot (could draw on exisitng material for inspiration)
Articulation
How notes are played e.g. smooth or detached
Pizzicato
A detached sound from a string player plucking a string
Accent
Playing a note harder and more loudly than surronding notes
Arco
Instruction for string players to use their bows - smooth sound produced than pizzicato
Stringendo/accelerando
Gradually getting faster
Compound time
A metre where each beat divides into three equal parts`
Rhythm
A pattern created by notes of different lengths
Quadruple metre
Four beats in a bar
Duple metre
Two beats in a bar
Triple metre
Three beats in a bar
Syncopation
Rhythmic device where an accent is placed on a weak beat or between the beats
Offbeat
Occuring between main beats
Metre
Number of beats in a bar/ pattern of weak + strong beats
Simple time
Metre where each beat divides into two equal parts
Tempo
Speed of the music
Unequal phrases
Different length phrases