Terminologies Flashcards
Accent
An emphasis placed on a particular note.
Accidental
A symbol placed before a note to indicate an alteration of its pitch. ie. Sharp, Flat or Natural.
Aesthetic
In music this involves the subjective responses by which music is perceived and judged, which can be relevant to genre/style/time/place. The principles of what engages our sensory attention and leads us to respond in a particular way.
Anacrusis
An incomplete bar at the beginning of a piece or phrase. The remaining value of this incomplete bar is accounted in the final bar. Also known as ‘upbeat’ or pick up’.
Arrangement
An adaptation of a musical composition that is different from the original version.
Articulation
The way a note is sung or played. See accent, legato and staccato.
Atonal
A term used to define a piece of music that has no clear tonic or tonal centre.
Audience
Individuals or groups of people who experience music in a range of settings through intellectual, emotional and social engagement.
Audience Behaviour
The expectations or conventions which determine the appropriate way for an audience to experience and respond to a musical performance.
Augmentation (Compositional Device)
Lengthening the durations of all the notes in a melody by the same factor. ie. doubling
Augmented
May refer to:
Interval: major or perfect interval that is increased by one semitone (C-E#).
Triad: a major chord with the fifth degree increased by one semitone (C-E-G#).
Aural Skills
Hearing and listening skills that students develop to identify and discriminate sounds in music.
Balance
The consideration of the volume of voices and/or instruments in musical work or ensemble to achieve an overall sound that is clear.
Bar
The pitches, rhythms and rests occurring between two bar lines on a musical staff.
Bar Line
Vertical lines that divide the musical staff into bars of certain length, usually in accordance with a time signature.
Bass Clef
The clef used by lower instruments/parts, also called the F clef as it indicates the location of the F note on the staff.
Beat
The unit of measurement of rhythmic pulse in music. Beats are organised and emphasised according to time signature and tempo.
Binary Form (Structure)
The organisation of a piece of music into two contrasting sections (AB). The sections can be the same length (simple binary: AB) or different lengths (extended binary: AB/AB). A small part of the A section may return (rounded binary: ABA1).
Blend
The adjustment of timbre of different voices/instruments within an ensemble, in order to achieve a group sound in which no one part dominates the others.
Blues Scale
A six-note scale, containing a flattened third, fifth and seventh. Scale Degrees: 1 3b 4 5b 5 7b 8 (e.g. C-Eb-F-Gb-G-Bb-C). This scale is commonly used in Jazz and Contemporary music.
Bridge
A section that links two or more sections of a musical piece or work, also called a transition passage in which new musical material is usually introduced.
Cadence
A combination or pattern of chords that is used to end a phrase, section or piece of music. ie. Perfect V-I, Plagal IV-I, interrupted V-vi and Imperfect I-V, ii-V or IV-V.
Call and Response
A melodic or rhythmic pattern consisting of alternating sections of calls, or questions, (usually improvised by a leader) and responses which are sung or played by an individual or group. The response or answer is different from the call and is not an echo.
Canon (Compositional Device)
A compositional technique where a melody is imitated by one or more voices/instruments after a specified duration.
Chant
The repetitive rhythmic speaking or singing of words or sounds, using a limited pitch set.
Chord
A collection of two or more notes played simultaneously.
Chord/Harmonic Progression
A sequence of chords that are the basis for a musical piece.
Chorus
The section of a song which is usually repeated after each verse. A chorus can also refer to a large group of singers, such as an opera or orchestral chorus.
Chromatic Scale
A twelve-note scale with all notes a semitone apart.
Clef
A symbol placed at the beginning of each musical staff to indicate the location of a particular note. ie. Bass, Tenor, Alto or Treble Clef.
Coda
A concluding section that occurs in addition to the defined form to finish a piece of music.
Compositional Devices
Techniques that composers use to create, develop, manipulate and enhance their musical ideas. ie. Augmentation, diminution, imitation, inversion, obstinate, pedal note and sequence.
Compound Time
Compound time is organised into dotted beats which are divisible by three or six.
Consonance
A chord that sounds pleasant to the ear. The opposite of dissonance.
Context
The setting and circumstances (time period, purpose, place/culture and style) in which music has been composed and performed.
Copyright
The exclusive right or license to the ownership of material; the control over exploitation of any work by another person.
Crescendo
Gradually getting louder.
Crotchet
Quarter note or one beat, basic unit of duration.
Culture
The values, attitudes, customs, practices, language and conventions common shared by a particular group that forms a part of their group identity and contributes towards a sense of shared understanding.
Decrescendo
Gradually getting softer.
Diminished
May refer to:
Interval; a minor interval that is decreased by one semitone (A-Cb).
Triad: A minor chord with the fifth degree decreased by one semitone (C-Eb-Gb)
Diminution (Compositional Device)
Shortening the durations of all the notes in a melody by the same factor, halving.
Dissonance
A chord which sounds jarring or unstable. The opposite of consonance.
Dotted Note
A dot after a note or rest lengthens the not by half of its original value. ie. dotted crotchet = 1 1/2
Drone
A note or chord sustained throughout all or most of a piece of music. Also, the part of a musical instrument that is used to produce a drone ie. Bagpipes.
Dynamics
The volume of sound to be played, usually indicated by symbols. ie. p, mp, mf etc
Elements of Music
The important components or building blocks of music. Tone Colour - Instrumentation; Pitch, Rhythm/Duration, Texture, Structure, Dynamics and Expressive Techniques.
Ensemble
A group of musicians or instruments ie. orchestra, choir, concert band etc