Test 1 Flashcards
4 Families of the Orchestra:
Woodwind, Brass, Percussion, and Strings.
Timbre is synonymous with…
Tone color.
Degrees of loudness and softness in music are called…
Dynamics.
The relative highness or lowness of sound is…
Pitch.
The pitch of a sound is decided by the __________ of its vibrations.
Frequency.
The distance between any two tones is called…
An interval.
When two different tones blend so well when sounded together that they almost seem to merge into one time, the interval is called an________.
Octave.
The frequency of vibrations is measured in_________.
Cycles per second.
A dynamic accent occurs when a performer________________.
Emphasizes a tone by playing it more loudly than the tones around it.
A gradual increase in loudness is called a __________.
Crescendo.
In music, a sound that has a definite pitch is called a ________.
Tone.
Music can be defined as ______________.
An art based on the organization of sounds in time.
In general, the smaller the vibrating element, the _____________ its pitch.
Higher.
In Jazz, each statement of the basic harmonic patters of melody is called a _________.
Chorus.
When a voice is answered by an instrument, or when one instrument (or group of instruments) is answered by a chorus, the pattern is referred to as __________.
Call and response.
Creating music at the same time as it is being performed is known as________.
Improvisation.
Syncopation and _________ swing are two of the most distinctive features of jazz.
Rhythmic.
Ragtime flourished in the US ___________________________.
From the 1890’s to about 1915.
Characteristics of blues:
Usually follow a 12-bar pattern as a basis for improvisation, may be vocal or instrumental, and has a 12-bar harmonic frame.
The most famous Blues singer of the 1920’s, known as the “empress of the blues” was ___________.
Bessie Smith.
Blues music is usually written in ___ time.
4/4.
“Scat singing,” which Louis Armstrong introduces to Jazz, is ________________________________________.
Vocalization of a melodic line with nonsense syllables.
Short, repeated melodic phrases frequently used during the swing era are called ______.
Riffs.
Free Jazz…
Began in the early 1960’s, can be compared to chance music, and disregarded regular forms/established chord patterns.
Cool Jazz…
Was related to bop but was calmer and more relaxed in character.
The 3 most important parameters in music:
- Rhythm
- Melody (vert.)
- Harmony (hor.)
The smallest, most basic interval is ________.
The half step.
Form
The way that the music is organized in the song.
EX: ABBA.
The shape and structure that music uses to help organize itself.
Theme and key are used.
Refrain
The opening virelai music along with it’s text.
Melody
Formed by the notes that are played together in the song.
Horizontal Aspect.
Beat
How the notes of the song are divided into tempo.
Accents
Points of emphasis in the song.
Agogic Accents
The natural emphasis that occurs through the use of longer notes.
Interval
The distance between two notes.
EX: Step for a 2nd, skip for a 3rd, leap for a 4th.
Harmony
Consists of the simultaneous notes that occur at a given moment.
The vertical aspect.
Adds support, depth, and richness to a melody.
Monophony
One melody alone.
Polophony/Counterpoint
Two or more notes at once.
Homophony
One melody with chordal accompaniment.
Jazz was started from _____________________ singing while working. These songs were called __________ or ______________.
African American plantation workers… “field hollers”…“work songs.”
In 1924, the _______________ was performed by the Paul Whiteman band. This song contained two very important components to jazz which were __________ and __________.
The Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue… Syncopation… Improvisation.
What are the earliest vocal sources of Jazz?
Field Hollers.
Spirituals.
Blues.
Scat Singing.
The characteristics of Blues are…
4/4
12-bar harmonic pattern.
Vocal or instrumental.
Scale has flatted 3rd, 5th, and 7th pitches.
What is scat singing?
Nonsense syllables to the rhythm and harmonies of jazz.
Stared by Louis Armstrong.
What is ragtime?
The instrumental equivalent to field hollers, spirituals, and blues.
Who was the “King of Rag”?
Scott Joplin.
He was born in Texarkana, Texas and moved to MIssouri.
“The Entertainer” from the movie The Sting and “Maple Leaf Rag”.
Duke Ellington, a Director, viewd the big band as having 3 distinct families…
- Woodwind: 4 sax along the front.
- Brass: 4 trombones in the middle, 4 in the back.
- Rhythm: set apart from the above three lines were keyboard, bass, and a drum set.
How are dynamics expressed?
In Italian.
Crescendo
A gradual increase of volume. (dynamic)
Diminuendo/Decrescendo
Gradual decrease of volume. (dynamic)
Accents
Natural of imposed emphasis.
Legato
Smoothly connected notes. (accent)
Staccato
Detached/separated notes. (accent)
Assai
Very
Describes tempo.
Non troppo
Not too much
Describes tempo.
An octave is _____________ apart.
Eight Scale Steps
A ___________ indicates that the pitch is raised by a 1/2 step.
Sharp.
A _________ indicates that the pitch is lowered by a 1/2 step.
Flat.
Ionian scale is better known as ______.
The Major Scale.
Aeolian scale is better known as_______.
The Minor Scale.
The ______ is the first pitch (or the I chord) of the scale or key that you are in.
Tonic.
Idiophones
The body of the entire instrument itself vibrates.
Membranophones
A stretched membrane or skin vibrates.
Chordophones
Some type of stretched string vibrates.
Aerophones
A column of air vibrates.
EX: Flutes
Electronophones
Having electronically produced vibrations.
Most vocal ranges consist of __ octaves.
2.
Opera consists of a ______. That is the communication of a text of a large scale.
Libretto.
Coloratura Soprano
Highest female range, versatine with the most rapid, difficult music.
Lyric Soprano
Next-to-highest soprano range blends with ranges just above an below.
Dramatic Soprano
A commanding, strong voice in the middle of the total female range.
Mezzo-Soprano
Having an unusually large range, high to as low as the typical alto.
Contralto
Lowest female voice, almost male-like in character and strength.
Countertenor
Singing on only 1/2 of the folds in the vocal chords, especially high.
Heldentenor
Heroic tenor, dramatic tenor with a leading opera role.
Baritone
In between tenor and bass, sometimes capable of either.
Basso Buffo
Comic bass, commonly found in comic opera.
Basso Profundo
Especially low and resonant bass.
Genere
types of music that are grouped together according to: Medium, Text (or no text), and Function.
Dominant
The 5th scale tone.
Tessitura/The part of an instrument’s total range:
Register
Orchestra in score order:
2 flutes 2 oboes 2 clarinets 2 bassoons 2 french horns 2 trumpets 2 timpani First violins Second violins Violas Cellos Double basses
3 Classical Artists:
- Haeden
- Mozart
- Beethoven
The lowest instrument in the orchestra is the __________.
Contrabassoon.
Systems of electric components that generate, modify, and control sound are called __________.
Synthesizers.
The highest woodwind instrument in the orchestra is the ________.
Piccolo.
Plucking the string with the finger instead of using a bow is called _________.
Pizzicato.
Symphonic bands differ from symphonic orchestras in that they ____________.
Do not contain a string section.
Using vibrato….
Makes the tone warmer and more expressive.
A piece of wood or plastic that brass players use to alter the tone of their instruments is called a _____.
Mute.
The very high-pitched tones that are produced when a string player lightly touched certain points on a string are called ________.
Vibrato.
THe main tool of composers of electronic music during the 1950’s was the ____________.
Tape studio.
The organization of beats into regular groups is know as __________.
Meter.
In syncopation, the _________ is accented.
Weak beat.
The _______ shows the pitch of each ling and space on the staff.
Clef.
Adding a dot to a note increases its duration by ________.
Half.
The meter of a piece is shown by its __________.
Sharp signs.
A melodic phrase ending that sets up expectations for continuation is known as an ___________.
Incomplete cadence.
A series of single tones that ass up to a recognizable whole is called a ________.
Melody.
The repetition of a melodic pattern at a higher or lower pitch is called a _________.
Sequence.
A resting place at the end of a phrase is called a ________.
Cadence.
A shorter part of a melody is called a _______.
Phrase.
A melody is said to move by steps if it moves by ______________.
Adjacent scale tones.
A melody that serves as the starting point for a more extended piece of music is called a _______.
Theme.
A combination is 3 or more times sounded at the same time is called a _________.
Chord.
The triad built on the 5th step of the scale is called the ___________.
Dominant chord.
When the individual tones of a chord are sounded one after another instead of simultaneously, it is called a broken chord or _________.
Arpeggio.
A shift from one key to another within the same composition is called ________.
Modulation.
The central tone around which a musical composition is organized is called the _______.
Tonic.
Musical texture refers to ____________.
How layers of sound are related to each other.
Key/tonality refers to ___________________.
A central tone, chord, and scale.
Retaining some features of a musical idea while changing others is called ________.
Variation.
Flutes are the ______ voice of the woodwind section, while oboes are the ______ voice and have a double-reed tone.
Soprano…Alto.
The entire orchestra tunes to the _________’s note A, typically tunes at 440 cps.
First-oboe’s.
Some instruments have an ____ key, which raises the notes played by an octave.
8ve.
Some instruments, like the _________, have a register key, which raises the notes by a 12th.
Clarinet.
There are __________ clarinets that are often used, a ________ clarinet, and an ___ clarinet.
Two soprano… B-flat… A.
________ have the biggest practical range of all woodwinds (about 3-and-a-half octaves).
Clarinet.
_________ are similar to the clarinet, but play much lower, and have a range of two-and-a-half octaves. They are the bass voice of the woodwind section.
Bassoons.
Composers give bassoons solos, partly because they are a ____________ instrument.
Double-reed.
The horn is a brass instrument with a ________.
Conical bore.
The modern horn is a double horn with ___ complete sets of tubing.
Two.
The ________ is the highest pitched brass instrument, and has a cylindrical bore.
Trumpet.
The __________ is a brass tenor voice, and has a cylindrical bore. It has a rang of two-and-a-half octaves.
Trombone.
The ________ is a brass bass voice that has a conical bore. It was introduced in Germany in 1835.
Tuba.
The ________ are the oldest-pitched membranophone. They range from 21-30 in. in diameter.
Timpani.
Mallet instruments, like the xylophone, marimba, orchestra bells, and chimes are called _______.
Idiophones.
Non-pitched ___________ include the snare drum, tenor drum, field drum, and tambourine.
Membranophones.
Non-pitched ________ inclue cymbals, the triangle, and gong.
Idiophones.
Non-pitched _________ include the whistle, siren, and motor horn.
Aerophones.
Bowed string are all a tupe of _____. Meaning that they have ______.
Lute…necks.
All string instruments are _________.
Chordophones.
The _______ is the soprano voice of the string family. It was invented before 1600, and has a range of 4-and-a-3rd octaves.
Violin
The ______ is the alto-tenor voice of the string section.
Viola.
The _____ is the bass voice of the string section.
Cello.
The ____________ is the lowest bass voice of the string section, and transposes (sounds one 8ve lower than written).
Double bass.
The four general groups of vocal ranges are:
- Soprano
- Alto
- Tenor
- Bass
The typical human voice is barley _________ octaves.
Less than 2.
A piano has barely __________ octaves.
More than 7 octaves.
Scale Names!
Tonic I Supertonic II Mediant III Subdominant IV Dominant V Submediant VI Leading Tine VII
Denner and Muller were _________ inventor-developers of the _________.
German… Clarinet.
MIDI, as used on electric organ, stands for _____________.
Musical Instrument Digital Interface.
The fortepiano was similar to the __________.
Harpsichord.
__________________ invented the pianoforte in 1700.
Bartolomeo Cristofori.
Sebastian Erard developed ______________. This allowed pianists to play notes quickly.
Double Escapement Action.
Beethoven has a piano that could play ______ than most at the time. This was fortunate due to his _________.
Louder… Deafness.
Alpheus Babcock invented a ___________ in 1825. This allowed for thick piano strings to be used.
Cast-iron frame.
The organ used to be a _________________.
Wind instrument.
Smaller electronic organs used __________. These included the snare drum, high-hate cymbal, brush-struck cymbal, wind chimes tree, and bass drum.
Percussive sounds.
The ______’s revolutionized the use i electronic music-making. Radio broadcasts of musical performances widely occurred at the same time.
1920.
The ____________ is the electronic instrument connected to computers that is able to generate various sounds.
Synthesizer.
A simple subdivision of beat is:
Duplets.
A compound subdivision of beat is:
Triplets.
Steps to identifying beat:
- Listen to the music once.
- Listen again, provide big beats with your arm.
- Subdivide by thinking “du-ple” or “tri-ple-et”.
__________ robbed time, or how the music flows.
Rubato.
In modulation, a closely related key means the new key has:
- The same signature.
- One more accidental (# or b).
- One less accidental (# or b).
Distant key usually use ________ or _____________.
Phrase… V7 chord modulation.
What are the most important parameters in order?
- Rhythm
- Melody
- Harmony
Rhythm, melody, and harmony are compared to as the three primary colors by ______________.
Paul Hindemith.
What are other important parameters (besides the most important 3)?
Form, dynamics, timbre texture, and pitch.
