Texture and Melody

Question 1

Melody

Answer 1

The tune

Question 2

Pitch

Answer 2

How high or low the note is

Question 3

Interval

Answer 3

The gap in between two notes

Question 4

Scale

Answer 4

A group of notes in ascending or descending order

Question 5

Arpeggio

Answer 5

Playing the notes of a chord in order

Question 6

Conjunct

Answer 6

Move mainly in steps, sounds smooth

Question 7

Disjunct

Answer 7

Use leaps and sound jagged

Question 8

Triadic

Answer 8

Melodies that use notes from a triad

Question 9

Scalic

Answer 9

Melodies that follow the pattern of a scale

Question 10

Pentatonic scale

Answer 10

A scale using five notes

Question 11

Whole tone scale

Answer 11

A scale moving in whole tones, sounds mysterious

Question 12

Chromatic scale

Answer 12

Uses every note, semitones

Question 13

Augmentation

Answer 13

Doubling the note values of the original tune

Question 14

Diminution

Answer 14

Halving the note lengths/values

Question 15

Modes

Answer 15

Came before scales, e.g. D-D using white notes

Question 16

Passing notes

Answer 16

Notes between the notes of the harmony

Question 17

Blue notes

Answer 17

The flattened notes in a blues scale, often slide up and down to them

Question 18

Sequence

Answer 18

Repeating a tune a step higher (ascending) or a step lower (descending)

Question 19

Glissando/portamento

Answer 19

Sliding between two notes

Question 20

Pitch bend

Answer 20

Bending a note on guitar, vocals, string instruments or keyboards/synthesisers

Question 21

Ornamentation

Answer 21

Decoration in the melody

Question 22

Trill

Answer 22

Two adjacent notes played rapidly

Question 23

Mordants (upper and lower)

Answer 23

Note-Note Above-Note

Note-Note Below-Note

Question 24

Ostinato/Riff

Answer 24

A short repeated rhythm or tune, riff is used in a popular context

Question 25

Phrase

Answer 25

The end of the curved line above the stave, like a musical sentence, typically 2, 4 or 8 bars long

Question 26

Articulation - Staccato, legato, accent

Answer 26

How to play the notes
Staccato - detached, short notes
Legato - smooth, indicated by slur
Accent - play with force

Question 27

Improvisation

Answer 27

Making music up on the spot
Often solos in jazz, blues and pop
Commonly on saxophone, guitar, trumpet, keyboard

Question 28

Monophonic

Answer 28

Single melody line with no harmony, may be played on more than one instrument

Question 29

Unison

Answer 29

When everyone sings/plays the same part together, monophonic

Question 30

Octaves

Answer 30

When music is played an octave apart, not unison

Question 31

Homophonic

Answer 31

When all parts move in more or less the same rhythm, creating a chordal effect. The clear melody is supported by accompaniment

Question 32

Broken chords

Answer 32

Playing each note of the chord separately to give a more flowing feel than block chords

Question 33

Polyphonic/contrapuntal

Answer 33

2 or more equally important melodies weave in and out of each other

Question 34

Imitation

Answer 34

A phrase is imitated (not exact repeat) either by the same instrument/voice or in a different part

Question 35

Canon

Answer 35

Particular type of imitation where the whole melody is repeated like a round

Question 36

Antiphonal effect

Answer 36

Stereo effect as the phrase is passed from one group to another, used in early vocal religious music