Unheard Listening Terminology Flashcards
Acapella
No instruments accompanying the song
Anacrusis
An upbeat
Ascending
Something that goes up
E.g. A scale
Backing vocals
Vocals that are not singing the main melody
Brass
Any instrument in the brass section
E.g. Trumpet
Broken chords
A chord that’s is not played together
Cadence
An end of a phrase (piece of music) -> perfect or imperfect
Canon
A melody is repeated at different intervals
Polyphonic - two different melodies
Chant
Unaccompanied singing
E.g religious Latin music
Chromatic scale
A scale that goes up in semitones
Counter melody
A melody that accompanies the main melody
Musical
A play that contains acting and singing
Off the beat
When the music is off the beat (syncopation)
On the beat
Even music, played on the beat
Ostinato
A repeated phrase of music
Overture
A piece of music played at the beginning of an opera or musical to give the audience a taste of the music
Pedal
A sustained note (Drone)
Plucking
When you pluck a string with your finger instead of bowing it (pizzicato)
Polyphony
When more than one melody is playing at once
Reverb
An echo affect added to music
Riff
A repeated musical phrase
Rubato
Speed up and slow down
Sprechgesang
Music that is half spoken and half sung
Trill
When you play the note and the note above it in a quick succession
Vibrato
To vibrate or shake your voice
Word painting
When you use a tune or music that suits the words of the song
ABA
The form- an A section followed by a contrasting B section followed by the A section again
AB
The form- an A section followed by a contrasting B section
Accelerando
To speed up
Accented
Put an emphasis on certain notes
Cadenza
A solo instrument piece within an orchestra (often improvised)
Change of key
When the key changes
Compound time
Any time signature with 8 on the bottom
E.g. 3 6 8 12
8 8 8 8
Da capo aria
ABA- similar to ABA but the last A is shortened
Descant
A high counter melody
Diminuendo
Gradually gets softer
Dotted rhythm
When you have dotted notes followed by short notes
Fanfare
Music played on brass instruments based on triad movements
Folk group
A group that sings folk songs usually accompanied by na acoustic guitar
Glissando
A slide between notes
Grace note
A small extra note added to a main note (ornamentation)
Homophony
One melody with chords
Imitation
When different instruments or voices imitate each other
Improvisation
Where you make up a tune as you go along
