Unit 1 - Understanding Jazz Flashcards
accomplished through varying lengths of notes combined with space all in relation to a steady pulse; organizing time element of music
Rhythm
a unit that serves as a container holding a specific number of beats as defined by the meter; a collection of strong and weak beats
Measure ( or Bar )
an expression of the pace/speed at which the music moves; the speed at which music is played
Tempo
no regular tempo and moving slowly; songs without a sense of beat; irregular beat
Rubato
when performers drag behind the rhythm section’s steady pulse; “dragging”
Laying Back
a rhythmic phenomenon that occurs when one regularly occurring rhythm or major beat emphasis interacts with a rhythm that occurs on a weak, normally unemphasized, portion of a beat; the rhythm that is normally unemphasized becomes accented and creates this; emphasis off the beat
Syncopation ( or Tension )
a combination of two or more rhythms occurring simultaneously
Polyrhythm
a rhythmic phenomenon associated with jazz; three main elements: walking bassline, emphasis on the 2nd and 4th beat, and the fast notes have a rounded out feel
Swing
the result of an organization of notes that move by varying distances - by step and leap - either ascending or descending, to form a musical statement; the main star
Melody
a complete musical idea or statement; can refer to a melodic, harmonic, or rhythmic statement; a collection of notes with a clear beginning and ending
Phrase
defined by a central note, scale, or chord that provides a musical center of gravity; a central tone in which a song is based
Key
when a song changes key, transferring from one key to another
Modulate
harmony and melody work together to establish this; music centered around a particular tone
Tonality
music that comes from musicals, typical jazz piece that jazz musicians practice/perform
Jazz Standards
Not all jazz music is _____.
Swing
a direct result of West African influences on European derived music styles and popular American music; difficult to define as it has many influences and is ever-changing
Jazz
a racial mix resulting from a union between French, African-American, and sometimes Spanish
Creole
when a piece of music lacks a key center; lacking of any specific tonality
Atonal
based on alterations of a traditional scale; important to jazz; simple chords
Blues
the third, fifth, and seventh notes of a chord that are altered by lowering the pitch to create blues inflections; dissonant notes
Blue Notes
includes all 12 different pitches each seperated by half-steps therefore including all white and black keyboard notes; all half-steps
Chromatic Scale
two kinds; collection of whole steps and half-steps; major scale - happier sounding, minor scale: sad, angry, aggressive
Diatonic Scale
a collection of two or more notes played together; support; similar to chords
Harmony
three or more notes played together; similar to harmony
Chords
a succession of chords; collection of notes that move
Chord Progression ( or Progression )
defines the pace at which chords move from one to another in a progression; the speed at which harmonies go from one note to the other
Harmonic Rhythm
a three-note chord or sonority described as either major, minor, diminished, or augmented in quality
Triad
a chord consisting of four different pitches and arranged with a major or minor third between each
Seventh Chord
tones above the seventh; ninth, tenth, eleventh, thirteenth
Extension Tones
the home key; “home base”
Tonic
based on the notion that there are certain tendencies that lead one chord logically to another
Functional Harmony
the ways in which each tile or fiber interacts with one another; can be dense or sparse, busy or static, transparent or dark and rich; thickness or thiness of music
Texture
describes a single line unaccompanied melodic texture; no accompaniment/help; one melody
Monophonic
when only one melody line is predominently supported by chord accompaniment
Homophonic
features two or more equally dominant and intertwined melodic lines creating another different texture; two melodies performed against each other
Polyphonic
describes the overall architecture in music
Form
used to define the architecture of the classic American popular song following a symmetrical ABA or AABA structure
Song Form
“channel”; often referred to as the B section
Bridge
blues music only 12 measures long; typical blues; statement, restatement, answer, chorus; full structure ( AABA is a chorus )
12-Bar Blues
changing up a song in the middle of performance; rarely ever not practiced thoroughly beforehand
Improvisation
found in medieval chants and Renaissance music; composers were expected to improvise; by the late 1800s, improve was diminishing as composers sought more control over their compositions
European Tradition
particulary western; rhythmic, percussion, call and response
African Tradition
when the strings are plucked
Pizzicato
basically a single reed but folded
Double Reed
a way of coloring the sound; changing pitch ( like shaking it ); air - louder, softer; pitch - pitch change
Vibratto
changes the sound on a horn
Mute
the way in which a note is attached or initiated by the performer; how it’s played or sung; length: short or long
Articulation
describes how someone takes a melody and makes it their own
Phrasing
notes that get special emphasis
Accents
using objects and adding onto noises to create a different sound
Special Effects
something that gets repeated
Unifying Elements
nothing repeated; everything is a little different
Elements of Variety
piece of cane fashioned in a certain way
Reed
typical jazz set-up
Saxophones in the front followed by Trombones then Trumpets with the Rhythm section to the side
where we take a melody from a different song and throw it into a improv
Quotation
The Empress of the Blues
Bessie Smith
4-7 people getting together to play music without rhersal
Jam Session
when someone plays and another answers
Call and Response
same as bar
Measure
playing together; same rhythm or melody
Unison
where sections of instruments drop out
Break
when a player adds in a bunch during spaces
Fill
art of playing chords underneath the general music
Comping
playing underneath a solo
Background Figure
emphasis on the off beats
Syncopation
typically happens between the soloist and the drummer; four measures for one, four measures for another, and so on
Trading Fours
collection of notes that have a complete idea
Phrase
same as measure
Bar
typically happens after all the solos are done; loud shout sounds
Shout Chorus
Father of the Blues
WC Handy
a signal over the music; hold out on the note
Fermata
hitting the drum with a pedal
Kick
type of music; usually just a piano
Ragtime
has a beginning and end, pause then play; can stand alone
Movement
a show off piece; usually has strings, woodwinds, percussion, orchestra; typically one soloist
Concerto
in classical music; where everyone plays then soloist, etc.
Concerto Grosso
can be a group of players ( musical ensemble ) or a large scale musical composition that’s multi-movement in nature
Symphony
when you’re singing multiple notes on a syllabe or word
Melisma
music during 450-1450; most music saved from this period is very religious as the Roman Catholic Church was a big part of most people’s lives ( basically ruled over them ); early chant music; monophonic ( Gregorian music ); one melody
Middle Ages
music during 1450-1600; more strings; you know the type
Renaissance
music during 1600-1750
Baroque
music during 1750-1820s
Classical
music during 1820-1900; more emotion
Romantic
music after 1900
Twentieth Century
