Music Terms

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NOTE

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A single musical sound or the written symbol that represents that sound. A note has five properties

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Pitch

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The frequency of vibrations from high to low. The faster the rate of vibration the higher the pitch

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Timbre (or tone color)

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the unique quality of the sound of an instrument or voice determined by the overtones present in that instrument. Tone color goes from bright to dark.

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Dynamics or Loudness

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from loud to soft/ quiet

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Duration

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the length of a note, from long to short

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Attack

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the way a note is articulated from legato to staccato

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Five properties of a Note:

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Pitch, Timbre, Dynamics, Duration, Attack

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RHYTHM

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the amount of time b/w one note to the next note as well as the duration of an entire piece of music

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4 types of Rhythm

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Beat, Tempo, Meter, Syncopation

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Rhythm: Beat

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a SIGNAL that marks the passing of time

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Rhythm: Tempo

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the speed of the beats

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Rhythm: Meter

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the grouping of beats

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Rhythm: Syncopation

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the occurence of a STRONG ACCENT on a part of the measure where an accent does not usually occur (other than the downbeat) this accent replaces the normally expected one

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GROUPINGS

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when notes are perceived as belonging to larger units.

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Group

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a series of events that are perceived as belonging to larger units.

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Measure or Bar

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the metrical grouping of beats. In a regular measure the first beat (downbeat) is accented or stressed.

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Phrase

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a group of measures that end with a cadence.

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HARMONY: 5 types

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Interval, Chord, Dissonance, and Tone

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Interval

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a combination of two notes related in terms of their pitch, (an interval) may be melodic (sounded successively) or harmonic (sounding simultaneously)

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Chord

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a combination of 3 or more notes related in terms of their pitch either sounding simultaneously or perceived as a grouped unit. This latter type of chord is called an arpeggio.

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Consonance

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a relatively stable unit within a given historical/ stylistic context.

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Dissonance

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creates instability and evokes tension within a group historical or stylistic context

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Tonic

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the pitch that functions as the most stable unit in a work. The tonic is the center of gravity around which the other pitches move and to which they relate

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MELODY

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Theme, Motive, Transportation, Inversion, Sequence and Scale

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Theme

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a stable musical statement. presented in regular phrases and ends with a cadence

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Motive

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the smallest group that obtains significance through its variation and development. motives are drawn from themes. they may be strictly rhythmic patterns or patterns of pitch contour or combinations of both types

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Pitch Contour

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a succession of ascending or descending intervals

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Transportation

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a type of variation in which an entire melodic- rhythmic pattern is moved to a higher or lower pitch

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Inversion

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melodic- rhythmic pattern is "turned upside down" so that each ascending or descending motion is reversed

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Sequence

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a series of 3 or more units in a regular ascending or regular descending pattern

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Scale

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a series of adjacent notes successively ascending or descending. Movement b/w adjacent notes of a scale is called conjunct or stepwise motion

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Disjunct or Leaping Motion

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melodic movement that skips over notes of the scale pattern. Conjunct is like taking steps and Disjunct is like skipping steps

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TEXTURE: 3 Categories

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the density of events in the music. Monophony, Homophony and Polyphony

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Monophony

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one melody that is unaccompanied and has no additional parts or accompaniment

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Homophony

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one melody supported by an accompaniment that is most often chordal or simple in nature. The heirarchy here is clear. The melody appears more important.

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Polyphony

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two or more melodies played at the same time. May be imitative or non- imitative. All parts sound equally important.

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Transparent

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few instruments playing

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Thick/ Dense

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many instruments playing at one time

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Form of Music

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The organization of the various sections of a piece

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Form in Music

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The process by which musical ideas are stated and developed

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The cadence

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consists of two notes or chords that defines a point of harmonic arrival. A cadence that sounds incomplete is called a half- cadence. One that is perceived as complete is called a full cadence.