Music Theory Terms Test

Front 1

Voice Leading

Back 1

The conduct of the several voices or parts in a polyphonic or conapuntal texture.

Front 2

Contrary Motion

Back 2

One part moves up while the other part moves down.

Front 3

Cross Relation (false relation)

Back 3

The succession of a pitch in one voice by a chromatic alteration of that pitch (or its equivalent in another octave) in another voice.

Front 4

Crossed Voices (voice crossing)

Back 4

In four-part writing, one voice written higher than the part above it or lower than the part below it; considered poor voice-leading in common-practice style.

Front 5

Direct 5ths (hidden 5ths)

Back 5

Similar motion into a perfect interval, permitted only in inner voices or if the soprano moves by step.

Front 6

Direct Octives (hidden octaves)

Back 6

Similar motion into a perfect interval, permitted only in inner voices or if the soprano moves by step.

Front 7

Oblique Motion

Back 7

One part remains stationary while the other part moves.

Front 8

Parallel Motion

Back 8

Motion in two parts simultaneously is parallel if the interval between the two parts remains constant.

Front 9

Overlapping voices

Back 9

A voice-leading error in which one voice overlaps into the register of an adjacent voice on an adjacent beat.

Front 10

Parallel 5ths

Back 10

The simultaneous statement of the same melodic interval in two otherwise independent parts of a polyphonic complex at the distance of a perfect fifth. Motion of this type is prohibited in classical tonal harmony and counterpoint.

Front 11

Parallel Octaves

Back 11

The simultaneous statement of the same melodic interval in two otherwise independent parts of a polyphonic complex at the distance of a perfect octave. Motion of this type is prohibited in classical tonal harmony and counterpoint.

Front 12

Similar Motion

Back 12

Both parts move in the same direction but by different interval.

Front 13

Tendency tones

Back 13

A chord member or scale degree whose dissonant relation to the surrounding tones requires a particular resolution in common-practice style (e.e., chordal sevenths resolve down, and leading tones resolve up).

Front 14

Voice exchange

Back 14

The expansion of a functional area in which two voices exchange chord members (e.g. 1 moves to 3 in the bass, and 3 moves to 1 in the soprano.) This skip is often filled in with a passing tone or a passing chord.

Front 15

Arpeggio, arpeggiation

Back 15

A chord whose itches are sounded successively, usually from lowest to highest rather than simultaneously.

Front 16

Chromatic

Back 16

Chromatic music includes pitches from outside the diatonic collection. The chromatic collection consists of all twelve pitch classes.

Front 17

Common Practice Style

Back 17

The compositional techniques and harmonic language of the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic era.

Front 18

Consonance

Back 18

The perceived stability of a complex of two or more sounds. In Western tonal music, consonant intervals are those that are treated as stable and not requiring resolution.

Front 19

Diatonic

Back 19

1. The collection of seven pitch classes that, in some rotation, conforms to the pattern of the whole and half steps of the major scale (a subset of the chromatic collection).

2. Made up of pitches belonging to a given diatonic collection.

Front 20

Dissonance

Back 20

The perceived instability of a complex of two or more sounds. Dissonant intervals are those regarded as having an instability that requires resolution to a consonance.

Front 21

Figured Bass

Back 21

A bass part to which Arabic numbers have been added to indicate the accompanying harmonies. The strict realization in four parts of figured basses is a regular feature of instruction in harmony.

Front 22

Lead Sheet

Back 22

In jazz and popular music, a shorthand score or part. It may provide melody, chord symbols, accompanimental figures, or lyrics.

Front 23

Picardy 3rd

Back 23

The raised or major third of the tonic triad as the final chord in a work otherwise in the minor mode.

Front 24

Resolution

Back 24

A progression from a dissonant tone or harmony to one that is consonant; the consonant tone or harmony itself. In classical tonal counterpoint, every dissonant tone must be resolved, normally by stepwise motion.

Front 25

Interval

Back 25

The measurement of the distance in pitch between two notes. Measured by quantity (count from 1 place to another), and quality (is the first note in the major key of the lower note?)

Front 26

Inversion

Back 26

When we invert an interval, the new numerical name is always different from the old one. The new numerical name can be calculated by subtracting the old numerical name from 9 (ex. 7th becomes a 2nd, 6th becomes a 3rd). The modifier also chances when an interval is inverted, with the exception of perfect intervals. (m-M, M-m, P-P, A-d, d-A)

Front 27

Quality

Back 27

Ask the magic question -- Is the upper note in the major key of the lower note?

Perfect intervals -- 4th, 5th, octave
major interval -- 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 7th
minor interval -- a major interval made a half step smaller without altering its numerical name
Augmented interval -- a perfect or major interval made a half step larger without changing the numerical name
Diminished interval -- a perfect or minor interval made a half step smaller without changing its numerical name

Front 28

Quantity

Back 28

Count from one place to another. Names for intervals: Unison, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, octave.

Front 29

Tri-Tone

Back 29

The term used for the augmented fourth and its enharmonic equivalent, the diminished 5th.

Front 30

Unison

Back 30

Prime. A perfect '1st', if you will. The same two notes in the same octave with the same names.

Front 31

Whole Step

Back 31

Whole tone. Two half-steps. From C to D. You know the drill.

Front 32

Antiphonal

Back 32

Singing in which two choirs alternate.

Front 33

Articulation

Back 33

The characteristics of attack and decay of single tones or groups of tones and the means by which these characteristics are produced.

Front 34

Arco

Back 34

Resume bowing after a passage marked pizzicato.

Front 35

Legato

Back 35

Played smoothly with no separation between successive notes.

Front 36

Pizzicato

Back 36

An indication that notes are to be plucked rather than bowed.

Front 37

Slur

Back 37

A curved line placed above two or more notes of different pitch to indicate that they are to be preformed legato.

Front 38

Staccato

Back 38

Short and detached.

Front 39

Dynamics

Back 39

Volume, degrees of loudness.

Front 40

Tempo

Back 40

Rate of speed.

Front 41

Crescendo

Back 41

Gradually get louder.

Front 42

Diminuendo

Back 42

Gradually get softer.

Front 43

Pianissimo, pp

Back 43

Very soft.

Front 44

Piano, p

Back 44

Soft.

Front 45

Mezzo piano, mp

Back 45

Medium soft.

Front 46

Mezzo forte, mf

Back 46

Medium loud.

Front 47

Forte, f

Back 47

Loud.

Front 48

Fortissimo, ff

Back 48

Very loud.

Front 49

Adagio

Back 49

A slow tempo, often said to be slower than andante, but not as slow as largo.

Front 50

Allegro

Back 50

Fast.

Front 51

Andante

Back 51

Moderately slow.

Front 52

Andantino

Back 52

Slightly less slow than andante.

Front 53

Grave

Back 53

Grave, in the manner of a death march or something. I dunno.

Front 54

Largo

Back 54

Broad.

Front 55

Lento

Back 55

Slow.

Front 56

Moderato

Back 56

Moderate.

Front 57

Presto

Back 57

Very fast.

Front 58

Vivace

Back 58

Lively.

Front 59

Accelerando

Back 59

Speeding up gradually.

Front 60

Ritardando

Back 60

Slowing down gradually.

Front 61

Ritenuto

Back 61

Held back, slowed down, usually a more sudden reduction in tempo than called for by ritardando and rallentando.

Front 62

Rubato

Back 62

The practice of altering the relationship among written note-values and making the established pulse flexible by accelerating and slowing down the tempo.