Terminology 1 For Intro To Music

Front 1

Rhythm

Back 1

The organization of time in music

Front 2

Meter

Back 2

the beat – a repeating pattern of strong and weak pulses in groups of two (duple) or three (triple). People dance to the beat. It is a more specific type of rhythm. All music has rhythm but not all music has meter.

Front 3

Tempo

Back 3

The speed of the piece of music

Front 4

Syncopation

Back 4

When accented (stressed) sounds occur in unexpected places –on weak beats or slightly ahead or behind the beats. It provides a rhythmic boost to the music

Front 5

Pitch

Back 5

Determined by how fast or slow an object vibrates. High pitches vibrate faster, Lower pitches vibrate slower. Larger instruments produce lower notes smaller instruments produce higher notes

Front 6

Scale/Key

Back 6

Determined by how fast or slow an object vibrates. High pitches vibrate faster, Lower pitches vibrate slower. Larger instruments produce lower notes smaller instruments produce higher notes

Front 7

Melody

Back 7

: A meaningful series of pitches that creates the main theme or idea in a piece of music. (the part the lead singer or soloist performs, the part people remember most in a piece of music.

Front 8

Harmony

Back 8

: the simultaneous sounding of 2 or more pitches in an organized/systematic manner. It may or may not sound pleasing.

Front 9

Dynamics

Back 9

changes in volume (how loud or quiet) in music

Front 10

Timbre

Back 10

The characteristics of a voice or instrument (its shape and size, how it is made, its materials, how the sound is produced) that gives that voice or instrument its unique sound.

Front 11

Monophonic:

Back 11

A musical texture of only a single melody line. If performed by more than one person all parties are in unison. NO HARMONY!

Front 12

Homophonic

Back 12

A musical texture in which a melody line moves together with the harmony

Front 13

Polyphonic

Back 13

A musical texture with one or more overlapping melodies (Like a round)