Terms Used In Music Theory

Front 1

barre

Back 1

The use of your index finger to hold down more than one string at one fret in a single chord, in order to build chords with that fret as the "nut".

Front 2

barre chord

Back 2

A guitar chord in which your index finger barres all strings at one fret, and the rest of the chord is built using that fret as the nut. For example, in an F# chord, the index finger barres the second fret, and the other three fingers make an E chord using the second fret as the nut.

Front 3

bass note

Back 3

The lowest note played in a chord, shown either by the chord name (e.g. E in E) or the note listed after a slash (e.g. F# in G/F#).

Front 4

chord

Back 4

Three or more pitches played simultaneously, usually a root, third, and fifth, though sometimes a seventh is added.

Front 5

circle of fifths

Back 5

A musical tool showing the relatedness of keys.

Front 6

closely related keys

Back 6

The fifth up and fifth down (fourth up) from any key. For example, the keys closely related to G are C (fifth down) and D (fifth up).

Front 7

diminished fifth

Back 7

An interval made up of two whole steps and two half steps. For example, the distance between D and Ab is a diminished fifth.

Front 8

diminished chord

Back 8

A chord consisting of a minor third and a diminished fifth. For example, a D diminished chord (Dº) contains D, F, and Ab.

Front 9

dominant

Back 9

The fifth note of the major scale. The major chord built on the dominant, designated V, leads strongly toward the tonic.

Front 10

fifth

Back 10

In a scale, the distance between a certain note and another note four notes above it. The certain note is counted as I, the note four notes above that is V.

Front 11

half step

Back 11

The smallest recognized interval in Western music. The distance represented by one fret on a guitar is a half step.

Front 12

interval

Back 12

The musical distance between two notes, measured by the number of whole and half steps between the two notes.

Front 13

inversion

Back 13

The use of notes in the chord other than the root as the bass note (e.g. F# bass in a D chord).

Front 14

key

Back 14

The basis of musical sounds in a piece. Each key uses the notes and chords of the corresponding major scale. The key is named after the tonic (e.g. the tonic in the key of A is A).

Front 15

leading

Back 15

The tendency that certain notes and chords have to resolve to other specific notes or chords.

Front 16

leading tone

Back 16

The seventh note of the major scale, one half step below the tonic. This note leads strongly toward the tonic.

Front 17

major chord

Back 17

A chord consisting of a major third and a perfect fifth. For example, a D major chord (D) contains D, F#, and A.

Front 18

major scale

Back 18

A group of eight notes with the following whole step/half step pattern between them: W-W-H-W-W-W-H. For example, the A major scale consists of A, B, C#, D, E, F#, G#, and A.

Front 19

major seventh

Back 19

An interval made up of five whole steps and one half step. For example, the distance between D and C# is a major seventh.

Front 20

major third

Back 20

An interval made up of two whole steps. For example, the distance between D and F# is a major third.

Front 21

minor chord

Back 21

A chord consisting of a minor third and a perfect fifth. For example, a D minor chord (Dm) contains D, F, and A.

Front 22

minor seventh

Back 22

An interval made up of four whole steps and two half steps. For example, the distance between D and C is a minor seventh.

Front 23

minor third

Back 23

An interval made up of one whole step and one half step. For example, the distance between D and F is a minor third.

Front 24

modulate

Back 24

To change keys.

Front 25

muting

Back 25

Pressing your finger against a string while playing a chord to avoid playing that string. Muting is represented by an x in my chord diagrams (as in E/G#: 4x2400).

Front 26

perfect fifth

Back 26

An interval made up of three whole steps and one half step. For example, the distance between D and A is a perfect fifth.

Front 27

resolve

Back 27

A musical progression which brings finality to part of a piece.

Front 28

root

Back 28

The note a chord is built on.

Front 29

seventh

Back 29

In a scale, the distance between a certain note and another note six notes above it. The certain note is counted as I, the note six notes above that is vii.

Front 30

seventh chord

Back 30

A chord consisting of a major third, a perfect fifth, and a minor seventh. For example, a D seventh chord (D7) contains D, F#, A, and C. Major seventh chords (notated maj7) contain a major seventh instead of a minor seventh.

Front 31

suspended chord

Back 31

A chord containing either the root, second, and fifth (sus2), or the root, fourth, and fifth (sus4).

Front 32

third

Back 32

In a scale, the distance between a certain note and another note two notes above it. The certain note is counted as I, the note two notes above that is iii.

Front 33

tonic

Back 33

The note on which the major scale is based. The major chord built on the tonic, designated I, is the eventual goal of any song.

Front 34

transpose

Back 34

Moving the musical position of a piece, keeping all intervals as they were in the original piece. For example, if you have C, F, and G (I, IV, and V), and you want to transpose to the key of G, then use the I, IV, and V of G, which are G, C, and D.

Front 35

whole step

Back 35

An interval made up of two half steps. The distance represented by two frets on a guitar is a whole step.