Concepts Flashcards
(160 cards)
1
Q
A capella
A
Unaccompanied singing
2
Q
Accelerando
A
The tempo becomes gradually faster
3
Q
African music
A
Music from Africa, which often features voice and African drums
4
Q
Alberti bass
A
Broken chords played on a piano by the left hand outlining the harmonies, while the right hand plays the melody. Very popular in the classical period
“When you know your scales and your arpeggios”
5
Q
Allegro
A
At a brisk speed
6
Q
Alto
A
The lowest female voice
7
Q
Anacrusis
A
An upbeat
8
Q
Andante
A
A tempo at walking speed, at a moderately slow tempo
9
Q
Arco
A
String players use the bow to create sound
10
Q
Arpeggio
A
Notes of a chord played one after the other in ascending or descending order
11
Q
Aria
A
A solo song. Could be from an opera (Italian) or oratorio (religious,German), for example
12
Q
Atonal
A
Music which has no feeling of key, major or minor. It will sound dissonant. A feature of Serial Music
13
Q
A tempo
A
The music returns to the main tempo after there has been a change
14
Q
Backing vocals
A
Singers who support the lead singer, usually singing in harmony in the background
15
Q
Baritone
A
A male voice type. The range is between that of a bass and a tenor
16
Q
Baroque
A
Music Composed between 1600-1750
17
Q
Bass Drum
A
A big, low sounding instrument from the persuasion family
18
Q
Bass (voice)
A
The lowest male voice
19
Q
Bass Guitar
A
A low pitched electric string instrument with four strings
20
Q
Bothy ballad
A
A folk song from the north east of Scotland, sung in the Doric dialect by men about farming life. Often has many verses
21
Q
Bassoon
A
A low sounding, double reeded woodwind instrument
22
Q
Binary
A
Music in two sections, AB form
23
Q
Bodhran
A
An Irish wooden drum played with a beater
24
Q
Bongo Drums
A
A percussion instrument with two fairly high-pitched drums joined in a pair, played with the hands
25
Brass Band
An ensemble of brass and percussion instruments
26
Broken Chord
The notes of a chord played separately
27
Cadenza
This is a significant part of a concerto where the soloist really gets to show off.
28
Canon
Strict imitation where one part begins to play a melody and another enters shortly afterwards with exactly the same melody
29
Cello
Instrument from the string family, smaller that a double bass, lower pitched that a violin and viola
30
Castanets
A popular Spanish untuned percussion instrument
31
Celtic Rock
A style that mixes Celtic folk with rock music
32
Chord Progression
A series of related chords
33
Chorus
Music sung by a group of singers
Or
The refrain between verses of a song
34
Chromatic
Notes which ascend or descend consecutively in intervals of semitones
35
Chromatic scale
A scale that plays all the notes including semitones e.g. A,A flat,B,B flat
36
Change of key
A move from one key to another (modulation)
37
Cluster
A group of notes which clash when played together
38
Clarsach
A small Scottish harp used in folk music. The Garlic word for harp
39
Classical
Music composed between around 1750-1810. The era of Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven
40
Coda
A passage at the end of a piece which brings it to a finish
41
Con sordino
Muted
42
Compound time
The beat is divided into groups of 3, e.g. 6/8, 9/8, 12/8
43
Concerto
A concerto is a large-scale work for a solo instrument (or solo instruments) accompanied by an orchestra.
A typical concerto has three movements - a fast opening movement, a slow and lyrical movement, then a fast movement to finish.
44
Clarinet
A sing reed instrument of the woodwind family
45
Contrapuntal
Texture with two or more parts each of which has an interesting and independent melodic line. It is similar in meaning to polyphonic
46
Contrary Motion
Two parts which move in opposite directions
47
Countermelody
A second melody played alongside the main melody- two different melodies which fit together
48
Cymbals
A metal percussion instrument, played in pairs which are stuck together, or singly. Also part of the drum kit
49
Cross Rhythms
Contrasting rhythms played at the same time or played with unusual emphasis
50
Descant
A countermelody which is sung above the main melody. It’s often featured in hymns
51
Distortion
A electronic effect used in rock music to colour the sound of an electric guitar. It creates a fuzzy sound, rather than the usual clean sound
52
Dixieland
One instrument per part - Jazz - Improvisation
53
Dotted rhythms
A long note followed by a shorter one, or vice versa, like a scotch snap
54
Double stopping
On a string instrument, playing on two strings (notes)
55
Double Bass
The largest and lowest instrument of the string family
56
Drone
Note (or two notes) held while other music is played above it
57
Flute
A woodwind instrument made of metal, plated by blowing into the mouthpiece rather that by using a reed
58
Flutter Tonguing
An effect created by rolling your ‘r’s while playing a brass or woodwind instrument
59
Fortissimo - ff
The music is to be played very loudly
60
French Horn
A brass instrument with curled metal tubing and a bell shaped opening
61
Gaelic psalm
Unaccomplished psalms (like hymns) sung in Gaelic. One singer usually begins with the congregation joining in afterwards
62
Glissando
Sliding from one note to another, taking in all the notes in between
63
Gospel
Songs written with religious lyrics often in praise or thanksgiving to God
64
Ground bass
Often used in the Baroque era. A theme in the bass which is repeated many times while the upper parts vary
65
Glockenspiel
A tuned percussion instrument with metal bars in a similar pattern to the piano
66
Guiro
An untuned percussion instrument made of hollow wood which is scaled by a wooden stick along ridges one the outer surface
67
Harmony
When a ground of singers or instrumentalists play at different pitches
68
Harp
A large string instrument which has 47 strings
69
Homophonic
A texture where all the parts play or sing similar a rhythm at the same time
70
Harpsichord
A keyboard instrument which looks like a small grand piano. Used extensively in the Baroque era before the invention of the piano. Sound is produced by the strings being plucked inside the instrument when keys are pressed.
71
Hi-Hat Cymbals
Used as part of a drum kit- two cymbal which can be opened and closed with a foot pedal or hit with drumsticks
72
Imitation
The melody is immediately copies in another part
73
Imperfect Cadence
Two chords at the end of a phrase, the last being being chord V, making it sound unfinished
74
Indian music
Music from India which uses instruments such as the sitar and tabla
75
Impressionism
A 20th century style connected to the art movement of the same name. Brief musical ideas merge and change, creating a blurred and vague outline, often using pentatonic and whole tone scales or modes
76
Inverted Pedal
A note is held on or repeated continuously at a high pitch while other music is played underneath
77
Jig
A fast Scottish dance in compound time
78
Melismatic
Several notes sung to one syllable
79
Major
Music in major keys generally sound bright and cheerful
80
Mezzo Forte
The music is to be played moderately loud
81
Mezzo Piano
The music is to be played moderately quietly
82
Mezzo soprano
A female voice type. The range is between that of soprano and alto
83
Minor
Music in a minor key often seems sadder and darker than music in a minor key
84
Middle 8
A section of a pop song which provides a contrast to the opening section, so called because it is 8 bars long
85
Modulation
The music changes key
86
Moderato
The music is to be played at a moderate or medium tempo
87
Minimalist
A style created in the 1960s by American composers, based on simple rhythmic and melodic figures which are constantly repeated which change slightly
88
Mouth Music
Unaccompanied rhythmic Scottish songs with Gaelic or nonsense words, originally invented as a substitute for instruments when music was required for dancing
89
Muted
Using a device which reduces the volume, or rather alter the sound of the instrument (con sordino)
90
Oboe
A woodwind instrument with a double reed
91
Octave
The distance of eight notes, for example from one C to the next C
92
Opera
A drama set to music with soloists, chorus and orchestral accompaniment, performed in costume on a stage
93
Ornament
A decoration to a melody be adding extra notes. A trill is an example
94
Pan Pipes
Typically made from bamboo or cane bound together, an instrument associated with Latin America. Sound is made by blowing across the top of the pipes
95
Pedal
Short for pedal point. A sustained or repeated note in the bass, beneath changing harmonies
96
Pentatonic scale
A scale made up of five notes. Folk music is often based on aversion of the pentatonic scale - C,D,E,G,A
97
Perfect Cadence
When the final two chords of a phrase are chords V the chord I, making the music sound finished
98
Pianissimo- pp
The music is to be played very softly
99
Pibroch
Music for solo bagpipes in theme and variation form, ornamented with grace notes
100
Pitch Bend
Changing the pitch of a note slightly - like pulling a string on a guitar up or down after the note has Ben plucked to change the pitch
101
Pizzicato
Plucking the stings instead of using the bow
102
Piccolo
The highest pitched woodwind instrument, a half sized flute played in the same way, but sounding and octave higher
103
Ragtime
A style of dance music popular at the end of the 19th century and helped to influence jazz. Ragtime music is typically played on piano, with a vamp accompaniment in the bass, and a catchy melody featuring off-beat accents (syncopation)
104
Rallentando
The tempo of the music gradually slows down
105
Rapping
Rhyming lyrics which are spoken and performed in time to a beat. Rap is popular in hip hop and grime music
106
Recorder
An early woodwind instrument. There are four main types: descant, treble, tenor and bass
107
Reggae
A style of music developed in the late 1960s in Jamaica. It features strong accents on the 2nd and 4th beats of the bar. Bob Marley is the most famous reggae artist.
108
Reverb
An electronic effect which can give the impression for different hall acoustics. Some electric guitar amps include a reverb effect
109
Riff
A repeated phrase usually found in jazz or pop music
110
Ritardando
The music slows down
111
Robato
Fluctuates in speed (fast,slow,fast,slow)
112
Rock
A style of popular music with a heavy driving beat, usually featuring electric guitar, bass guitar and drum kit
113
Roll
A very fast repetition of a note on a percussion instrument to make it last longer
114
Romantic
Music composed between around 1810 and 1900 belongs to the Romantic era. Orchestras were bigger and composers often focused on the portrayal of emotions
115
Rondo
A from where the first section keeps returning between contrasting different sections - ABACADA etc
116
Rubato
A rhythmic feature meaning ‘robbed time’. The tempo is flexible to allow the performer to slow down or speed up to provide more expression. Romantic music often uses rubato
117
Polyphony
Texture where two or more melodic lines weave independently of each other
118
Saxophone
A woodwind instrument made of metal and uses a single reed
119
Scale
A sequence of notes moving by step in ascending or descending order
120
Scat singing
Nonsense words, syllables and sounds who’s are improvised by the singer, used is jazz music
121
Scots Ballad
A Scottish song which tells a story like Loch Lomond or Flower of Scotland
122
Scotch Snap
A very short accented note before a longer note - e.g. a semi quaver followed by a dotted quaver. A common feature in strathspeys
123
Semitone
A distance of half a time e.g. from B-Bb or E-F. One the piano this is from any hey to the nearest white or back key; on the guitar, from one fret to another
124
Sequence
A pattern of notes which is repeated at a higher or lower pitch
125
Sfrorzando - sfz
The music is to be played with a sudden emphasis
126
Simple Time
The music has two, three or four beats in each bar. Each beat can be divided into 2 e.g. 2/4, 3/4, 4/4
127
Sitar
A plucked Indian stringed instrument
128
Snare Drum
A percussion instrument eh did forms part of a drum kit. Found in the pipe band, and also used as part of the orchestra
129
Soprano
The highest pitched female voice
130
Strathspey
A Scottish dance in 4/4 time and featuring Scotch snaps and dotted rhythms
131
String crossings
Changing strings
132
Strophic
A form wherein a song has the same music in verses/choruses. Most songs are strophic rather that through composed
133
Swing
A jazz style which started in the 1930s, performed by a big band
134
Symphony
A complex composition written for a full orchestra. It usually has four movements. At least on of these movements is traditionally in sonata form
135
Syllabic
Vocal music where each syllable is given one note only
136
Syncopation
A catchy rhythm where strongly accented notes are played against the beat
137
Tabla
Indian drums, often use to accompany the sitar
138
Tambourine
A percussion instrument
139
Tenor
A high male voice
140
Ternary
A piece is structured in three sections, where section A is followed by a B section which has a contrasting melody, and is then followed by a repetition of the A section.
141
Theme and variation
A structure where the melody is played, then repeated in various ways with variations so that it sounds different each time but the main theme is still recognisable
142
Tremolando
When you play the same note very fast which a bow on a string instrument to create a “trembling” effect
143
Triangle
An untuned percussion instrument
144
Trill
An ornament where two notes a step apart are played repeatedly, often at the door of a phrase
145
Trombone
A brass instrument that has a slide instead of valves
146
Trumpet
A brass instrument which can play high pitched noises
147
Tuba
The largest and lowest pitched brass instrument
148
Timpani
A large drum with skin stretched across a large bowl. Timpani are usually made of copper and played in sets, with each drum being tuned to a different note.
149
Tone
A distance of two semitone, e.g. from B-A or E-F#
150
Unison
When a group of singers or instrumentalists play at the same, tempo and pitch
151
Vamp
A rhythmic accompaniment where a bass note is played on the beat and a chord is followed off the beat. Often a feature in Scottish music and ragtime music
152
Verse
Music is repeated with different words in between a chorus
153
Viola
A string instrument which looks similar to a violin but is slightly bigger and lower pitched
154
Violin
The smallest and highest pitched string instrument
155
Walking bass
A bass line often featured in jazz music. It is regular in rhythm and moves up and down a pattern of notes. Often played on the double bass or bass guitar
156
Waulking Song
A traditional rhythmic song sung in Gaelic by women in the western isles of Scotland while they waulked woollen cloth to soften and shrink it
157
Whole tone scale
A scale that only uses whole tones e.g. C, D, E, F#, G#, A#, C
158
Wind Band
Sometimes know as a concert band, featuring woodwind, brass and percussion instruments
159
Xylophone
A tuned percussion instrument with wooden bars, set out like a piano
160
Recitative
Kind of like a soliloquy
Can be in a musical
A type of vocal writing where the music follows the rhythm of speech, used in operas and oratorios. A recitative is usually a short section for solo voice with sparse accompaniment. Its purpose is to move the story along. Recitatives are most often sung immediately before an Aria (Italian word for song).
