Ground bass
A repeated bass pattern usually in Baroque music
Variations
A theme played in an altered form
Rondo
ABACADA
1750 onwards
Ternary
ABA form
12 bar blues
Jazz with the chord sequence:
I I I I IV IV I I V IV I V
Repetition
Music repeated unchanged
Recapitulation
The return of the opening passage towards the end of a piece
Decoration
Ornaments and additional noted added to the melody
Sequence
A phrase repeated higher or lower in pitch
Imitation
Voices and instruments copying one another usually after a short gap
Canon
A melody which can be repeated, layered or delayed over itself
Ostinato
Repeated pattern in music
Riff
An ostinato in jazz or pop
Motive
A short musical idea that can be developed
Episode
A passage of music which moves away from the main theme
Introduction
The opening passage, usually at a slow tempo
Coda
Italian for tail - the end section
Strophic form
Verse and chorus ABABABABAB etc.
Ritornello
In Baroque music, a recurring section played tutti
Sequence
A phrase repeated higher or lower in pitch
Through composed
Starts and keeps going with clear little structure
Aleatoric
Music of chance
Cage experimental music
Raga
Indian music built over a particular scale (rag)
Alap
The opening section of an Indian rag, usually in free time and improvisatory
Jhor
The next section in a rag where the tempo becomes more clearly defined
Jhala
The main and final section in a rag where the tempo increases and the tabla plays
Middle eight
A contrasting section in a pop song
Tape loop
A recorded passage of recorded music
Improvised
Made up, without notation
Spontaneous
Sonata form
A structure consisting of an exposition, development and recapitulation
Exposition
The first section in a sonata which switches from the original key to a new key
Development
The middle section in a sonata which cycles through many keys
Bridge
A section within a piece which connects two other sections effectively
First subject
The theme upon which the composition is based
Second subject
Connected to the first subject and is usually a dominant or relative minor key