Music Dictionary - Melody

Question 1

interval

tonic

Answer 1

1st note of the scale

Question 2

interval

supertonic

Answer 2

2nd note of the scale

Question 3

interval

mediant

Answer 3

3rd note of the scale

Question 4

interval

subdominant

Answer 4

4th note of the scale

Question 5

interval

dominant

Answer 5

5th note of the scale

Question 6

interval

submediant

Answer 6

6th note of the scale

Question 7

interval

leading note/subtonic

Answer 7

7th note of the scale

Question 8

conjunct

Answer 8

moving step my step, tones or semitones

Question 9

disjunct

Answer 9

progression by larger than major 2nds, intervals

Question 10

triad

Answer 10

three-note chord consisting of the “root” note together with the third and fifth

Question 11

broken chord

Answer 11

a chord broken so that all notes are played simultaneously. The notes don’t have to be in order

Question 12

scale

Answer 12

series of eight notes moving in tones and semitiones. Major and minor scales are most common

Question 13

apreggio

Answer 13

broken chord where the notes are played one at a time in a sequence

Question 14

passing notes

Answer 14

is a note in a piece of music which is not a part of the main harmony, just used to pass from one key to another

Question 15

acciaccatura

Answer 15

a short ‘grace’ note, taking a very small portion of the next beat

Question 16

blues scale

Answer 16

scale used in blues music

Question 17

chromatic

Answer 17

scale moving in semitones

Question 18

penatonic

Answer 18

five tone scale within the octave, ‘oriental’ sound

Question 19

whole tone

Answer 19

two semitones

Question 20

modal

Answer 20

set, scale-like series of notes/intervals.
E.g. Blues scale, early Dorian mode and the Indian Raga

Question 21

augmented

Answer 21

raising the 5th note in a chord/ scale by a semi-tone

Question 22

diminished

Answer 22

reducing the 5th note in a chord/scale by a semi-tone

Question 23

sequence

Answer 23

a short, sequence-like phrase that is often repeated up/down in step throughout a peice

Question 24

inversion

Answer 24

where an interval is reversed or turned upside down

Question 25

ostinato

Answer 25

a motif that is repeated over and over again

Question 26

riff

Answer 26

an ostinato like motif that changes notation as chord changes

Question 27

articulation

staccato

Answer 27

notes played short and bouncy

Question 28

articulation

staccato

Answer 28

notes joined smoothly together

Question 29

articulation

accents

Answer 29

notes played with great emphasis

Question 30

improvisation

Answer 30

to make up music on the spot

Question 31

phrase

Answer 31

a self-contained section, normally four to wight abrs long, usually ending with a perfect or imperfect cadence

Question 31

phrase

Answer 31

a self-contained section, normally four to wight abrs long, usually ending with a perfect or imperfect cadence

Question 32

glissando

Answer 32

a slide between two notes

Question 33

pitch bend/ portamento

Answer 33

a small slide between on one note

Question 34

ornamentation

trill

Answer 34

rapid alteration with the note above - tr

Question 35

ornamentation

mordent

Answer 35

similar to a trill, but the above (or below) note is played only once

Question 36

ornamentation

turn

Answer 36

similar to a mordent but plays the note above and below