Music Terminology

Question 1

Ballad songs

Answer 1

slow, in the form of a love song

Question 2

comedy songs

Answer 2

emphasis on lyrics

Question 3

character songs

Answer 3

emotive, expression of feeling

Question 4

dramatic songs

Answer 4

the title theme

Question 5

production numbers

Answer 5

chorus, all/many characters singing at once

Question 6

liberetto

Answer 6

words of an opera

Question 7

overture

Answer 7

introduction to the opera, a medley

Question 8

recitative

Answer 8

speech like song over acompaniment

Question 9

aria

Answer 9

song in ternary form, shows how a character is feeling/changing

Question 10

entr’act

Answer 10

overture between acts

Question 11

underscore

Answer 11

music played in the background

Question 12

segue

Answer 12

orchestral section used to link scenes

Question 13

syncopation

Answer 13

emphasis on weak/off beats

Question 14

rhythmic motif

Answer 14

a rhythmic fragment which is repeated

Question 15

riff

Answer 15

a repeated patern

Question 16

anticipation

Answer 16

a note that is played before a strong beat

Question 17

polyrhythm

Answer 17

two or more independent rhythms played at once

Question 18

cross rhythm

Answer 18

conflicting rhythmic patterns are used simultaneously

Question 19

diatonic major scale

Answer 19

I II III IV V VI VII VIII

Question 20

diatonic minor scale

Answer 20

I II III(b) IV V VI VII VIII

Question 21

blues

Answer 21

I III V(b) V(nat) VII(b) VIII

Question 22

pentatonic

Answer 22

5 note scale

Question 23

chromatic

Answer 23

all 12 semitones

Question 24

microtonal

Answer 24

a difference of <1 semitone between each note

Question 25

whole tone scale

Answer 25

very ambiguous/vague

Question 26

12 tone row

Answer 26

all 12 notes are played before any are repeated

Question 27

tonality

Answer 27

pitch arrangements chosen by the composer, usually based on a scale/mode

Question 28

tonal centre

Answer 28

the tone/note the scale in centred around

Question 29

diatonic

Answer 29

the major/minor scales of western music

Question 30

improvisation

Answer 30

music played on the fly, no planning involved

Question 31

scale degrees

Answer 31

numbers used to identify each scale note

Question 32

melody

Answer 32

the horizontal succession of pitches

Question 33

definite pitch

Answer 33

a tuned sound

Question 34

indefinite pitch

Answer 34

an untuned sound

Question 35

counter melody

Answer 35

a melody played simultaneously with the main melody

Question 36

melodic contour

Answer 36

the shape of the melody

Question 37

Register

Answer 37

the 'height' of the sound (high/middle/low)

Question 38

range

Answer 38

the extent of the notes used

Question 39

ornamentation

Answer 39

decoration of a melody with special features to add interest

Question 40

Melodic Ostinato

Answer 40

a repeated melodic pattern

Question 41

motif

Answer 41

a melodic fragment heard throughout the piece that helps to unify the music

Question 42

sequece

Answer 42

the immediate repetition of a melodic fragment at a different pitch

Question 43

melisma

Answer 43

multiple notes on one syllable

Question 44

harmony

Answer 44

two or more pitches sounding together

Question 45

triad

Answer 45

a chord with a simple structure of three notes

Question 46

modulation

Answer 46

the change of key in music

Question 47

consonant

Answer 47

harmonious sound, nice sounding

Question 48

dissonant

Answer 48

clash-y sounding

Question 49

dynamics

Answer 49

the loudness/softness of the music

Question 50

articulation

Answer 50

the way notes are performed

Question 51

expressive devices

Answer 51

contribute significantly to expressing the style/mood

Question 52

glissandro

Answer 52

a slide from one note to another

Question 53

trills

Answer 53

rapid alternation between two notes

Question 54

staccato

Answer 54

short

Question 55

legato or tenuto

Answer 55

long and smooth

Question 56

accent

Answer 56

emphasis on note, punchy

Question 57

stoccato accent

Answer 57

short and punchy

Question 58

slur

Answer 58

running two notes together

Question 59

sforzando

Answer 59

suddenly loud and then soft again

Question 60

crescendo

Answer 60

gradually getting louder

Question 61

decrescendo

Answer 61

gradually getting softer

Question 62

terraced dynamics

Answer 62

block dynamics