Music Terms

Question 1

Rhythm section

Answer 1

the instruments in a group that provide the most prominent rhythmic and harmonic foundation of the music; usually piano, bass, guitar, drums, tuba, banjo.

Question 2

Front line

Answer 2

in contrast to the rhythm section, these are the instruments that will usually play the melody and improvise solo’s; saxophones, clarinets, trumpets, and trombones

Question 3

Tempo

Answer 3

the speed of a particular piece (or passage) of music

Question 4

Form/Structure

Answer 4

the general framework of a piece of music, usually described in sections

Question 5

Blues (form)

Answer 5

a song structure built on 3 chords and most often 12 bars in length

Question 6

Phrase

Answer 6

a short group of pitches, forming a melodic motif or idea

Question 7

Song/Melody

Answer 7

a number of musical phrases combined together in sections

Question 8

Swing feel/swing

Answer 8

rhytmic “feel” common to jazz where basic pulse is subdivided into triplets

Question 9

syncopation

Answer 9

accenting a normally weak beat or weak part of the beat

Question 10

Chorus

Answer 10

the main body of the song form which is repeated many times for improvised solos

Question 11

Vibrato

Answer 11

the fluctuation of the pitch of a vocal or instrumental tone used as expressive device

Question 12

“Comping”

Answer 12

short for accompanying; a term used to describe how a rhythm section player plays behind a soloist

Question 13

Two-feel

Answer 13

a rhythm section style that emphasizes the first and third beat of a four beat measure

Question 14

Walking bass

Answer 14

a bass style in which a separate tone is played on each beat of the measure

Question 15

Stop Time

Answer 15

a way of accompanying a soloist when the ensemble will make an accent together usually on the first beat of each bar

Question 16

Chart/arrangement

Answer 16

an adaptation of a musical composition in which the arranger writes out what each individual musician has to play.

Question 17

boogie woogie

Answer 17

a piano style characterized by repetitive left-hand bass figures and improvised melodic variations in the right hand

Question 18

solo break

Answer 18

a short break in the music so the soloist can begin an improvisation

Question 19

Double time/double time feel

Answer 19

when the tempo os the music becomes twice as fast (or when the feeling is implied)

Question 20

voicing

Answer 20

a term describing which particular pitches are used in spelling a chord

Question 21

Voice leading

Answer 21

a term used to describe how notes in a chord move to the following chord

Question 22

Jazz standard

Answer 22

a tune that has become part of an accepted repertoire of tunes that most jazz players know

Question 23

modulation

Answer 23

moving from one key/key centre to another

Question 24

chord changes/ chord progression

Answer 24

a series of chords used as a melody harmonization or for an improvised solo

Question 25

Chops

Answer 25

slang term describing technical proficiency on an instrument

Question 26

Turnaround

Answer 26

a short series of chords used to establish a key centre

Question 27

Block chords

Answer 27

chords that move in parallel motion

Question 28

Ballad

Answer 28

a piece played at a very slow tempo

Question 29

Jam session

Answer 29

an informal gathering of musicians where each soloist will have a turn to improvise, usually on a jazz standard

Question 30

ride cymbal pattern

Answer 30

a rhythmic pattern played by the drummer on a cymbal as the main time keeping device

Question 31

Arpeggio

Answer 31

notes of a chord played sequentially rather than at the same time

Question 32

Coda

Answer 32

the ending of a piece usually made up of material outside the song structure

Question 33

fake book

Answer 33

compilation of printed songs in basic form indicating only melody line and chord progressions

Question 34

Trading 4's (or 8's)

Answer 34

when two or more instruments will trade solo statements for four bars each

Question 35

Harmonic Rhythm

Answer 35

the pace at which the chord progression of a tune moves

Question 36

Vamp

Answer 36

A short cord progression, often repeated for use in intros and endings

Question 37

Modal Jazz

Answer 37

jazz style using modes for harmonic foundation

Question 38

Collective improvisation

Answer 38

a situation when all members of a group improvise simultaneously.