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MU335 > Musical Terms > Flashcards

Musical Terms Flashcards

(69 cards)

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1
Q

Define rhythm

A

all time based events in music

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2
Q

Define beat

A

a type of rhythm that’s a regular pulse

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3
Q

T/F. All music has beat

A

False

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4
Q

Define tempo

A

speed of the beat, measured in beats per minute (beats/min)

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5
Q

How is tempo described?

A

slow, moderate, fast
(few beats/min) -> (many beats/min)

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6
Q

Define meter

A

a regular pattern of strong and weak beats

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7
Q

T/F. All beats are created equal

A

False.
Some are stressed (louder) some are unstressed (softer)

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8
Q

Define measure

A

a repeated pattern within the meter, starting with a downbeat followed by 3-4 other beats

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9
Q

How are measures counted?

A

On the downbeat. 3 measures would be counted as such:
1, 2, 3, 4
2, 2, 3, 4
3, 2, 3, 4

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10
Q

Define downbeat

A

first beat of a measure that is stronger than the others

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11
Q

Define triple meter

A

a meter with 3 beats per measure

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12
Q

Describe a typical walz rhythm

A

triple meter
(Strong, weak, weak, Strong, weak, weak, …)

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13
Q

Define duple meter

A

a meter with 2 or 4 beats per measure

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14
Q

Define syncopation

A

an accent in an unexpected place

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15
Q

Time in music is divided using “note values” with the basic note being a whole note. List the notes that follow from slowest to fastest.

A

1/2 note
1/4 note - usually gets the beat
1/8 note
1/16 note - 4x faster than the beat
1/32 note - 8x faster than the beat

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16
Q

Which note usually gets the beat?

A

1/4 note

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17
Q

The base note is ______ slower than the beat.

A

4 times

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18
Q

A 1/32 note is _______ faster than the beat.

A

8 times

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19
Q

__________ terms deal with time, while ________ terms refer to notes being played.

A

Rhythm
pitch

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20
Q

Define pitch

A

the frequency of a given note

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21
Q

Pitch is described as…

A

high or low

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22
Q

Pitch is notated using…

A

letters A - G

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23
Q

Define interval

A

the distance between any two pitches

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24
Q

What is the interval/distance between C and G, and why?
A B C D E F G A B C D …

A

a fifth, because they are 5 notes apart
(C = 1, G = 5)

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25
What is the interval/distance between B and D, and why? A B C D E F G A B C D ...
a third, because they are 3 notes apart (B = 1, D = 3)
26
Define octave
a special interval between two duplicate notes A B C D E F G A B C D (A = 1, next A = 8)
27
Define scale
a collection of pitches for making music
28
How are scales arranged?
from lowest to highest
29
Describe the C scale
We start at the base pitch, C, then go up in pitch until we hit the C note again
30
Define sharps and flats
pitches that fall between the 7 letters of pitches
31
Describe A# and B♭
A# (sharp) is the note between A and B, ahead of A. B♭ (flat) is the note between A and B, behind B. They are the same note.
32
What are the 4 scales of sharps and flats?
Major - most common Minor Pentatonic Octatonic
33
Define tuning/intonation
the exact frequency of a pitch
34
Define variable intonation also known as pitch bending
changing the frequency of a pitch during performance
35
The intonation/tune of note A is usually...
440Hz
36
Define melody
pitches in series
37
Define phrase
a section of melody (it's usually what can be performed in 1 breath)
38
Define harmony
pitches at the same time (in unison)
39
Define chord
2 or more pitches at the same time
40
Define triad
a special chord with 3 pitches
41
What are the basic building blocks of European/American harmony?
chords/triads
42
Define progression
when chords move from one to another according to the rules of harmony
43
Define key
the "home base" pitch of a piece
44
How do Euro/American pieces traditionally move?
from tonic, away, back to tonic, resolve
45
Define tonic
the first note of the scale
46
Define mode
the arrangement of sharps and flats within a scale or piece
47
________ and ________ scales are the usual modes used.
Major Minor
48
Define transposition
moving an entire piece (all notes) up or down to a new key
49
Describe transpositioning from C to D
taking a piece in C, move all pitches up 1 note, now the piece is in D
50
What helps music be more than a mechanical series of pitches and time?
expression
51
Define texture
the combination of instruments being played and how they relate to one another
52
How is texture described?
dense or thin
53
Describe the 3 types of texture
Monophony - one melody ONLY Homophony - one melody with accompaniment Polyphony - more than one melody
54
Define timbre
the sound quality or "tone color" of an instrument
55
Define dynamics
how loud or soft a piece is
56
Tempo is the ________ of the beat, dynamics are amplitude or ________.
volume
57
Define articulation
how a player begins and ends a note
58
Define staccato
a hard attack with a sharp cutoff
59
Define legato
a slow attack with a slow release
60
Define form
how a piece divides into sections
61
How can we hear form?
Listen for repeats Listen for cadences - stopping points where harmonies resolve Listen for the beginnings and endings of phrases Count measures
62
What is the form of American song form?
AABA
63
What is verse refrain form?
IRV1 RV2, RV3 ... where: I - introduction R - refrain - chorus V - verse
64
Define refrain
parts of a song that use the same music and same words that occur over and over
65
Define verse
parts of a song that use the same music but different words
66
In the 12-bar blues form, what form are the lyrics?
AAB
67
In the 12-bar blues form, how many sections are there?
3. one for each lyric section
68
In the 12-bar blues form, how long does each music section last?
4 measures
69
Define groove
a layered texture of instrumental accompaniment in which the layers overlap with one another so it's continuous

MU335 (3 decks)

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