Terminology Flashcards
(254 cards)
1
Q
disjunct
A
angular musical movement that moves in leaps or contains intervals
2
Q
arco
A
the instruction for string players to play their instrument using the bow
3
Q
riff
A
a short, ‘catchy’ memorable idea or pattern found in jazz, rock or pop; the idea is repeated often in the music
4
Q
tremolo
A
rapid bowing on a string instrument to produce a dramatic effect
5
Q
what is A♭ major’s relative minor? (4 flats)
A
F minor
6
Q
motif
A
a short music idea, melodic or rhythmic
7
Q
high pitch
A
the higher sounding notes, eg treble clef
8
Q
what does the time signature 6/8 mean
A
2 dotted crotchet beats in a bar
9
Q
unison
A
when voices/instruments are playing at the same pitch eg all parts sounding the same note
10
Q
sampler
A
an electronic device for storing and altering sounds
11
Q
outro
A
the concluding section of a song or piece, eg the ‘last’ part (same as coda). only used in popular music
12
Q
phasing
A
a delay effect in music technology
13
Q
vibrato
A
a rapid, slight variation in pitch when singing or playing some musical instruments which produces a stronger or richer tone
14
Q
repetition
A
when sounds, sequences, melodies, rhythms or sections are repeated
15
Q
chaal
A
the dotted rhythm found in bhangra; it is an eight-note rhythmic pattern
16
Q
crescendo
A
getting louder
17
Q
acoustic
A
a musical instrument whose sound is not electronically generated through an amplifier
18
Q
what does the time signature 3/4 mean
A
3 crotchet beats in a bar
19
Q
romantic
A
music typical of the period between about 1810-1910
20
Q
scat
A
a style of singing in jazz music that is improvised, and where the voice is used in imitation of an instrument (eg no words or nonsense words)
21
Q
bhangra
A
fusion of traditional Indian/Pakistani music with modern club dance music
22
Q
chamber music
A
music intended for a small group of performers, regarded as soloists on equal terms; music intended for domestic performance with one instrument per part
23
Q
rock rhythms
A
typical riffs/rhythms and rhythmic patterns associated with ‘rock’ music
24
Q
double stopping
A
when a string instrument plays two notes at the same time
25
chordal
when the style of the music is delivered through the harmony eg the interest is vertical, and in the chords more that the melody
26
relative minor key
every major key has a relative minor key, with which it shares the same key signature
27
rhythm section
part of a pop or jazz group that supplies the rhythm, eg bass, drums and guitar/keyboard (playing the chords)
28
minuet and trio
often is movement 3 of a symphony or sonata. both the minuet and the trio are in binary form, each repeated before the minuet returns for a final time, giving an overall ternary form, eg A A B B A A
29
reggae
a style of music originating from the West Indies, popular in the 1970s
30
theme and variation
the theme is a melody (either original or borrowed) and a number of variations are created - sometimes simply decorated, sometimes more complex
31
rondo form
a recurring section (A) with alternating 'episodes' eg A B A C A
32
groupings
solo, duet, trio, quartet
33
stave
the name given to the five lines and four spaces that music is written on
34
modal
refers to the 'modes' that evolved from ancient times. a mode is a type of scale, a set of notes. there are major modes, minor modes and modes which are more ambiguous. were often used in church music, folk, blues and jazz. are often used by guitarists too.
FOR GCSE YOU DON'T NEED TO KNOW ALL THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF MODES BUT YOU MIGHT BE EXPECTED TO RECOGNISE THAT A PIECE OF MUSIC IS MODAL
35
what is A major's relative minor? (3 sharps)
F# minor
36
minim
2 beats
37
strings
violin, viola, cello, double bass (and harp)
38
backing vocals
singers who provide vocal harmony or countermelodies for the lead vocalist
39
interval: semitone
notes that are a semitone apart, eg a half step (the next note on the piano - white OR black)
40
leger lines
short lines which are added when the music moves beyond the range of the stave
41
belt
the lower, more powerful part of the voice range
42
polyphonic
more than one part delivering the melody (or melodies) in imitation or in counterpoint
43
regular metre
a regular pattern of beats as indicated by the time signature
44
echo
the repetition of a musical phrase (or sound) that has less impact and volume than the original phrase or sound
45
chord sequence
a series of chords following each other, also known as harmonic progression
46
harmonic rhythm
the rate at which the harmony changes (eg every beat, every two beats, every bar)
47
drone
this is a simple harmonic device when one or more notes are held or repeated throughout an extended passage of music. a drone with two notes usually consists of the tonic and the dominant notes
48
male voices
tenor, bass (baritone)
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secondary chords
chords ii, iii and vi are minor triads and known as the secondary chords. these sound sad
50
glissando
a slide from one pitch to another
51
synthesised/electronic
a type of music that uses electronic devices to produce and alter sounds
52
monophonic
a single melodic line with no harmonies or other melodies
53
semiquaver
1/4 beat
54
accidentals
signs in music which show that the pitch of notes is to be altered. eg sharp, flat, natural
55
power chords
a chord which uses the root and the 5th (ie no 3rd). used by rock guitarists
56
tempo
the speed of the beat
57
break
an instrumental or percussion section that provides a 'break' from the rest of the song or piece
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acoustics
to do with the sound quality in a room or building as it is heard
59
dynamic markings
dynamic markings in a piece of music instruct the performers how loud or quiet to play
60
alberti bass
a type of accompaniment figure that uses broken chords
61
moderato/andante
at a moderate speed/ a 'walking speed' - not too slow
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round
a short vocal canon for unaccompanied singing
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dotted rhythms
a dot placed after the note adds half the value of the note again
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pizzicato
'plucked' (way of playing string instruments)
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detached
a type of musical articulation which describes notes that have been shortened (eg staccato)
66
sharp
tells you that the note must be raised by a semitone. the note sounds one step higher
67
improvisation
music that's made up on the spot by the performer
68
alto clef/viola clef
used by the viola in string music. the middle point of the clef shows the position of middle C
69
treble clef
used for higher pitched voices and instruments
70
12-bar blues
a style of blues music with a repeating chord pattern that is 12 bars long
71
diminuendo
getting quieter; gradually decreasing in loudness
72
syncopation/off-beat
occurs when the strong accents in a bar are shifted. eg when the accent is placed on a normally weak beat or a weak beat is 'held' or 'tied' over a strong beat. the 'off beat' is a rhythmic effect where the weak beats are accented
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pause
a pause sign is a symbol which means that the note should be held longer than the original value
74
verse
a section of a song that has the same music when repeated but different lyrics each time
75
interrupted cadence
uses chords V - vi (dominant - submediant / C - Dm). this cadence sounds incomplete and unfinished. in a major key it involves a major chord moving to a minor chord. it is sometimes known as a 'surprise' cadence, because the listener thinks that the dominant chord will resolve to the tonic chord, but it does not, stopping instead on the submediant chord of the key
76
divisi
the instruction in music for orchestral players reading the same musical staff to divide into two or more parts
77
simple time
where the main beat is a crotchet beat. eg 2/4, 3/4, 4/4.
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dance rhythms
characteristic rhythmic patterns linked with any dance (eg waltz, tango, swing, etc) or the repetitive rhythms and pre-set percussion patterns associated with electronic dance music styles (eg house, acid, techno, drum'n'bass)
79
slurred
a style of playing two or more notes smoothly: joined with a 'slur' (legato)
80
microtone
an interval smaller than a semitone
81
coda
the final section of a movement or piece of music
82
a cappella
singing without any instrumental backing or accompaniment
83
harmony
a combination of notes played at the same time - created through chords in music. the harmony in the music supports the melody, reinforces the rhythmic movement and also provides interest in its own right.
84
primary chords
chords I, IV and V are major triads and known as the primary chords. these sound bright and happy
85
panning
the distribution of a sound signal into a multi-channel sound field. the panning control adjusts the sound through the left and right speakers
86
musical theatre/musical
a musical play or drama in which singing, acting and dance play an important part
87
natural
cancels out a sharp or flat previously used in the music
88
fanfare
usually played on brass instruments, this is a loud call to attention, like an announcement. uses only a few pitches of one or two simple chords
89
blue notes
the flattened notes in a blues scale
90
order of sharps
Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle
91
hammer on
a performance technique for a string instrument with frets, such as the guitar. it occurs when the guitarist brings his finger down sharply on the fretboard (behind a fret), causing a note to sound. (this technique is the opposite of the 'pull-off', where the finger on the fret is released after the note has been struck)
92
canon
a compositional device where a melody in one part is repeated exactly after the other, usually with some overlapping
93
relative key
the major and minor scales that have the same key signatures, meaning that they share all the same notes but are arranged in a different order of whole steps and half steps
94
scalic
when the musical line moves in steps, just like a scale (eg conjunct movement)
95
soul
a form of black music originating from the 1970s, influenced by gospel music
96
call and response
a short musical idea (the call) followed by an answering phrase (the response)
97
interval: perfect 5th
notes that are 4 tones apart. SONG: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
98
allegretto
moderately fast, slower than allegro
99
strophic
the structure has verses that are musically the same each time. only the lyrics may change
100
ballad
a type of song which tells a story (in rock or pop music this is usually a love story)
101
structure
what gives the content shape and balance. may depend on stepwise or scalic patterns, more angular ideas or patterns using the notes of a triad. may be a mix of all three - depends on how the musical ideas and patterns have been organised into motifs, melodies and themes, and how they are used and presented
102
bridge
a piece of music that links two other musical sections together
103
tabla
pair of drums used in Indian classical music (called the dayan and the bayan)
104
diatonic harmony
when the music uses chords based on major or minor keys
105
muted
a 'muted' effect is achieved when mutes are used to dampen or quieten the sound of string or brass instruments
106
diminuendo
getting quieter
107
tumbi
single string indian instrument, plucked; associated with the folk music of Punjab and popular in Western bhangra music
108
phrasing - regular
when the melody is divided up into shorter, well-balanced and symmetrical phrases
109
driving rhythms
rhythms with a relentless energy, moving the music forwards - 'driving' it on
110
loop
when a musical idea is 'looped' eg repeated indefinitely
111
interval: major 6th
notes that are 5 tones apart. LYRIC: "Dashing through the snow..."
112
what is F major's relative minor? (1 flat)
D minor
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accelerando
gradually increasing the speed
114
fortissimo (ff)
very loud
115
film music
music written especially for the screen, including underscore and thematic music that engages with the storyline and characters
116
crescendo
getting louder; gradually increasing in loudness
117
allegro
lively, brisk, rapid
118
orchestra
large instrumental ensemble which has four families of instruments: string, woodwind, brass and percussion
119
chorus
a section of a song that has the same words and music when repeated
120
middle 8
eight bars in the middle of a song that provide a contrast eg different chord progression
121
inversions
inverted chords and triads are found when other notes of the chord (apart from the root) are head on the bottom of the chord in the lowest sounding pitch position
122
trill/ornamentation/decoration
decorate or embellish the music; can often make it sound 'fussier'. popular examples of ornaments are trills, mordents and turns
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chord vii
a diminished chord. is recognised as a secondary chord but does sound a little different from a major or minor chord; it sounds unfinished - as if it should move on to another chord
124
rubato
a 'freer' approach to the tempo; when the performer gives an expressive interpretation of the music - not sticking strictly to time, but without altering the overall pace
125
sonority / timbre
the quality of the sounds that we hear in music. refers to different instruments, types of voices, types of groupings, the use of technology and any performance techniques and articulation. is about the type of sound
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syllabic
vocal music where each syllable of the text has been set to a different note
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sforzando (sf)
with force; a sudden emphasis
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chorus
a vocal ensemble in a musical, opera or oratorio
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melody
a series of pitches heard in succession; it's a line of musical notes that is satisfying to listen to. a combination of pitch and rhythm. it may incorporate many musical devices
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hip-hop
style of rap originating in the 1980s, which added 'scratching' onto records
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compound time
where the main beat is a dotted crotchet beat. eg 6/8
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modulation
change in key
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mezzo piano (mp)
moderately soft
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plagal candence
uses chords IV - I (subdominant - tonic / b♭ - F). this cadence also sounds complete and finished. it always finishes on the tonic chord. both chords are major. it is not such a strong progression as the perfect cadence and is sometimes known as the 'Amen' cadence, because it is often found at the end of a hymn
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pentatonic tonality
may feel 'major' or 'minor' but doesn't have a distinctive musical 'flavour' of its own. can be heard in examples of folk music, rock music and oriental muslc.
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interval
the distance between two musical notes
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pianissimo (pp)
very softly, very quietly
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flat
tells you that the note must be lowered by a semitone. the note sounds one step lower
139
what is the softest dynamic marking
ppp
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rim-shot
a performance technique for percussion, when the sound is produced by hitting the rim and head of a drum with a drum stick at the same time
141
thematic
the thematic material means the main musical idea - the important melody in a piece of music
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classical
music typical of the period between about 1750-1810
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ostinato
a continuously repeated figure or phrase ('obstinately' repeated)
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contrast
where there is a difference in the music eg melodic contrast, rhythmic contrast, harmonic contrast
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minimalism
a 20th-century genre, characterised by the subtle baried repetition of simple melodic rhythm or harmonic ideas (or cells)
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chromatic harmony
when extra sharps or flats are added to the chords - making it sound richer and more complex
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on the beat
when the notes emphasised are on the strong beats eg the first beats of every far
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tongued
a performance technique used by wind instruments to define different notes (eg separating notes by stopping the airflow with the tongue)
149
pop/rock group
small ensemble that performs rock/pop music. a common line-up would be lead guitar, rhythm guitar (one or both also doing vocals), bass guitar and drummer
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range
refers to the span of pitches on an instrument or in a piece of music, ranging from the lowest sounding to the highest sounding
151
distortion
an effect for guitar players that distorts the note
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pop
a genre of music that originated in the USA and the UK in the mid-1950s. it uses ideas and musical elements from many different styles.
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homophonic
a chordal style; melody plus chords, sometimes providing a rhythmic contrast
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dissonant harmony
uses notes that do not belong to any key as such - as a result it may sound quite harsh and be 'clashy' sounding
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form
the name given to the overall structure in a piece of music, according to how all the ideas have been organised to create the finished piece. each section in music is usually labelled with letters A, B, C and so on
156
what is E♭ major's relative minor? (3 flats)
C minor
157
what are examples of dynamic markings
ppp, pp, p, mp, mf, f, ff, fff
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keyboards
synthesiser, piano, organ, harpsichord
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dohl
the drum used in traditional bhangra
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sarangi
small Indian string instrument with no frets
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piano (p)
softly, quietly
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accent
additional stress or emphasis placed on a particular note
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fusion
music in which two or more styles are blended together
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falsetto
male vocal technique used to extend the voice into a higher range than usual
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quaver
1/2 beat
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triplet
a rhythmic device where three equal note-values are played in the time of two
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arpeggio/broken chord
when the notes of a chord are played separately and in succession, either ascending or descending
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swing rhythms
'swing' is a type of music that originated in the 1920s/1930s. it involves the unequal performance of notes (eg swung quavers) that is characteristic of all types of jazz. it gives a triplet/dotted rhythm feel to the beat - known as a 'swing rhythm'
169
layered
when several layers of sounds or musical lines are combined to build up the texture
170
what is D major's relative minor? (2 sharps)
B minor
171
reverb
an effect that adds an echo to the sound. it can be used on most amplified instruments and also voices
172
rock
originated in the USA as 'rock and roll' in the mid-1950s
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semibreve
4 beats
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answering phrase
a second phrase of music, which 'answers' or balances out the first phrase of music
175
texture
the way the melody and chords have been woven together to achieve different effects - the layers of music and how they relate to each other
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perfect cadence
uses chords V - I (dominant - tonic / C - F). this cadence sounds complete and finished. it always finishes on the tonic chord. both chords are major
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legato
an instruction for the music to be played smoothly
178
guitars
classical or spanish guitar, electric guitar, bass guitar
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string quartet
group of four string instruments - two violins, a viola and a cello
180
cadences
a progression of (at least) two chords that concludes a phrase, section, or piece of music
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interval: octave
notes that are 7 tones apart. this is the same note, just one is played in a higher pitch than the other. SONG: Somewhere Over The Rainbow
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countermelody
an extra melody played the same time as the main theme. a new melody, combined with a melody that has been heard previously
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descant
a decorative melodic line, higher in pitch than the main melody in a piece of vocal music, eg in a hymn, Christmas carol or similar vocal piece
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tonality
the key of the music. usually refers to the whole system of tonal relationships between the notes, the chords and the key of the music. depends on the major and minor scales and what chords are possible using notes from those scales
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bass clef
used for lower pitched voices and instruments
186
what is E major's relative minor? (4 sharps)
C# minor
187
major
happy sounding music
188
percussion
tuned: timpani, glockenspiel, xylophone.
untuned: drum kit, snare drum, cymbal, hand-held percussion
189
conjunct
stepwise movement in a melodic line, eg scalic
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leitmotif
a musical idea associated with a person, place, object, feeling or idea
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which intervals come together to make a standard triad
root/octave, major 3rd and perfect 5th
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drum roll
a performance technique for drums that involves a rapid succession of beats. a drum roll is often used to build anticipation in the music
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staccato
detached notes, shorter than their full length
194
what is the loudest dynamic marking
fff
195
adagio/lento
slowly, leisurely
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binary form
a two-part structure eg A B (two related sections, both of which may be repeated)
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baroque
music typical of the period from about 1600-1750
198
sequence
repetition of a melodic or harmonic phrase in the same part, but at a higher or lower pitch
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imitation
a contrapuntal device, when a melodic idea (already stated in one part) is copied in another part, while the first tune continues. it may only use the first few notes of the original idea
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slap bass
a performance technique for bass guitar (or double bass) by bouncing strings against the fret board to achieve a 'percussive' sound
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pedal
a harmonic device where the same note is sustained or repeated, above (or below) which the chords change
202
interval: perfect 4th
notes that are 3 tones apart. SONG: Here Comes The Bride
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sitar
large indian string instrument with a long neck and frets
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imperfect cadence
lands on chord V (the dominant chord) eg I - V, vi - V, etc. this cadence sounds incomplete and unfinished. the 2nd chord is always chord V of the key, eg the dominant chord which is major. the chord before may be major or minor
205
phrasing - irregular
when the melody is divided up into phrases that are not symmetrically balanced
206
melody and accompaniment
when the melody or theme is the main feature, and the other parts support
207
what does MADTSHIRT stand for?
Melody, Articulation, Dynamics, Texture, Structure, Harmony, Instruments, Rhythm, Tonality
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what does the time signature 2/4 mean
2 crotchet beats in a bar
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tied notes
two notes of the same pitch, joined together by a short curved line called a tie. the first note must be held over for the value of the second one. the second note is not played as a separate note
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fill
a short musical idea that fills in the 'gaps' in the music at the end of a phrase
211
synthesiser
an electronic keyboard for storing altering sounds
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stab chords
'staccato' (short) chord(s) that add dramatic impact in a piece of music. usually lasts for one beat and played by horns/brass instruments. found in various types of music eg jazz and rock
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anacrusis
a note (or notes) that come before the first strong beat in a passage of music. sometimes called the 'up-beat' or 'pick-up'
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plucked
a way of pulling and releasing the string quickly on a string instrument and produce the sound (eg pizzicato)
215
rhythm
patterns of the long and short notes used within the strong and weak beats
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rap
a type of pop music originating from the USA where the words are spoken quickly and rhythmically against an instrumental backing
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ritardando/rallentando
slowing down
218
pentatonic scale
a five-note scale of which there are two types, the major pentatonic scale and the minor pentatonic scale
219
introduction
opening part of a song or piece that introduces the main ideas
220
sustained
held on (a sustained note = a held note)
221
what is G major's relative minor? (1 sharp)
E minor
222
interval: major 3rd
notes that are two tones apart. SONG: It's A Small World
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humming
a vocal sound produced with the mouth closed
224
pitch
whether the music is high or low - or in between. the different position of the musical notes
225
what does the time signature 4/4 mean
4 crotchet beats in a bar
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interval: major 2nd/tone
notes that are a tone apart, eg a step (the note above). sounds like the start of a major scale. SONG: Frere Jacques
227
dynamics
variation in loudness between notes or phrases. tell the performers how loudly or softly to play
228
western classical tradition
means music written between about 1650-1910
229
root position chords
a chord or triad is said to be in a root position when the root of the chord is sounded at the lowest point of the chord
230
crotchet
1 beat
231
melismatic
vocal music where a syllable of the text has been set to a number of different notes
232
brass
trumpet, french horn, trombone, tuba
233
2, 3 or 4-part textures
music written for 2, 3 or 4-part voices or instruments
234
jazz
a genre of music originating from New Orleans which now has many types of styles; important features include syncopation, improvisation and interesting often complex harmonies
235
what is C major's relative minor? (no sharps or flats)
A minor
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order of flats
Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles the Father
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minor
sad sounding music
238
32-bar song form
A A B A (with each section being eight bars long)
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walking bass
type of bass part that is continually moving along. the notes are all on the beat and the movement is mainly step by step
240
clef
the symbol at the start of the musical line
241
blues
a genre of music originating from American negro spirituals; important features include the 12-bar structure, 'blue notes', blues scale. generally has a mood of sadness
242
female voices
soprano, alto (mezzo-soprano)
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forte (f)
loud
244
what is B♭ major's relative minor? (2 flats)
G minor
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low pitch
the lower sounding notes, eg bass clef
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chromatic movement
when the melodic movement is in semitones, like part of the chromatic scale
247
metre
the repeating pattern of strong beats and weak beats that give us the pulse in the music. shown in the score by the use of the time signature
248
interval: major 7th
notes that are 6 tones apart. SONG: Willy Wonka's Imagination
249
basso continuo
the name given to the continuous bass line in baroque music often played by the harpsichord and the cello
250
irregular metre
when the pattern of beats is more irregular, perhaps made up of two time signatures (eg 5/4 time from 3 + 2 beats, alternated)
251
triadic
musical movement that uses the notes of a triad
252
pitch bend
when a performer changes the pitch of the note by a very small amount (eg using the facility on a synthesiser)
253
mezzo forte (mf)
moderately loud
254
ternary form
a three-part structure eg A B A (the final section may be an exact or varied repeat of the first section)
