Unit 1 - Understanding Jazz

Question 1

accomplished through varying lengths of notes combined with space all in relation to a steady pulse; organizing time element of music

Answer 1

Rhythm

Question 2

a unit that serves as a container holding a specific number of beats as defined by the meter; a collection of strong and weak beats

Answer 2

Measure ( or Bar )

Question 3

an expression of the pace/speed at which the music moves; the speed at which music is played

Answer 3

Tempo

Question 4

no regular tempo and moving slowly; songs without a sense of beat; irregular beat

Answer 4

Rubato

Question 5

when performers drag behind the rhythm section’s steady pulse; “dragging”

Answer 5

Laying Back

Question 6

a rhythmic phenomenon that occurs when one regularly occurring rhythm or major beat emphasis interacts with a rhythm that occurs on a weak, normally unemphasized, portion of a beat; the rhythm that is normally unemphasized becomes accented and creates this; emphasis off the beat

Answer 6

Syncopation ( or Tension )

Question 7

a combination of two or more rhythms occurring simultaneously

Answer 7

Polyrhythm

Question 8

a rhythmic phenomenon associated with jazz; three main elements: walking bassline, emphasis on the 2nd and 4th beat, and the fast notes have a rounded out feel

Answer 8

Swing

Question 9

the result of an organization of notes that move by varying distances - by step and leap - either ascending or descending, to form a musical statement; the main star

Answer 9

Melody

Question 10

a complete musical idea or statement; can refer to a melodic, harmonic, or rhythmic statement; a collection of notes with a clear beginning and ending

Answer 10

Phrase

Question 11

defined by a central note, scale, or chord that provides a musical center of gravity; a central tone in which a song is based

Answer 11

Key

Question 12

when a song changes key, transferring from one key to another

Answer 12

Modulate

Question 13

harmony and melody work together to establish this; music centered around a particular tone

Answer 13

Tonality

Question 14

music that comes from musicals, typical jazz piece that jazz musicians practice/perform

Answer 14

Jazz Standards

Question 15

Not all jazz music is _____.

Answer 15

Swing

Question 16

a direct result of West African influences on European derived music styles and popular American music; difficult to define as it has many influences and is ever-changing

Answer 16

Jazz

Question 17

a racial mix resulting from a union between French, African-American, and sometimes Spanish

Answer 17

Creole

Question 18

when a piece of music lacks a key center; lacking of any specific tonality

Answer 18

Atonal

Question 19

based on alterations of a traditional scale; important to jazz; simple chords

Answer 19

Blues

Question 20

the third, fifth, and seventh notes of a chord that are altered by lowering the pitch to create blues inflections; dissonant notes

Answer 20

Blue Notes

Question 21

includes all 12 different pitches each seperated by half-steps therefore including all white and black keyboard notes; all half-steps

Answer 21

Chromatic Scale

Question 22

two kinds; collection of whole steps and half-steps; major scale - happier sounding, minor scale: sad, angry, aggressive

Answer 22

Diatonic Scale

Question 23

a collection of two or more notes played together; support; similar to chords

Answer 23

Harmony

Question 24

three or more notes played together; similar to harmony

Answer 24

Chords

Question 25

a succession of chords; collection of notes that move

Answer 25

Chord Progression ( or Progression )

Question 26

defines the pace at which chords move from one to another in a progression; the speed at which harmonies go from one note to the other

Answer 26

Harmonic Rhythm

Question 27

a three-note chord or sonority described as either major, minor, diminished, or augmented in quality

Answer 27

Triad

Question 28

a chord consisting of four different pitches and arranged with a major or minor third between each

Answer 28

Seventh Chord

Question 29

tones above the seventh; ninth, tenth, eleventh, thirteenth

Answer 29

Extension Tones

Question 30

the home key; "home base"

Answer 30

Tonic

Question 31

based on the notion that there are certain tendencies that lead one chord logically to another

Answer 31

Functional Harmony

Question 32

the ways in which each tile or fiber interacts with one another; can be dense or sparse, busy or static, transparent or dark and rich; thickness or thiness of music

Answer 32

Texture

Question 33

describes a single line unaccompanied melodic texture; no accompaniment/help; one melody

Answer 33

Monophonic

Question 34

when only one melody line is predominently supported by chord accompaniment

Answer 34

Homophonic

Question 35

features two or more equally dominant and intertwined melodic lines creating another different texture; two melodies performed against each other

Answer 35

Polyphonic

Question 36

describes the overall architecture in music

Answer 36

Form

Question 37

used to define the architecture of the classic American popular song following a symmetrical ABA or AABA structure

Answer 37

Song Form

Question 38

"channel"; often referred to as the B section

Answer 38

Bridge

Question 39

blues music only 12 measures long; typical blues; statement, restatement, answer, chorus; full structure ( AABA is a chorus )

Answer 39

12-Bar Blues

Question 40

changing up a song in the middle of performance; rarely ever not practiced thoroughly beforehand

Answer 40

Improvisation

Question 41

found in medieval chants and Renaissance music; composers were expected to improvise; by the late 1800s, improve was diminishing as composers sought more control over their compositions

Answer 41

European Tradition

Question 42

particulary western; rhythmic, percussion, call and response

Answer 42

African Tradition

Question 43

when the strings are plucked

Answer 43

Pizzicato

Question 44

basically a single reed but folded

Answer 44

Double Reed

Question 45

a way of coloring the sound; changing pitch ( like shaking it ); air - louder, softer; pitch - pitch change

Answer 45

Vibratto

Question 46

changes the sound on a horn

Answer 46

Mute

Question 47

the way in which a note is attached or initiated by the performer; how it's played or sung; length: short or long

Answer 47

Articulation

Question 48

describes how someone takes a melody and makes it their own

Answer 48

Phrasing

Question 49

notes that get special emphasis

Answer 49

Accents

Question 50

using objects and adding onto noises to create a different sound

Answer 50

Special Effects

Question 51

something that gets repeated

Answer 51

Unifying Elements

Question 52

nothing repeated; everything is a little different

Answer 52

Elements of Variety

Question 53

piece of cane fashioned in a certain way

Answer 53

Reed

Question 54

typical jazz set-up

Answer 54

Saxophones in the front followed by Trombones then Trumpets with the Rhythm section to the side

Question 55

where we take a melody from a different song and throw it into a improv

Answer 55

Quotation

Question 56

The Empress of the Blues

Answer 56

Bessie Smith

Question 57

4-7 people getting together to play music without rhersal

Answer 57

Jam Session

Question 58

when someone plays and another answers

Answer 58

Call and Response

Question 59

same as bar

Answer 59

Measure

Question 60

playing together; same rhythm or melody

Answer 60

Unison

Question 61

where sections of instruments drop out

Answer 61

Break

Question 62

when a player adds in a bunch during spaces

Answer 62

Fill

Question 63

art of playing chords underneath the general music

Answer 63

Comping

Question 64

playing underneath a solo

Answer 64

Background Figure

Question 65

emphasis on the off beats

Answer 65

Syncopation

Question 66

typically happens between the soloist and the drummer; four measures for one, four measures for another, and so on

Answer 66

Trading Fours

Question 67

collection of notes that have a complete idea

Answer 67

Phrase

Question 68

same as measure

Answer 68

Bar

Question 69

typically happens after all the solos are done; loud shout sounds

Answer 69

Shout Chorus

Question 70

Father of the Blues

Answer 70

WC Handy

Question 71

a signal over the music; hold out on the note

Answer 71

Fermata

Question 72

hitting the drum with a pedal

Answer 72

Kick

Question 73

type of music; usually just a piano

Answer 73

Ragtime

Question 74

has a beginning and end, pause then play; can stand alone

Answer 74

Movement

Question 75

a show off piece; usually has strings, woodwinds, percussion, orchestra; typically one soloist

Answer 75

Concerto

Question 76

in classical music; where everyone plays then soloist, etc.

Answer 76

Concerto Grosso

Question 77

can be a group of players ( musical ensemble ) or a large scale musical composition that's multi-movement in nature

Answer 77

Symphony

Question 78

when you're singing multiple notes on a syllabe or word

Answer 78

Melisma

Question 79

music during 450-1450; most music saved from this period is very religious as the Roman Catholic Church was a big part of most people's lives ( basically ruled over them ); early chant music; monophonic ( Gregorian music ); one melody

Answer 79

Middle Ages

Question 80

music during 1450-1600; more strings; you know the type

Answer 80

Renaissance

Question 81

music during 1600-1750

Answer 81

Baroque

Question 82

music during 1750-1820s

Answer 82

Classical

Question 83

music during 1820-1900; more emotion

Answer 83

Romantic

Question 84

music after 1900

Answer 84

Twentieth Century