Duration

Crotchet note

1 beat

Quaver note

1/2 beat

Semiquaver note

1/4 beat

Semidemiquaver note

1/8 beat

Minim note

2 beats

Semibreve note

4 beats

Breve note

8 beats

Weak beat

A beat that does not provide the music with as much drive or momentum compared to a definite or strong beat. Can involve a slight emphasis on the first beat of every bar to give the listener a sense of structure.

Metric modulation

A change in pulse rate (tempo) and/or pulse grouping (subdivision) which is derived from a note value or grouping heard before the change.

Ostinato

A constantly repeated musical phrase in the same instrument or voice. Can be rhythmic, melodic or harmonic.

Swing rhythm

A feel or 'groove' heard in jazz, especially in 'swing' music, based on two emphasized subdivisions of the beat.

Cross beat

A form of polyrhythm, where a rhythm is used simultaneously with another rhythm.

Hypermeter

A high-level metric grouping that interprets groups of measures as though they were groups of beats within a single measure. Hypermetric analyses may label entire bars of music as metrically strong or weak.

Hemiola

A pattern of syncopated beats with two beats played in the time of three, or three in the time of two.

Augmentation

A pattern that is repeated with the notes double their previous duration.

Diminuition

A pattern that is repeated with the notes half their previous duration.

Imitation

A pattern that is restated by the same or a different instrument as a unifying feature.

Free rhythm

A piece that has no meter and there is no identifiable pulse or beat.

Riff

A repeated pattern, either melodic or chordal, that is usually a few bars in length and usually associated with jazz or rock music.

Divisive rhythm

A rhythm in which a larger period of time is divided into smaller rhythmic units. E.g. 4/4/ is a divisive meter because it is a combination of two 2/4 units.

Additive rhythm

A rhythm in which larger periods of time are constructed by joining end to end a series of units into larger units of unequal length. E.g. 5/8 is an ________ meter because it is a combination of 2/8 and 3/8 back to back.

Rhythmic motif

A rhythmic fragment that is repeated in a piece of music either immediately or throughout the piece as a unifying feature.

Sostenuto

A slowing of tempo, often accompanied by legato playing

Backbeat

A syncopated rhythm where accentuation occurs on the off beats or weak beats in a measure. In a four beat measure, beats 2 and 4 are emphasised rather than beats 1 and 3.

Cross rhythm

A type of polyrhythm where two meters are played at the same time.

Graphical notation

A way to express patterns in music in a visual or diagrammatic way, as an alternative to traditional music notation.

Accelerando

Accelerating

Mosso

Agitated

Irregular rhythm

Also known as free rhythm and is often improvised for expression. Free rhythm may be heard at the beginning of a piece of music as an introduction to the composition.

Syncopation

An emphasis on the weak or off beats. Composers use it through accents (Accented ____________), rests (missing note ____________), and ties (suspended ____________).

Upbeat

An unaccented beat or beats that occur before the first beat of a measure (generally the last beat of a measure).

Largamente

Another tempo word for slow and dignified

Affrettando

Another term for accelerating.

Lentando

Another term for becoming slower

Tuplets

Any rhythm that involves dividing the beat into unexpected subdivisions within the given time signature.

L'istesso tempo

At the same speed. This includes if time signature changes.

Off-beat

Beats that are not particularly strong or are weak in a specific time signature.

Rallentando

Decelerating in speed

Ritardando

Decelerating in speed

Allegro

Fast speed

Quadruple meter

Four pulses per measure. Is also called common time.

Rubato

Free flowing and exempt from steady rhythm. A flexible tempo using slight variations of speed to enhance musical expression

Strong beat

Gives music a drive and clear sense of momentum. Songs with a strong beat are easy for audiences to dance to, clap along to or tap their feet to.

Rock beat

Heard in rock and popular music in which the pop/rock drum pattern is usually stressed.

Tenuto

Holding or sustaining a single note for its full value.

Alla Marcia

In strict tempo at a marching pace (e.g. 120 BPM)

Indefinite beat

Is always considered a weak beat, although it can be heard in passages where there is free rhythm. Free rhythmic passages are sometimes heard in the introduction to a song.

Rhythmic layers

Layers refer to the grouping of performing media in a piece of music. Layers may be analyzed vertically as well as horizontally in a score, looking specifically at the instrumental or vocal groupings.

Regular rhythm

Like a steady beat, is easy to follow and predictable in a composition.

Fermata

Marks a note to be held or sustained longer then its written value.

Simple meter

Meters that have even divisions of beats in a bar. In these meters, the beats can be divided into 2.

Compound meter

Meters that have odd divisions of beats in a a bar. In these meters, the beats are divided by 3 instead of 2.

Moderato

Moderate speed

Andante

Moderately slow, but moving, walking

Hyper beat

One unit of hypermeter, generally a measure.

Rhythm

Patterns of long and short sounds and silences found in music.

Triplets

Playing three notes in the space of two. E.g. Quaver triplets would mean playing 3 quavers in the space of two quavers

Duplets

Playing two notes in the space of three.

Allegretto

Quickly, not as fast as allegro

Adagietto

Rather slow (but faster than adagio)

Time signature

Reference at the beginning of a musical score that tells us the number and type of beats per bar. The top number indicates the amount of beat; the bottom button indicates the type of beat, such as minim, crotchet or quaver.

Anticipation

Refers to a note that is played or sung before a strong beat - for example, a quaver before the first beat of a bar - anticipating the phrase.

Duration

Refers to the length of sounds and silences in music and includes the aspects of beat, rhythm, meter, tempo pulse rates and absence of pulse.

Polyrhythm

Refers to the use of two or more conflicting rhythm patterns or accents at the same time. Often occurs in heavily syncopated pieces.

Repetition

Reiteration of a pattern, either immediately after its first statement or throughout the piece of music, as a unifying feature.

Traditional notation

Representing sounds in music as notes on stave; also known as conventional notation.

A tempo

Return to previous tempo

Accompagnato

The accompaniment must follow the singer who can speed up and slow down at will.

On-beat

The first and third beats in a bar of 4/4 time, or the strong beats in a particular time signature.

Downbeat

The first beat of a measure in music. The strongest in any meter.

Meter

The grouping of beats in combinations of 2,3,4,5,6,7, and so on.

Changing meter

The modulation or change of meter in a piece of music.

Tempo

The speed of the beat and music in general.

Beat

The underlying pulse in music.

Mixed meter

The use of more than one meter in a piece of music. Commonly seen in some folk music. Also called multimeter.

Triple meter

Three pulses

Duple meter

Two pulses

Presto

Very fast

Prestissimo

Very very fast, as fast as possible

Quintuplets

Where 5 notes would be played in the space of 4.

Dotted notes

Where a dot is placed after the note value to indicate an increase in duration of the note by adding half of the original notes value on. Also called augmentation dots.

Polymeter

Where the beat varies and the measure stays constant. For example, in a 4:3 polyrhythm, one part plays 4/4 while the other plays ¾. But the ¾ beats are stretched so that three beats of ¾ are played in the same time as four beats of 4/4.

Double dotted notes

Where you add on half the value of the value you added onto the original note.

Up beat

Same as an anacrusis where notes appear before the start of a measure and is generally an incomplete measure that is completed at the end of the piece.

Definite beat

Similar to a strong beat, although more specific. It is a strong beat that can be described according to where the beat falls in the measure.

Lento

Slow

Largo

Slow and dignified; stately

Grave

Slow and solemn, slower than largo

Larghetto

Slow, but not as slow as largo

Adagio

Slow, leisurely

Allargando

Slowing down and broadening, becoming more stately and majestic, possibly louder

Accents

Stresses placed on particular notes for expression.