Music Theory CH 1 Topics/Vocab

Asymmetrical Meter

"not symmetrical"; those meter signatures that indicate the pulse cannot be divided into equal groups of 2, 3, or 4 beats. The upper numbers are usually 5 or 7.

Meter Signatures

A symbol placed at the beginning of a composition to indicate the meter of the piece. They usually consist of two numbers, the lower of which indicates a note value (i.e., 2, 4, 8) and the upper, the number of these notes per measure.

Double Flat

A symbol written to the left of a note, which lowers the pitch by a whole step.

Double Sharp

A symbol written to the left of a note, which raises the pitch by a whole step.

Locrian

A system of seven tones with the same arrangement as from B to B on the white keys of the piano. Seldom found in music literature because of tritone relationships.

Dorian

A system of seven tones with the same arrangement as from D to D on the white keys of the piano.

Phrygian

A system of seven tones with the same arrangement as from E to E on the white keys of the piano.

Lydian

A system of seven tones with the same arrangement as from F to F on the white keys of the piano.

Mixolydian

A system of seven tones with the same arrangement as from G to G on the white keys of the piano.

Ionian

A system of seven tones with the same arrangement as our major key scale (C to C on the white keys of the piano). Not one of the original church modes: developed with the advent of polyphony.

Aeolian

A system of seven tones with the same arrangement as the natural minor key (A to A on the white keys of the piano). Not one of the original church modes; developed with the advent of polyphony.

Mezzo Soprano Clef

A C clef less used. The indentation signifies that middle C is on the second line of the staff.

Baritone Clef

A C clef less used. The indentation signifies that middle C is on the top line of the staff. May also be signified by a bass clef with the dots on the third line.

Alto Clef

A C clef or "movable" clef. The indentation in the signature signifies that middle C is on the middle line of the staff.

Soprano Clef

A C clef or movable clef. The indentation signifies that middle C is on the bottom line of the staff.

Tenor Clef

A C or movable clef. The indentation in the sign signifies that middle C is on the fourth line of the staff.

Quadruple Meter

A meter consisting of four beats.

Triple Meter

A meter consisting of three beats.

Duple Meter

A meter that consists of two beats.

Dorian, phrygian, lydian, mixolydian

The four church modes.

Clefs

a symbol placed at the beginning of a line of music that establishes the letter names of the lines and spaces of the staff.

Natural

cancels any previous sharp or flat and returns to the natural, or unaltered, pitch.

Dynamic Markings

indicate the general volume (amplitude) of sound. Although imprecise, such marks denote approximate levels of intensity.

Second Dot

lengthens the dotted note value value by half the length of the first dot.

Direction for Notation 15:

Direction for Notation 15: When a dotted note is ON A LINE, the dot is usually placed slightly ABOVE the line. When two separate voices are placed on a single staff, the dots are BELOW the line on the notes with stems DOWN.

Direction for Notation 1

Direction for Notation 1: Noteheads are oval in shape and positioned on the staff lines and spaces at a slight upward slant. Stems are thin, vertical lines that are directly connected to the head. The stems of single notes within the staff should be about one octave in length.

Direction for Notation 2

Direction for Notation 2: When a staff contains only a single melody, stems go down on those notes above the middle line and up on those notes below the middle line. When a note is ON the middle line, the stem is usually down, EXCEPT when the stems of adjacent notes are in the opposite direction.

Direction for Notation 3

Direction for Notation 3: When stemmed notes are placed on ledger lines,the stems should extend to the MIDDLE line of the staff.

Direction for Notation 4

Direction for Notation 4: When connected by beams, stemmed notes should be modified so that the beams are slanted to cross NO MORE THAN one line of the staff for each group of notes. Beams are slightly thicker than note stems.

Direction for Notation 5

Direction for Notation 5: When two melodies occupy the same staff, the stems for one melody are up, and the stems for the other melody are down. This makes it possible to distinguish the melodies.

Direction for Notation 6

Direction for Notation 6: Beam groups of eighth notes (and smaller values) according to the beats in the measure.

Direction for Notation 7:

Direction for Notation 7: In compound meter, it is important to show the basic pulse structure of the measure and the division (of three) as clearly as possible.

Direction for Notation 8:

Direction for Notation 8: Use flags for eighth or shorter-value notes that are not grouped within a beat.

Direction for Notation 9:

Direction for Notation 9: Connect no more than SIX notes by beams unless all are part of one beat.

Whole Note and Rest

Equivalent to two half notes

Breve and Rest

Equivalent to two whole notes

Sixty-Fourth Note and Rest Tie

equivalent to two 128th notes

Eighth Note and Rest

equivalent to two 16th notes

Sixteenth Note and Rest

equivalent to two 32nd notes

Thirty-Second Note and Rest

equivalent to two 64th notes

Quarter Note and Rest

equivalent to two eighth notes

Half Note and Rest

equivalent to two quarter notes

Octave Identification

used to identify a specific note by the octave in which it appears. We use the Helmholtz system which uses: Sub-Contra (AAA-BBB), Contra (CC-BB), Great (C-B), small (c-b), One-line (c1-b1), two-line (c2-b2), three-line (c3-b3), four-line (c4-b4), Five-line (c5).

Grand Staff

A combination of the treble and bass clefs that is commonly used to notate keyboard music.

Tie

A curved line connecting two notes, which indicates that they are to be played as a single note.

Staff

A group of five horizontal lines on which music is notated.

Syncopation

A rhythm in which normally unaccented beats are stressed either through agogic or dynamic accent.

Accidentals

Any of the symbols, such as sharps, flats, and naturals, which are used to raise or lower the pitch of a note.

Bass Clef

Called the F clef because dots are placed on the fourth line of the staff to indicate the F below middle C.

Treble Clef

Called the G clef because the curved line of the signature terminates on the second line of the staff to establish G above middle C.

Pitch

Describes the highness or lowness (the frequency) of a tone. They are represented by symbols positioned on a staff and identified with letter names.

Direction for Notation 10:

Direction for Notation 10: Flagged and beamed notes are generally not mixed, EXCEPT when notating vocal music. In vocal music, flagged notes have traditionally been used when the text-music relationship involves one note for each syllable. However, modern practice has moved toward the use of "instrumental" notation for vocal music.

Direction for Notation 11:

Direction for Notation 11: Irregular divisions of a beat or measure are indicated by showing the number of notes in the resulting group by means of an Arabic numeral. The note values of the irregular group are notated the same way as the regular group, provided the number of notes in the irregular group is less than twice that of the regular. For example, a triplet retains the same note values as a regular duplet. When the number of notes in the irregular group is more than twice the number of the regular, the next smaller note value is used; for example, a quintuplet would employ the next smaller note value.

Direction for Notation 12:

Direction for Notation 12: The whole rest can be used to indicate a full measure of rest in any meter.

Direction for Notation 13:

Direction for Notation 13: Use two quarter rests rather than a half rest in 3/4 meter.

Direction for Notation 14:

Direction for Notation 14: When notes of a chord are on an adjacent line and space, the HIGHER of the two is ALWAYS to the right, REGARDLESS of the direction of the stem.

Direction for Notation 16:

Dynamic markings should be added above, between, or below staves according to the nature of the music or score: Instrumental Music - beneath the staff to which they refer, sometimes above if not enough space. Vocal - usually above the staff to which they refer (avoids confusion with words of lyrics) Piano - between staves if markings apply to both staves. If each staff individually, should go just above or below staff which they refer. Should not be placed on the staff.

Half-Step Motion

In passages of music involving this, a flattened note is followed most often by a note with a different letter name a half step lower. A sharpened note is followed most often by a note with a different letter name a half step higher in those passages.

Flat

Lowers the pitch a half step.

Compound Meter

Meter in which the basic pulse may be subdivided into groups of three; for example, 6/8, 9/8, 12/8.

Simple Meter

Meter signatures whose upper numbers are 1, 2, 3, or 4. The basic subdivision of the pulse is in duplets.

Dot

Placed to the right of a note head and lengthens the value of the note by half again its value.

Sharp

Raises the pitch a half step.

Ledger Lines

Small lines written above or below the staff to extend its range.

Middle C

The C nearest to the middle of the piano keyboard. This note is an important point of reference because it is on the ledger line between the treble and bass staves on the grand staff.

I Don't Particularly Like Modes A Lot

The mnemonic device used to remember the different modes.

Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, Locrian

The modes of music in order.

Rhythm

The movement of music in time. A pattern of uneven duration over the steady background of the beat.

Interval

The relationship between two tones.

Pulse or Beat

The steady pulse of music. They form the basis of the sense of musical time.

Meter

The system of regularly recurring pulses most often grouped by periodic accents; for example, 3/4 meter indicates that the beats are grouped by threes with the quarter note representing one beat or pulse.

Letter Names

The various pitches are referred to by the first seven letters of the alphabet (A B C D E F G)

Irregular Divisions and Subdivisions

Those divisions and subdivisions that require added numbers

Enharmonic Equivalents

Two tones having the same pitch but different spelling; For example, F-sharp and G-flat

C Clef

may be positioned on any line of the staff to designate middle C. It is coupled with a set of secondary names to identify each of the possible positions - soprano, mezzo soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone.

Duration

the length of time a note or rest lasts.