MUSIC 101

Tenor Clef

A C-Clef positioned on a staff so that the fourth line from the bottom indicates middle C.

Alto Clef

A C-Clef positioned on a staff so that the middle line indicates Middle C.

Phrase

A basic unit of musical thought, similar to a sentence in language. The typical phrase- like most sentences- has a beginning, middle, and an end. A phrase must end with a cadence.

Root Position

A chord voiced with the root in the bass.

Inverted Chords/Chord Inversions

A chord with its third, fifth, or seventh in the the bass instead of the root.

Seventh Chord

A four-note chord with a third, fifth, and seventh above its root; a triad with a third added above its fifth.

Beam

A line that connects two or more note stems within a beat unit.

Parallel Major

A major key that has the same tonic as a given minor key but different key signature. The parallel major raises the third, sixth, and seventh scale degrees of a minor key.

Neighbor Tone

A melodic embellishment that decorates a pitch by moving a step above or below it, then returning to the original pitch.

Passing Tone

A melodic embellishment that fills the space between chord members. Passing tones are approached and left by step in the same direction.

Parallel Minor

A minor key that has the same tonic as a given major key but different key signature. The parallel minor lowers the third, sixth, and seventh scale degrees of a major key.

Ascending Contour

A musical line that generally goes up, from lower pitches to higher ones.

Basic Phrase

A phrase that consists of an opening tonic area, an optional predominant area, dominant area, and tonic closure.

Consonance

A relative term based on acoustic properties of sound ad on the norms of compositional practice. A consonant interval- unison, third, fifth, sixth, or octave- is considered pleasing to hear.

Dissonance

A relative term based on acoustic properties of sound and on the norms of compositional practice. A dissonant interval- second, tritone, seventh, or any augmented or diminished interval- is considered unpleasant or jarring to hear.

Minor Scale

A seven-note scale beginning 1 (do), 2 (re), 3 (mi) that occurs in three forms: natural, harmonic, and melodic. The natural minor scale is an ordered collection of pitches arranged according to the pattern of whole and half steps W-H-W-W-H-W-W; shares the same key signature as its relative minor.

Dominant Seven Chord

A seventh chord consisting of a major triad with a minor seventh above its root.

Third Inversion

A seventh chord with its seventh in the bass.

Solfege Movable-do

A singing system in which a particular syllable is associated with a particular scale step no matter what the key. (do is always 1, re is always 2, etc.)

Solfege Fixed-do

A singing system in which a particular syllable is associated with a particular scale step no matter what the key. (do is always C, re is always D, etc.)

Perfect Authentic Cadence

A strong conclusive cadence in which the root position V7 progresses to root position I.

Melody

A succession of pitches and rhythms in a single line; the main musical tune in a piece of music.

Roman Numeral

A symbol used to represent the scale degree o chord is built on, as well as its quality.

Triad

A three-note chord with a third and fifth above its starting point or root.

Second Inversion

A triad or seventh chord voiced with its fifth in the bass.

First Inversion

A triad or seventh chord with its third in the bass.

Major Triad

A triad that has a major third between its root and third, and a minor third between its third and fifth. The interval between its root and fifth is a perfect fifth.

Minor Triad

A triad that has a minor third between its root and third, and a major third between its third and fifth. The interval between its root and fifth is a perfect fifth.

Augmented Triad

A triad that has major thirds between its root and third, and between its third and fifth. The interval between its root and fifth is an augmented fifth.

Diminished Triad

A triad that has minor thirds between its root and third and between its third and fifth. The interval between its root and fifth is a diminished fifth.

Slur

An arc that connects two or more different pitches.

Imperfect Authentic Cadence

An authentic cadence weakened by inverting V.

Half Cadence

An inconclusive cadence ending on the dominant.

Tritone

An interval made up of three whole tones or six semitones; an augmented fourth or diminished fifth.

Augmented Interval

An interval one chromatic half step larger than a major or perfect interval.

Diminished Interval

An interval one half step smaller than a minor or perfect interval.

Unison

An interval size 1, or the distance from a pitch to itself.

Enharmonic Notes

Different names for the same pitch (e.g. E♭ and D♯)

Semitone

Half Step

Duplet

In compound meter, a division of the beat into two, instead of three, equal parts.

Triplet

In simple meter, a division of the beat into three instead of two, equal parts.

Changing Meter

Meter that changes from measure to measure.

Melodic Minor Scale

Minor scale that has raised 6 scale degree and 7 ascending, but takes the natural minor form descending.

Harmonic Minor Scale

Minor scale that has raised 7 scale degree.

Deceptive Resolution

Motion from V7 to vi in major or V7 to VI in minor that does not end a phrase.

Accompaniment

Music played by keyboard, guitar, or other instruments providing harmonies to support a melody.

Chord

Pitches sounded at the same time.

Embellishing Tone

Pitches that decorate tones in a melodic line.

Doubling

Reinforcing a melodic line by adding voices at the unison or octave.

Syncopation

Rhythmic displacement of accents created by its, ties, rests, dynamic markings, or accent marks.

Tonic

Scale degree 1.

Supertonic

Scale degree 2.

Mediant

Scale degree 3.

Homophony

Texture in which all voices are vertically aligned to move together in the same (or nearly the same) rhythm.

Plagal Cadence

The cadence IV-I (iv-i in minor), sometimes called the "Amen Cadence." Because the IV-I motion often follows a conclusive authentic cadence, some musicians view plagal cadences as an extension of the tonic harmony.

Deceptive Cadence

The cadence V7 to vi in major or V7 to VI in minor.

Augmented Second

The distance between ♭6 and 7 in the harmonic minor scale; equivalent to three half steps.

Cadence

The end of a phrase, where harmonic, melodic, and rhythmic features mark the close of a complete musical thought.

Staff

The five parallel lines on which music is written.

Register

The highness or lowness of a pitch or passage; the particular octave in which a pitch sounds.

Enharmonically Equivalent

The idea that two or more possible names for a single pitch (e.g. C♯, D♭, B x ) are musically the same.

Root

The lowest pitch of a triad or seventh chord when the chord is spelled in thirds.

Bass

The lowest voice in four part writing (SATB).

Texture

The number of different melodies sounding at once and the relationship of those melodies to each other.

Beat

The primary pulse in musical meter.

Harmonic Rhythm

The rate at which chords change (e.g. one chord per measure or one chord per beat)

Beat Division

The secondary pulse in musical meter; beats may be divided into two parts or three parts.

Chord Progression

The specific order in which chords appear.

Minor Interval

Thirds, sixths, and sevenths above 1 of a minor scale.

Harmonizing

To choose chords to accompany a melody.

Transpose

To renotate a melody or harmony to a different pitch level or in a different key while maintaining the intervals between its elements.

Interval Inversion

Transformation of an interval that results from displacing one pitch by an octave such that the interval size and quality change.

Perfect Interval

Unisons, fourths, fifths, and octaves above 1 in a major or minor scale.

Fifth (Chord)

Within a triad or seventh chord, the pitch located a fifth above the root.

Third (Chord)

Within a triad or seventh chord, the pitch located a third above the root.

Swung Eights

A performance practice where a rhythm notated with even eighth notes is performed unevenly, with more time allotted to the first eighth note and less to the second in each pair.

Pitch

A musical sound in a particular octave or register.

Beat Unit

The duration Assigned to the basic pulse.

Anacrusis

A beat that proceeds the downbeat, also called an upbeat or pickup.

Modulation

A change of key, usually confirmed by a perfect authentic cadence.

Tendency Tone

A chord member or scale degree whose relation to the surrounding tones requires a particular resolution.

Circle of Fifths

A circular diagram representing the relationship between keys; clockwise motion around the circle shifts a key up by a P5 and removes a flat or adds a sharp; counterclockwise motion shifts a key down by a P5 and removes a sharp or adds a flat.

Beat Subdivision

A further division of the beat division into two parts; for example quarter note in simple meter divides into two eighths and subdivides into four sixteenths.

Metronome

A mechanical device that clicks at an even rate, where the number of clicks per minute may be adjusted; used to establish tempo.

Descending Contour

A melodic line that generally goes down, from higher pitches to lower ones.

Transcription

A rhythmic pattern rewritten in a different meter, where it sounds the same if it is played at the same tempo.

Chromatic Scale

A scale consisting of all twelve pitches within the octave; the distance between each note is a half step.

Whole Tone Scale

A scale with the pattern W-W-W-W-W; it has only whole steps between adjacent scale members

Diatonic Half Step

A semitone spelling that uses different letter names for the two pitches.

Chromatic Half Step

A semitone spelling that uses the same letter name for both pitches.

Major Tetrachord

A series of four notes that form an ascending W-W-H pattern; building block of a major scale.

Major Scale

A seven-note scale beginning 1 (do), 2 (re), 3 (mi) with the pattern of whole and half steps W-W-H-W-W-W-H; it shares the same key signature as its relative minor.

Flag (Stem)

A short arc attached to the right side of a note stem, at the opposite end of the note head; each flag divides the duration of a note in half.

Meter Signature

A sign that appears at the beginning of a piece, after the clef and key signature, that indicates the meter type and beat division; also called a time signature.

Eighth Rest

A silence equal to the duration of an eighth note.

Half Rest

A silence represented by a horizontal bar sitting on top of the third staff line; duration is equal to a half note.

Quarter Rest

A silence with a duration equivalent to a quarter note.

Sixteenth Rest

A silence with a duration equivalent to a sixteenth note.

Whole Rest

A silence with a duration that is equivalent to a whole note.

Tie

A small arc connecting note heads of two or more identical pitches to indicate the durations are to be combined together, without rearticulating the pitch.

Note Head

A small oval used to notate a pitch on the staff. Hollow note heads normally represent a longer duration than filled note heads.

Conducting Patterns

A specific pattern, before each meter, that conductors outline by moving their arms in the air to help keep performers playing together in time.

Whole Note

A stemless, hollow note head.

Quarter Note

A stemmed, filled note head equivalent to two eighth notes.

Eighth Note

A stemmed, filled note head with one flag or beam.

Sixteenth Note

A stemmed, filled note head with two flags or beams. Two sixteenth notes is equivalent to one eighth note.

Half Note

A stemmed, hollow note head; its duration is equivalent to two quarter notes.

Accidentals

A symbol that appears before a note to raise or lower its pitch chromatically, without changing its letter name.

Measure

A unit of grouped beats; beginning and ending with bar lines.

Stem

A vertical line attached to a note head; it generally extends upward if the note is written below the middle line of the staff and downward if the note is written on or above the middle line.

Bar Line

A vertical line, extending from the top of the staff to the bottom, that indicates the end of a measure.

Middle C

C4; the C located at the center of the piano keyboard.

Bass Clef

Clef positioned on a staff line to indicate F; its two dots surround the F3 line. (Also known as the F-clef)

Treble Clef

Clef positioned on a staff to indicate G by means of the end of its curving line; it circles the line that represents G4.

Ledger Line

Extra lines drawn through the stems and note heads to designate a musical pitch located above or below the staff.

Articulation

How a pitch is sounded.

Tempo

How fast or slow music is played.

Scale Degree Names

Name for the position of a note or triad in a scale; these include tonic, supertonic, mediant, subdominant, dominant, submediant, leading tone, and subtonic.

Scale Degrees Numbers

Numbers for the position of a note or triad in a scale, written with a caret over a number.

Dot

Rhythmic notation that adds half of a note's own value to its duration.

Submediant

Scale Degree 6.

Subdominant

Scale degree 4.

Dominant

Scale degree 5.

Leading Tone

Scale degree 7.

Subtonic

Scale degree ♭7 of the natural minor scale, located a whole step below the tonic.

Diatonic Scale

Scale made by rotating the step patterns W-W-H-W-W-W-H; the major and natural minor scales are diatonic scales.

Major Interval

Seconds, thirds, sixths, and sevenths above 1 of major scale.

Accent

Stress given to a note that brings it to the listener's attention.

Octave Equivalence

The concept that pitches eight steps apart (sharing the same name) sound similar.

Dynamic Level

The degree of loudness in a performance. Extends from ppp (very soft) to fff (very loud).

Interval Quality

The difference between two intervals of the same size that span a different number of semitones.

Interval

The distance between two pitches.

Octave

The distance of eight musical steps; the particular part of the musical range where a pitch sounds.

Rhythm

The duration of pitch and silence used in a piece.

Down Beat

The first beat of a measure, which has the strongest accent or emphasis.

Musical Alphabet

The letters A, B, C, D, E, F, and G, which are used to name musical pitches.

Relative Major

The major key that shares the same key signature as a given minor key but a different tonic. The relative major has the same pitches as its relative minor but begins on♭3 scale degree of the minor key.

Relative Minor

The minor key that shares the same key signature as a given major key but a different tonic. The relative minor has the same pitches as its relative major but begins on 6 scale degree of the major key.

Letter Name

The name for a particular pitch, employing letters A-G, that corresponds to its place on the staff.

Scale Step

The position of a note in a scale; identified by scale degree names or scale degree numbers.

Note

The representation of a musical sound with a note head on a staff. The position of the note head indicates the pitch; whether the note head is filled or hollow and the presence of a stem, beam, or flag indicates the duration.

Modal Scale Degree

The third, sixth, and seventh scale degrees, which are one half step lower in minor keys than in major.

Change of Mode

Transforming a melody or harmony from major to minor, or the reverse, by altering the quality of the third, sixth, and seventh scale degrees.

Grand Staff

Two staves, one in treble and one in bass clef, connected by a curly brace; typically used in piano music.

Half Step

The distance between a pitch and the next closest pitch on the keyboard.

Natural

An accidental that cancels a sharp or flat.

Flat

An accidental that lowers a pitch by one half step without changing its letter name.

Double Flat

An accidental that lowers a pitch two half steps without changing its letter name.

Sharp

An accidental that raises a pitch a half step without changing its letter name.

Double Sharp

An accidental that raises a pitch two half steps without changing its letter name.

Metrical Accent

An emphasis on a note resulting from its placement on strong beat.

Whole Step/Whole Tone

An interval that spans two adjacent half steps.

Compound Meter

Meter where the beat divides into three and subdivides into sixes. The top number of the meter signatures is 6, 9, or 12.

Simple Meter

Meter where the beat divides into twos and subdivides into fours. The top number of simple meter signatures is 2, 3, or 4.

Symmetrical Meter

Meter with beat units of equal duration

Asymmetrical Meter

Meter with beat units of unequal duration.

Quadruple Meter

Meter with four beats in each measure.

Triple Meter

Meter with three beats in each measure.

Duple Meter

Meter with two beats in each measure.

Major Key

Music comprised of notes drawn from the major scale; the key is named by the first scale degree and type of scale.