Music Midterm
octave
(1) the distance of eight musical steps, the interval size 8 (2) the particular part of the musical range where a pitch sounds
beat subdivision
a further division of the beat division into two parts; for example, a quarter note in simple meter divides into two eighths and subdivides into four sixteenths
beam
a line that connects two or more note stems within a beat unit
key signature
a pattern of sharps or flats (or none) that appears immediately following the clef on a staff, showing which notes, in any octave, are to be sharped or flatted consistently throughout the piece; it helps identify the key of the piece, but each signature is used for two keys- one major and one minor
swung eighths
a performance practice where a rhythm notated with even eighth notes is performed unevenly, with more time allotted to the first eighth and less to the second in each pair
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 (e.g., D and E flat)
chromatic half step
a semitone spelling that uses the same letter name for both pitches (e.g., D and D sharp)
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 a whole and half steps W-W-H-W-W-W-H; it shares the same key signatures as its relative minor
flag
a short arc attached to the right side of a note stem, at the opposite end from 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 (duple, triple, quadruple) and beat division (simple, compound); also called a time signature
solfège, fixed-do
a singing system in which a particular syllable is associated with a particular pitch (do is always C, re is always D, etc.) no matter what the key
solfège, moveable-do
a singing system in which a particular syllable is associated with a particular scale step (do is always 1, re is always 2, etc.) no matter what the key
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; used to notate durations extending across a bar line and for durations that cannot be represented with dotted notes
note heads
a small oval used to notate a pitch on the staff
conducting patterns
a specific pattern, one for each meter, that conductors outline by moving their arms in the air to help keep performers playing together in time
clef
a symbol on the far left of a staff that shows which pitch (and octave) is represented by each line and space
accidentals
a symbol that appears before a note to raise or lower its pitch chromatically, without changing its letter name
articulation
how a pitch sounded, including various ways of bowing or plucking stringed instruments and tonguing wind and brass instruments
tempo
how fast or slow music is played
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 (x)
an accidental that raises a pitch two half steps without changing its letter name
slur
an arc that connects two (or more) different pitches; they affect performance articulation, but not duration
metrical accent
an emphasis on a note resulting from its placement on a strong beat
whole step (whole tone)
an interval that spans two adjacent half steps
scale
an ordered collection of pitches
duplet
in compound meter, a division of the beat into two, instead of three, equal parts
bass clef
clef positioned on a staff to indicate F; its two dots surround the F3 line
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; also known as (G-clef)
two-beat triplet
in simple meter, a division of a half note into three equal quarter notes
triplet
in simple meter, a division of the beat into three, instead of two, equal parts
augmentation
lengthening the durations of a rhythm, often by doubling them
changing meter
meter that changes from measure to measure
compound meter
meter where the beat divides into threes and subdivides into sixes; the top number of compound meter signatures is 6, 9, or 12
simple meter
meter where the beat divides into twos and subdivides into fours; top number is either 2, 3, or 4
symmetrical meter
meter with beat units of equal duration
asymmetrical meter
meter with beats of units of unequal duration; these irregular beat lengths are typically (though not always) created by five or seven beat divisions grouped into unequal lengths such as 2+3 or 2+3+2
compound quadruple
meter with four beats in a measure, each beat divided into three
quadruple meter
meter with four beats in each measure
compound triple
meter with three beats in a measure, each beat divided into three
triple meter
meter with three beats in each measure
compound duple
meter with two beats in a measure, each beat divided into three
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
scale-degree numbers
numbers for the position of a note or triad in a scale, written with a caret over a number
enharmoinc
different names for the same pitch (eg. E flat and D sharp)
rest
duration of silence
ledger lines
extra lines drawn through stems and note heads to designate a musical pitch located above or below the staff
tonic
scale-degree 1
supertonic
scale-degree 2
mediant
scale-degree 3
subdominant
scale-degree 4
dominant
scale-degree 5
submediant
scale-degree 6
leading tone
scale-degree 7; gets its name from its tendency to lead upward toward the tonic
diatonic scale
scales made by rotating the step pattern W-W-H-W-W-W-H
accent
stress given to a note or some other musical element that brings it to the listener's attention
upbeat
the beat that precedes a downbeat; named for the upward lift of the conductor's hand
octave equivalence
the concept that pitches eight steps apart (sharing the same name) sound similar
dynamic level
the degree of loudness in performance. Extends from ppp (very soft) to fff (very loud)
half step
the distance between a pitch and the next closest pitch on the keyboard
interval
the distance between two pitches
beat unit
the duration assigned to the basic pulse
rhythm
the durations of pitch and silence (notes and rests) used in a piece
downbeat
the first beat of a measure, which has the strongest accent or emphasis; named for the downward motion of the conductor's hand
staff
the five parallel lines on which music is written
meter
the grouping and division of beats in regular, recurring patterns
letter name
the name of a particular pitch, employing letters A-G, that corresponds to its place on the staff or a musical instrument
beat
the primary pulse in musical meter; normally represents an even and regular division of musical time
note
the representation of a musical sound with a note head on the 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 duration
beat division
the secondary pulse in musical meter; beats may be divided into two parts (simple meter) or three parts (compound meter)
contour
the shape of a melody; its motion up and down
transpose
to renotate a melody or harmony at a different pitch level or in a different key while maintaining the intervals between its elememts
rhythm clef
two short, thick, vertical lines at the beginning of a single-line staff; used to notate unpitched percussion parts
grand staff
two staves, one in treble clef and one in bass clef, connected by a curly brace; typically used in piano music
Middle C
C4; the C located at the center of the piano keyboard
anacrusis
a beat that precedes a downbeat, sometimes shown in an incomplete measure
tendency tone
a chord member or scale degree whose relation to the surrounding tones requires a particular resolution (i.e., chordal sevenths must resolve down, and leading tones must resolve up)
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
descending contour
a melodic line that generally goes down, from higher pitches to lower ones
ascending contour
a musical line that generally goes up, from lower pitches to higher ones
pitch
a musical sound in a particular octave or register
chromatic scale
a scale consisting of all twelve pitches within the octave; the distance between each note and the next is a half step
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
scale-degree names
names for the position of a note pr triad in a scale; these include tonic, supertonic, mediant, subdominant, dominant, submediant, leading tone, and subtonic
score
notated music
syncopation
rhythmic displacement of accents created by dots, ties, rests, dynamic markings, or accent marks
dot
rhythmic notation that adds half of a note's own value to its duration
register
the highness or lowness of a pitch or passage; the particular octave in which a pitch sounds
musical alphabet
the letters A, B, C, D, E, F, and G, which are used to name musical pithces