NFMC Theory test study set
Conductor
A person who conducts an orchestra, chorus, opera company, ballet, or other musical group
common time
4/4 time signature, represented by C
Moderato
A moderate/ medium speed
Prelude
A musical composition played as an introduction to another, larger musical piece
music alphabet
ABCDEFG
Ornament
The embellishment of a melody, either by adding notes or by modifying rhythms
Dominant
The fifth tone or degree of a diatonic scale
Fugue
a contrapuntal compositional technique in two or more voices, built on a musical theme
interval
a difference in pitch between two sounds
grand staff
a pair of five-line staffs connected by a brace
major scale pattern
a pattern of whole and half steps that make a major scale WWH W WWH
circle of fifths
a sequence of keys graphically represented in a circle
accidental
a sharp or flat in the music that is not included in the key signature
crescendo (cresc.)
gradually growing louder
Diminuendo
gradually growing softer
decrescendo (decresc.)
gradually growing softer
ritardando
gradually playing slower
measure
a single unit of time featuring a specific number of beats
Minuet
a stately dance in triple time
baton
a stick used by conductors to enhance movements associated with directing a musical ensemble
consonant
agreeable effect produced by certain intervals, pleasing or restful sounds, repose
bass clef
also known as F clef, marks 4th line of music staff
treble clef
also known as G clef, marks second line in the music staff
natural
cancels a sharp or flat sign, play the white key
authentic cadence
close of a composition, ending with the I chord (V or V7 chord to I chord)
a tempo
in time, return to the original speed
beam
line connecting the top of two eighth notes
Ledger lines
lines used to notate pitches above or below lines and spaces of the music staff
Poco a poco
little by little
mezzo forte (mf)
moderately loud
mezzo piano
moderately soft
Pentatonic scale
Five note scale with the 4th and 7th tone omitted
tie
curved line (slur) joining two notes of the same pitch
slur
curved line joining two or more notes of different pitch, played legato
staccato
detached, short
dissonant
disagreeable effect produced by certain intervals, unpleasant or disturbing tones, tension.
octave
eight notes higher or lower than written
Fermata
pause or hold beyond the normal duration
Phrase
phrase is a musical thought, which ends with a cadence
Major chord
root, major 3rd and 5th
Minor triad
root, minor 3rd and 5th
repeated note
same note is played again
Enharmonic spelling
same tone, different name (example C# - Db)
legato
smooth, connected
piano
soft, quiet
time signature
specifies how many beats are in each measure, and which note value receives the beat
beat
the basic rhythmic unit of a measure
half step
the distance between any two adjacent keys, white or black
whole step
the distance between two notes that have one note in between them
Fine
the end
flag
the mark added to a note stem to indicate the beat division of that note
key signature
the number of sharps or flats in any key, written at the beginning of each line
note head and stem
the two parts of a note, the body and the vertical line
brace
the vertical curved line on the left of the grand staff
dominant triad
three note chord built off of the fifth tone or degree of a diatonic scale
chord
three or more notes played at the same time
accelerando
to increase the tempo
al fine
to the end
double bar line
two vertical lines at the end of the piece
step
two white keys that are nest to each other, 2nd
skip
two white keys with one key in between, 3rd
fortissimo (ff)
very loud
pianissimo
very soft
Con moto
with motion
dynamics
words or signs indicating loudness or softness of sound (pp, p, mp, mf, f, ff)
Melodic intervals
The distance in scale steps between two pitches, one note at a time
Motive
A leading phrase or figure that is reproduced and varied through a composition or movement
Opera
Art form in which singers and musicians perform work combining text and musical score
Harpsichord
Early keyboard instrument with a plucking action
Harmonic intervals
The distance in scale steps between two pitches, played at the same time
Concert Master
The lead violinist, who leads the orchestra in tuning
Minor 3rd
Two notes that are 3 half steps apart
Major 3rd
Two notes that are 4 half steps apart
pulse
a beat
arpeggio
a broken chord
allegretto
a moderately quick tempo but slower than allegro
triad
a three note chord
andante
a walking speed
forte (f)
loud
flat
lowers a note by one half step
staff
made up of 5 bar lines, where notes are either on lines or spaces
binary form(AB)
music that is written in two part form
whole note
note receiving four beats
Eighth note
note that is equal too 1/8 of the whole note and lasts for half of one beat
dotted half note
note that receives 3 beats
half note
note that receives two beats
allegro
quickly and bright
sharp #
raises the note one half step
quarter note
receives one beat
meter
recurring pattern of stresses that provide the pulse or beat of music, time signature
whole rest
rest receiving four beats
Eighth rest
rest that is equal to 1/8 of the whole note and lasts for half of one beat
quarter rest
rest that receives one beat
half rest
rest that receives two beats
Da Capo al Fine (DC al Fine)
return to the beginning and play to the word "Fine"
Dal Segno al Fine (DS al Fine)
return to the sign (%) and play to the word "Fine"
chromatic signs
sharp, flat, and natural signs
adagio
slowly
tonic
the keynote, first degree of the scale
key note
the leading note in a musical key
