Music History - Elements of Music

duple meter

2 beats per measure

triple meter

3 beats per measure

quadruple meter

4 beats a measure; also known as common time

chords

a collection of pitches sounded together

dissonance

a combination of tones that sound discordant, unstable, or in need of resolution; introduces the necessary tension into music

movement

a complete, comparatively independent division of a large-scale work

consonance

a concordant or agreeable combination of tones that produce a sense of relaxation and fulfillment in music

metronome

a device used by musicians to help keep correct tempo

meter

a group of patterns 2, 3, 4, or more; actual measurement of time; the exact number of beats per measure

imitation

a melodic line in one voice and restated in another

strong melody

a melody that a piece of music revolves itself around; a melody that is sometimes "songlike", it is easy to pick up and remember

weak melody

a melody that forces some other element of the music into prominence

improvised melody

a melody which is made up by a performer instantaneously while one plays for an audience

ostinato

a short musical pattern that is repeated persistently throughout a work or a major section of a composition

homophony

a single voice takes over the melodic interest, while accompanying voices take a subordinate role

melody

a succession of single pitches or tones perceived by the mind as a unity

upbeat

are considered as the unaccented beats

scale

collection of pitches arranged in ascending and descending order

triad

consist of tones of the scale, most commonly the root, third, and fifth

syncopation

denotes a deliberate upsetting of the normal pattern of accentuation; emphasis is placed on unsuspecting beats or upbeats

phrase

denotes a unit of meaning within a larger structure; end in a resting place or a cadence

dynamics

denotes the degree of loudness or softness at which the music is played

chromatic

describes a full gamut of notes available within the octave

diatonic

describes melodies or harmonies that are built from the tones of a major of minor scale

round

designed when each voice enters in succession with the same melody

shape

determined by the direction a melody takes as it turns upwards or downwards

simple meter

duple, triple, and quadruple meters that subdivides a beat into 2 parts

compound meter

duple, triple, and quadruple meters that subdivides into 3 parts

crescendo

gradually louder

decrescendo

gradually softer

additive meter

grouping of irregular numbers of beats that add up to an overall larger pattern

call and response

heard in the music of many African cultures as well as Native American music; a singer leader who is imitated by chorus of followers

musical texture

helps explain the complexity of the sound of music

canon

imitation is used throughout the entire length of the piece

function of harmony

implies movement and progression; denotes the overall organization of tones in such a way as to achieve order and unity

ternary form

is a musical form that extends the idea of the statement and departure by bringing back the first section

binary form

is a musical form that is based on a statement and a departure, without a return to the opening section

improvisation

is created in performance as opposed to pre-composed; jazz, rock, and certain non-western music styles rely heavily

theme

is the melodic idea used as a building block in the construction of a musical work

variation

is used when some aspects of the music are altered but recognized

poly rhythms

many rhythms; origins from African and jazz music

disjunct movement

melodies that move in disjointed or disconnected intervals

conjunct movement

melodies that move principally by small intervals in a joined, connected manner

elements of music

melody, rhythm, harmony, musical texture, musical form, tempo and dynamics

multi meters

meters that have 2 meters at the same time

non metric

music without a strong sense of beat or meter; early western music; the pulse is veiled or weak

counterpoint

one musical line sets against another

cadence

punctuates the music the same way that a comma or period punctuates a sentence; may sound inclusive, or may sound final

rhythm

refers to the orderly movement of music on time

musical form

refers to the structure or shape of a work; its basic low of a structure is repetition and contrast

vertical harmony

the characteristic sound which from the vertical stacking of notes to form a chord

range

the distance between the melody's highest and lowest tones

interval

the distance between two pitches

tonic

the first tone of a scale

pitch

the highness or lowness of a tone, depending upon the rate of vibration

harmony

the movement and relationship of intervals ad chords

horizontal harmony

the notes of each melody are dependent on other notes which come before them or follow after them in the same melody

tonality

the principle of organizing around a central tone

beat

the pulsation that is the basic unit of length

sequence

the simplest in repeating the theme or idea but on another pitch

monophony

the simplest, single voiced treatment of melody; the melody is heard without either a harmonic accompaniment or other vocal lines; attention is focused on one single line

drone

used mostly in non-western cultures, it consists of a sustained tone

polyphony

when 2 or more melodic lines are combined, disturbing the same melody; the texture is based on counterpoint

heterophony

when 2 or more voices are heard simultaneously elaborating the same melody; this usually results in a melody combined with an ornamented version of itself; also found in jazz and spirituals