| Term | Definition |
| interval | The distance between any two pitches of a melody. |
| conjunct | Melodies that move principally by small intervals in a joined, connected manner |
| climax | the high point in a melodic line |
| phrase | is a unit of meaning within a larger structure |
| cadence | The phrase ends in a resting place |
| meters | organizing patterns of rhythmic pulses |
| Simple meters | Meters in which the beat has duple subdivisions |
| Compound meters | the beat is divided into three |
| melody | the line, or tune, in music. |
| beat cycle | |
| pulse | |
| syncopation | a deliberate
upsetting of the normal pattern of accents. Instead of falling on the strong
beat of the measure, the accent is shifted to a weak beat or to an offbeat (in
between the stronger beats |
| downbeat | In music, the fi rst
accented beat of each pattern is known as |
| duple meter | The most basic pattern,
known as duple meter, alternates a strong downbeat with
a weak beat: ONE- two, ONE- two, or, in marching,
LEFT- right, LEFT- right. |
| chord | is the simultaneous sounding of three or
more pitches or tones; chords are built from a particular
scale, or sequence of pitches. |
| triad | which has three notes built on alternate
pitches of a scale. The most common chord in Western music, a particular combination of three
tones |
| tonic | is the central tone around which a
melody and its harmonies are built; this principle
of organization is called tonality |
| major scale | 7 notes in it, music sounds very happy |
| minor scale | very sad, dark |
| diatonic | Music in a major or minor key focuses on the seven tones of the respective scale |
| chromatic | every single note not diatonic |
| modulation | Composers
begin by establishing the home key, then change to a related key, perhaps the dominant,
through a process known as modulation |
| octave | an interval of eight tones |
| atonality (non-diatomic) | no central tone |
| sequence vs imitation | Or the idea may be restated at
a higher or lower pitch level; this restatement
is known as a sequence. |
| strophic form | common in songs, features
repeated music for each stanza of text. |
| motive | A motive is the
smallest fragment of a theme that forms
a melodic- rhythmic unit |
| variation | where some aspects of the music are altered but the original is still recognizable |
| tempo | is the rate of speed, or pace, of the music |
| dynamics | describe the volume, or how loud or soft
the music is played; Italian terms for dynamics
include forte (loud) and piano (soft). |
| A capella | Choral groups often feature a cappella singing,
with no accompaniment. |
| ostinato | melodic, rhythmic, or harmonic—
that is repeated throughout a work or a major section of a composition |
| crescendo | a gradual increase in loudness in a piece of music. |
| Chamber music | is ensemble music for small
groups, with one player per part. |
| timbre | also known as tone color or tone quality from psychoacoustics, is the quality of a musical note, sound, or tone that distinguishes different types of sound production |
