melody
the main instrumental layer
accompaniment
instruments that support the melody
key signature
the sharps or flats at the front of a song
chord
several notes sounded simultaneously
ascending
heading upwards
descending
heading downwards
conjunct
A melody moving by steps/smooth
disjunct
A melody moving by leaps/jagged
steps
notes that are next to each other
leaps
notes that are not next to each other
repeated notes
a short series of notes that have the same pitch
range
the distance from the highest to the lowest note
register
the general area of pitch
arpeggio
The notes of a chord played one after another, going up or down
broken chord
notes of a chord played played separately in various orders
sequence
a chord progression or melody that repeats higher or lower in succession
counter melody/melodic accompaniment
a second melody that is independent to another melody
ornamentation
decorating a melody
phrases
the divisions of melodies. these can be balanced or unbalanced
imitation
an instrument copying parts of a previously heard melody
riff
a melodic idea that is heard in various points of a song
definite
pitch that can be found on the piano
indefinite
pitch that can't be found on the piano
octave
a jump if 8 notes
drone
a long sustained pitch
consonant
harmony that is agreeable and not clashing
dissonant
harmony that clashes
major
of the major scale
minor
of the minor scale
pentatonic
a scale of 5 notes
blues scale
a scale that is used in blues music
chromatic
a series of semitones or notes borrowed from other scales
diatonic
notes that are from the particular scale/key
atonal
a piece that does not have a key as it is not major or minor
modulation
a change in key
rate of chord change
describing the frequency of chordal movement
improvisation
a melody that is freely created on the spot
pedal point
a constantly repeating pitch
omm-pah-pah
a bass note followed by the sounding of two chords
parallel
a part/melody that has a similar shape to another
contrary
when one part moves in an opposite direction
primary triads
chords I IV V
walking bass line
a bass line that is based on an arpeggio of a dominant 7th chord