Pitch
Relative highness of lowness of sound
Tone
sound that has definite pitch or frequency
Interval
distance" in pitch between any two tones
Octave
Interval between two tones in which the higher tone has twice the frequency of the lower tone
[pitch] Range
Distance between the highest and lowest tones that a given voice or instrument can produce
Rhythm
Ordered flow of music through time; the pattern of durations of notes and silences in music
Beat
Regular, recurrent pulsation that divides music into equal units of time.
Melody
Series of single tones that add up to a recognizable whole.
Step
Interval between two adjacent tones in the scale.
Leap
Interval larger than that between two adjacent tones in the scale.
Climax
Highest tone or emotional focal point in a melody or a larger musical composition.
Legato
Smooth, connected manner of performing a melody.
Staccato
Short, detached manner of performing a melody.
Phrase
Part of a melody.
Sequence
In a melody, the immediate repetition of a melodic pattern on a higher or lower pitch.
Incomplete Cadence
Inconclusive resting point at the end of a phrase, which sets up expectations for the following phrase.
Complete Cadence
Definite resting place, giving a sense of finality, at the end of a phrase in a melody.
Theme
Melody that serves as the starting point for an extended piece of music.
Measure
Rhythmic group set off by bar lines, containing a fixed number of beats.
Meter
Organization of beats into regular groups.
Duple Meter
Pattern of 2 beats to the measure.
Downbeat
First, or stressed, beat of a measure.
Triple Meter
Pattern of 3 beats to the measure.
Upbeat
Unaccented pulse preceding the downbeat.
Accent
Emphasis of a note, which may result from its being louder, longer, or higher in pitch than the notes near it.
Syncopation
Accenting of a note at an unexpected time, as between two beats or on a weak beat. Syncopation is a major characteristic of jazz.
Tempo
Basic pace of the music.
Tempo Indication
Words, usually at the beginning of a piece of music and often in Italian, which specify the pace at which the music should be played.
Accelerando
Becoming faster.
Ritardando
Becoming slower.
Metronome
Apparatus that produces ticking sounds or flashes of light at any desired constant speed.
Dynamics
Degrees of loudness and softness in music.
Tone Color [timbre]
Quality of sound that distinguishes one instrument or voice from another.
Harmony
How chords are constructed and how they follow each other.
Chord
Combination of three or more tones sounded at once.
Progression
Series of chords.
Consonance
Tone combination that is stable and restful.
Dissonance
Tone combination that is unstable and tense.
Resolution
Progression from a dissonance to a consonance.
Traid
Most basic of chords, consisting of three alternate tones of the scale, such as do, mi, sol.
Tonic Chord
Triad built on the first, or tonic, note of the scale, serving as the main chord of a piece and usually beginning and ending it.
Dominant Chord
Triad built on the fifth note of the scale, which sets up tension that is resolved by the tonic chord.
Broken Chord [arpeggio]
Sounding of the individual tones of a chord in sequence rather than simultaneously.
Keynote [tonic]
Central tone of a melody or larger piece of music. When a piece is in the key of C major, for example, C is the keynote.
Key [tonality]
Central note, scale, and chord within a piece, in relationship to which all other tones in the composition are heard.
Scale
Series of pitches arranged in order from low to high or high to low.
Tonality
Central note, scale, and chord within a piece, in relationship to which all other tones in the composition are heard.
Tonic
Central tone of a melody or larger piece of music. When a piece is in the key of C major, for example, C is the keynote.
Home Key
Central key of a piece of music, usually both beginning and ending the piece, regardless of how many other keys are included.
Modulation
Shift from one key to another within the same piece.
Chromatic Scale
Scale including all twelve tones of the octave; each tone is a half step away from the next one.
Musical Texture
Number of layers of sound that are heard at once, what kinds of layers they are, and how they are related to each other.
Monophonic Texture
Single melodic line without accompaniment.
Unison
Performance of a single melodic line by more than one instrument or voice at the same pitch or in different octaves.
Polyphonic Texture
Performance of two or more melodic lines of relatively equal interest at the same time.
Counterpart
Technique of combining two or more melodic lines into a meaningful whole.
Imitation
Presentation of a melodic idea by one voice or instrument that is immediately followed by its restatement by another voice or instrument, as in a round.
Homophonic Texture
Term describing music in which one main melody is accompanied by chords.
Form
Organization of musical ideas in time.
Variation
Changing some features of a musical idea while retaining others.
Repetition
Reiteration of a motive, phrase, or section, often used to create a sense of unity.
Contrast
Striking differences of pitch, dynamics, rhythm, and tempo that provide variety and change of mood.
Three Part Form [ABA]
Form that can be represented as statement (A); contrast (B); return of statement (A).
Two Part Form [AB]
Form that can be represented as statement (A) and counterstatement (B).
Style
Characteristic way of using melody, rhythm, tone, color, dynamics, harmony, texture, and form in music.