Pitch
the relative highness or lowness of sound
Dynamics
the loudness or softness of sound
Tone Color
(timbre) used by adjectives to describe performer or composition
Rhythm
how time is organized in music
Beat
regularly recurring pulses
Accent
emphasis of some type
Meter
regularly recurring accents
Syncopation
accent falling on a rhythmically weak part of the measure
Tempo
the fastness or slowness of a piece
Melody
a group of notes that add up to a recognizable whole
Phrases
roughly equivalent to sentences in grammar
Motives
the smallest musical fragment
Parallel
two phrases which begin alike
Contrasting
two phrases which begin differently
Cadences
Pause/ rest/ breathing place
Harmony
any pitches sounding simultaneously; the vertical aspect of music
Triad
a three note cord, the smallest cord
Tonality
the idea that each scale in our system of harmony is centered around a particular pitch
Atonal
music that doesn't use the system of tonality
Interval
the distance between two notes
Octave
8 consecutive white notes up and down on the keyboard or each successive letter name until the first is repeated
Diatonic scale
formed by starting from any note on the keyboard and playing up or down eight consecutive white notes or on the staff by notating eight notes on consecutive lines and spaces
Half step
any key up or down from the next key, the smallest distance between two notes
Whole step
two half steps
Chromatic Scale
a scale made up only of half steps
major and minor scales
types of diatonic scales with specific whole step half step patterns
key
determined by the scale which is predominantly used
Key Signature
flats or sharps at the beginning of a piece that indicate which scale the pieces is based.
Modulation
changing scales therefore key
Texture
the blend of various sounds in a piece
Monophony
single; unaccompanied line
Polyphony
two or more important lines
Homophony
one important line with several subsidiary lines( melody with accompaniment
Form
how musical elements are organized in a piece
Genre
what a piece of music is written for; its purpose
style
the combination of qualities that make a work distinctive
Acaapella
voices alone, without accompaniment by an instrument
motet
sacred piece from the renaissance period ex: Josquin Deprez Ave Maria
Madrigal
secular (state and church are separate) piece from the renaissance period ex: Thomas Weelkes As Vesta was Descending