Subsections
[1]
Sound, Pitch, Dynamics, and
Tone Color
Crescendo Gradually louder. (Often abbreviated cresc.)
Decrescendo Gradually softer.
Diminuendo See decrescendo.
Dynamics Degrees of loudness or softness in music.
Dynamic accent Emphasis that a note receives when a performer plays it more loudly than the notes around it.
Flag Wavy line attached to the stem on a note, indicating how long that note is to be held relative to the notes around it.
Flat sign Symbol which notates a pitch one half step lower than the pitch that would otherwise be indicated &emdash; for example, the next lower key on the piano.
Flute Woodwind instrument, usually made of metal, with a high range, whose tone is produced by blowing across the edge of a mouth hole.
Forte (f) Loud.
Fortissimo (ff) Very loud.
Interval "Distance" in pitch between any two tones.
Mezzo forte (mf) Moderately loud.
Mezzo piano (mp) Moderately soft.
Mute Device used to veil or muffle the tone of an instrument. For string instruments, the mute is a clamp which fits onto the bridge; for brass instruments, it is a funnel-shaped piece of wood, metal, or plastic which fits into the bell.
Notation System of writing down music so that specific pitches and rhythms can be communicated.
Octave Interval between two tones in which the higher tone has twice the frequency of the lower tone.
Pianissimo (pp) As softly as possible.
Piano (p) Soft.
Pitch Relative highness or lowness of a sound.
Pitch range Distance between the highest and lowest tones that a given voice or instrument can produce.
Range See pitch range.
Sound Vibrations which are transmitted, usually through air, to the eardrum, which sends impulses to the brain.
Timbre See tone color.
Tone color (timbre) Quality of sound that distinguishes one instrument or voice from another.
[2] Performing Media: Voices and Instruments |
Accordion Instrument consisting of a bellows between two keyboards (pianolike keys played by the right hand, and buttons played by the left hand) whose sound is produced by air pressure which causes free steel reeds to vibrate.
Alto (contralto) Female voice of low range.
Baritone Male voice range lower than a tenor and higher than a bass.hape to the tuba, with a higher range, commonly used in bands.
Bass (1) Male voice of low range.
Bass (2) See double bass.
Bass clarinet Member of the clarinet family, having a low range. Its shape is curved at the end before flaring into a bell.
Bass drum Percussion instrument of indefinite pitch, the largest of the orchestral drums.
Bass fiddle See double bass
Bassoon Double-reed woodwind instrument, made of wood, having a low range.
Bow Slightly curved stick strung tightly with horsehair, used to play string instruments.
Brass instrument Instrument, made of brass or silver, whose sound is produced by the vibrations of the player's lips as he or she blows into a cup- or funnel-shaped mouthpiece. The vibrations are amplified and colored in a tube that is flared at the end.
Celesta Percussion instrument of definite pitch, with metal bars that are struck by hammers controlled by a keyboard.
Cello (violoncello) String instrument with a range lower than that of the viola and higher than that of the double bass.
Chimes Percussion instrument of definite pitch, with suspended metal tubes that are struck with a hammer.
Clarinet Single-reed woodwind instrument with a beak-shaped mouthpiece, cylindrical in shape with a slightly flared bell.
Computer Tool used to synthesize music, to help composers write scores, to store samples of audio signals, and to control synthesizing mechanisms.
Computer music Composition including sounds generated and manipulated by computer.
Contrabassoon Double-reed woodwind instrument with a register one octave lower than that of the bassoon.
Cornet Brass instrument similar in shape to the trumpet, with a mellower tone.
Cymbals Percussion instrument of indefinite pitch, consisting of a pair of metal plates, played by striking the plates against each other.
Double bass ("bass fiddle"; bass) Largest string instrument, having the lowest range of the string family.
Double-reed woodwinds Instruments whose sound is produced by two narrow pieces of cane held between the player's lips; these pieces vibrate when the player blows between them.
Double stop See stop.
Electronic instrument Instrument whose sound is produced, modified, or amplified by electronic means.
English horn Double-reed woodwind instrument, slightly larger than the oboe and with a lower range, straight in shape with an egg-shaped bell.
Euphonium Brass instrument similar in shape to the tuba and the baritone horn, with a higher range than the tuba's, commonly used in bands.
French horn Brass instrument of medium range, whose tube is coiled into a roughly circular shape and fitted with valves; commonly used in symphony orchestras and in bands. (Sometimes called simply a horn.)
Glockenspiel Percussion instrument of definite pitch, made up of flat metal bars set in a frame and played by striking with small metal hammers.
Gong (tam-tam) Percussion instrument of indefinite pitch, made up of a large flat metal plate that is suspended and struck with a mallet.
Guitar Plucked string instrument with six strings stretched along a fretted fingerboard.
Harmonics Very high-pitched whistle-like tones, produced in bowed string instruments by lightly touching the string at certain points while bowing.
Harp Plucked string instrument, consisting of strings stretched within a triangular frame.
Harpsichord Keyboard instrument, widely used from about 1500 to 1775, whose sound is produced by plectra which pluck its wire strings. The harpsichord has been revived during the twentieth century.
Horn See French horn.
Kettledrums See timpani.
Keyboard instrument Instrument (such as the piano, organ, or harpsichord) played by pressing a series of keys with the fingers.
Mezzo-soprano Female voice of fairly low range, though not so low as alto.
Mute Device used to veil or muffle the tone of an instrument. For string instruments, the mute is a clamp which fits onto the bridge; for brass instruments, it is a funnel-shaped piece of wood, metal, or plastic which fits into the bell.
Oboe Double-reed woodwind instrument with a relatively high range, conical in shape with a small flared bell.
Organ (pipe organ) Keyboard instrument with many sets of pipes controlled from two or more keyboards, including a pedal keyboard played by the organist's feet. The keys control valves from which air is blown across or through openings in the pipes. (The electric organ is an electronic instrument that is sometimes designed to imitate the sound of a pipe organ.)
Percussion instrument Instrument of definite or indefinite pitch whose sound is produced by striking by hand, or with a stick or hammer, or by shaking or rubbing.
Piano Widely used keyboard instrument of great range and versatility, whose sound is produced by felt-covered hammers striking against steel strings.
Piccolo Smallest woodwind instrument, having the highest range; a smaller version of the flute.
Pitch Relative highness or lowness of a sound.
Pizzicato Means of playing a string instrument by which the strings are plucked, usually with a finger of the right hand.
Plectrum Small wedge of plastic, leather, or quill used to pluck the strings of certain instruments, such as the guitar, koto, and harpsichord. (Plural, plectra.)
Quadruple stop See stop.
Recorder Family of woodwind instruments whose sound is produced by blowing into a "whistle" mouthpiece, usually made of wood or plastic.
Reed Very thin piece of cane, used in woodwind instruments to produce sound as it is set into vibration by a stream of air.
Register Part of the total range of an instrument or voice. The tone color of the instrument or voice may vary with the register in which it is played or sung.
Saxophone Family of single-reed woodwind instruments.
Side drum See snare drum.
Single-reed woodwinds Instruments whose sound is produced by a single piece of cane, or reed, fastened over a hole in the mouthpiece. The reed vibrates when the player blows into the mouthpiece.
Snare drum (side drum) Percussion instrument of indefinite pitch, in the shape of a cylinder with a stretched skin at either end. A "snare" of gut or metal is stretched below the lower skin and produces a rattling sound when the drum is struck.
Soprano Female voice of high range.
Stop (double, triple, quadruple) Means of playing a string instrument by which the bow is drawn across two, three, or four strings at the same time or almost the same time.
String instrument Instrument whose sound is produced by the vibration of strings.
Synthesizer System of electronic components which can generate, modify, and control sound; used to compose music and to perform it.
Tambourine Percussion instrument of indefinite pitch, consisting of a skin stretched across a shallow cylinder, with small circular plates set into the cylinder which jingle when the skin is struck or the cylinder is shaken.
Tam-tam See gong.
Tape studio Studio with tape recorders and other equipment used to create electronic music by modifying and combining recorded sounds.
Tenor Male voice of high range.
Timpani (kettledrums) Percussion instruments of definite pitch, shaped like large kettles with calfskin or plastic stretched across the tops, played with soft padded mallets.
Tremolo Rapid repetition of a tone, produced in string instruments by quick up-and-down strokes of the bow.
Triangle Percussion instrument of indefinite pitch, consisting of a triangular length of metal suspended from a hook or cord, played by striking with a metal rod.
Triple stop See stop.
Trombone Brass instrument of moderately low range, whose tube is an elongated loop with a movable slide, commonly used in symphony orchestras, bands, and jazz ensembles.
Trumpet Brass instrument with the highest range, commonly used in symphony orchestras, bands, and jazz and rock groups.
Tuba Largest brass instrument, with the lowest range, commonly used in symphony orchestras and bands.
Vibraphone Percussion instrument of definite pitch with metal bars, similar to the marimba, with tubular metal resonators driven by electronic impulses.
Vibrato Small fluctuations of pitch which make the tone warmer, produced in string instruments by rocking the left hand while it presses the string down.
Viola String instrument with a lower range than the violin and a higher range than the cello.
Violin String instrument with the highest range of the string family.
Violoncello See cello.
Voice categories of opera Voice ranges which include coloratura soprano, lyric soprano, dramatic soprano, lyric tenor, dramatic tenor, basso buffo, and basso profundo, among others.
Woodwind instrument Instrument whose sound is produced by vibrations of air in a tube; holes along the length of tube are opened and closed by the fingers, or by pads, to control the pitch.
[3] Rhythm |
Accelerando Becoming faster.
Accent Emphasis of a note, which may result from it's being louder (dynamic accent) longer, or higher in pitch than the notes near it.
Adagio Slow.
Allegretto Moderately fast.
Allegro Fast.
Andante Moderate slow, a walking pace.
Beat Regular, recurrent pulsation that divides music into equal units of time.
Downbeat First, or stressed, beat of a measure.
Duple meter Pattern of 2 beats to the measure.
Grave Very slow, solemn.
Largo Very slow, broad.
Measure Rhythmic group set off by bar lines, containing a fixed number of beats.
Meter Organization of beats into regular groups.
Metronome Apparatus which produces ticking sounds or flashes of light at any desired constant speed.
Moderato Moderate tempo.
Prestissimo As fast a tempo as possible.
Presto Very fast tempo.
Quadruple meter Pattern of 4 beats to the measure.
Quintuple meter Pattern of 5 beats to the measure.
Rhythm Ordered flow of music through time; the pattern of durations of notes and silences in music.
Ritardando Becoming slower.
Septuple meter Pattern of 7 beats to the measure.
Sextuple meter Pattern of 6 beats to the measure.
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, often in Italian, which specify the pace at which the music should be played.
Triple meter Pattern of 3 beats to the measure.
Upbeat Unaccented pulse preceding the downbeat.
Vivace Lively tempo.
[4] Music Notation |
Bass clef Symbol on the staff indicating relatively low pitch ranges, such as those played by a pianist's left hand.
Beam Horizontal line connecting the flags of several eighth notes or sixteenth notes in succession, to facilitate reading these notes.
Clef Symbol placed at the beginning of the staff to show the exact pitch of notes placed on each line and space.
Dotted note Note with a dot to the right of it. This dot increases the note's undotted duration by half.
Dotted rhythm Long-short rhythmic pattern in which a dotted note is followed by a note that is much shorter.
Grand staff Combination of the treble and bass staves, used in keyboard music to encompass the wide range of pitches produced by both hands.
Interval "Distance" in pitch between any two tones.
Ledger lines Short, horizontal lines above or below the staff, used to indicate a pitch that falls above or below the range indicated by the staff.
Meter Organization of beats into regular groups.
Meter signature See time signature.
Time signature (meter signature) Two numbers, one above the other, appearing at the beginning of a staff or the start of a piece, indicating the meter of the piece.
Middle C Note C nearest to the center of the piano keyboard, notated as the pitch on the ledger line below the treble clef and above the bass clef.
Natural sign Symbol used in notation of pitch to cancel a previous sharp or flat sign.
Notation System of writing down music so that specific pitches and rhythms can be communicated.
Note In notation, a black or white oval to which a stem and flags can be added.
Pitch Relative highness or lowness of a sound.
Quadruple meter Pattern of 4 beats to the measure.
Rest In notation of rhythm, a symbol to indicate the duration of silence in the music.
Score Notation showing all the parts of a musical ensemble, with a separate staff for each part, and with simultaneously sounded notes aligned vertically; used by the conductor.
Sharp sign Symbol which notates a pitch one half step higher than the pitch that would otherwise be indicated &emdash; for example, the next higher black key on the piano.
Staff In notation, a set of five horizontal lines between or on which notes are positioned.
Stem Vertical line on a note indicating how long that note is to be held relative to the notes around it.
Tie In notation of rhythm, an arc between two notes of the same pitch indicating that the second note should not be played but should be added to the duration of the first.
Treble clef Notation on a staff to indicate relatively high pitch ranges, such as those played by a pianist's right hand.
Triplet In notation of rhythm, three notes of equal duration grouped within a curved line with the numeral 3, lasting only as long as two notes of the same length would normally last.
Cadence (1) Resting place at the end of a phrase in a melody. (2) Progression giving a sense of conclusion, often from the dominant chord to the tonic chord.
Climax Highest tone or emotional focal point in a melody or a larger musical composition.
Complete cadence Definite resting place, giving a sense of finality, at the end of a phrase in a melody.
Dissonance Tone combination that is unstable and tense.
Incomplete cadence Inconclusive resting point at the end of a phrase which sets up expectations for phrases to follow.
Leap Interval larger than that between two adjacent tones in the scale.
Legato Smooth, connected manner of performing a melody.
Melody Series of single tones that add up to a recognizable whole.
Phrase Part of a melody.
Repetition Reiteration of a phrase, section, or entire movement, often used to create a sense of unity.
Sequence In a melody, the immediate repetition of a melodic pattern on a higher or lower pitch.
Staccato Short, detached manner of performing a melody.
Step Interval between two adjacent tones in the scale.
Theme Melody which serves as the starting point for an extended piece of music.
[6] Harmony |
Arpeggio See broken chord.
Broken chord (arpeggio) Sounding of the individual tones of a chord in sequence rather than simultaneously.
Cadence (1) Resting place at the end of a phrase in a melody. (2) Progression giving a sense of conclusion, often from the dominant chord to the tonic chord.
Chord Combination of three or more tones sounded at once.
Chromatic harmony Use of chords containing tones not found in the prevailing major or minor scale but included in the chromatic scale (which has twelve tones); often found in romantic music.
Complete cadence Definite resting place, giving a sense of finality, at the end of a phrase in a melody.
Consonance Tone combination that is stable and restful.
Dissonance Tone combination that is unstable and tense.
Dominant chord Triad built on the fifth note of the scale, which sets up tension that is resolved by the tonic chord.
Guitar Plucked string instrument with six strings stretched along a fretted fingerboard.
Harmony How chords are constructed and how they follow each other.
Incomplete cadence Inconclusive resting point at the end of a phrase which sets up expectations for phrases to follow.
Progression Series of chords.
Resolution Progression from a dissonance to a consonance.
Tonic See keynote.
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.
Triad Most basic of chords, consisting of three alternate tones of the scale, such as do, mi, sol.
[7] Key |
Chromatic scale Scale including all twelve tones of the octave; each tone is a half step away from the next one.
Half step Smallest interval traditionally used in western music; for example, the interval between ti and do.
Home key See tonic key.
Interval "Distance" in pitch between any two tones.
Key (tonality) Central note, scale, and chord within a piece, in relationship to which all other tones in the composition are heard.
Key signature Sharp or flat signs immediately following the clef sign at the beginning of a piece of music, indicating the key in which the music is to be played.
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.
Major key Music based on a major scale.
Major scale Series of seven different tones within an octave, with an eighth tone repeating the first tone an octave higher, consisting of a specific pattern of whole and half steps; the whole step between the second and third tones is characteristic.
Modulation Shift from one key to another within the same piece.
Notation System of writing down music so that specific pitches and rhythms can be communicated.
Scale Series of pitches arranged in order from low to high or high to low.
Tonality See key.
Tonic See keynote.
Tonic key (home key) Central key of a piece of music, usually both beginning and ending the piece, regardless of how many other keys are included.
Unison Performance of a single melodic line by more than one instrument or voice at the same pitch or in different octaves.
Whole step Interval twice as large as the half step; for example, the interval between do and re.
Whole-tone scale Scale made up of six different tones, each a whole step away from the next, which conveys no definite sense of tonality; often found in the music of De- bussy and his followers.
[8] Musical Texture |
Counterpoint Technique of combining two or more melodic lines into a meaningful whole.
Homophonic texture Term describing music in which one main melody is accompanied by chords.
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.
Monophonic texture Single melodic line without accompaniment.
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.
Polyphonic texture Performance of two or more melodic lines of relatively equal interest at the same time.
[9] Musical Form |
A B form See two-part form.
A B A form See three-part form.
Contrast Striking differences of pitch, dynamics, rhythm, and tempo that provide variety and change of mood.
Form Organization of musical ideas in time.
Prelude (1) Short piece usually serving to introduce a fugue or other composition; a short piece for piano. (2) See overture.
Repetition Reiteration of a phrase, section, or entire movement, often used to create a sense of unity.
Three-part form (A B A) Form that can be represented as statement (A); contrast (B); return of statement (A).
Two-part form (A B) Form that can be represented as statement (A) and counterstatement (B).
Variation Changing some features of a musical idea while retaining others.
[10] Musical Style |
Style Characteristic way of using melody, rhythm, tone, color, dynamics, harmony, texture, and form in music.