Pitch
measurable high or low position of a musical sound
Dynamic  
levels of volume, loud or soft, of a musical composition
Piano
soft
Forte
loud
Musical Sound
pitch + dynamic + duration + timbre
Timbre(also color)
characteristic quality of sound that allows us to distinguish btw. one instrument/voice from another (determined by harmonics, attack and decay)
Music
rational organization of sounds and silences as they pass through time
Rhythm
time aspect of music; divides long spans of time into smaller more easily understandable units
Beat (also pulse)
regularly recurring; even pulse in music that divides the passing of time into equal segments
Tempo 
fast/slow; the speed at which the beats occur in music
Ritartando
a tempo mark indicating when the beat slows down
Accelerando
when the beat speeds up
Measure (aka bar)
one unit of meter
Meter
division of beats into strong and weak units (strong – weak – strong is the most common type)
Meter signature (aka time sig.)
two numbers, one on top of another, usually placed at the beginning of the music to tell the performer what note value is carrying the beat and how the beats are to be grouped
Duple meter
two beats per measure
Triple meter  
three beats per measure; one strong two weak
Downbeat (aka pickup)
first beats of the measure – strong
Upbeat
beat before the downbeat – weak
Accent
strong moment in music
Syncopation

accents in an unexpected place; anywhere but the downbeat; can occur btw. beats or on a weak beat

Piece
entire composition of a music
Melody
successive pitches (could be good or bad)
Theme
initial or pimary melody
Motive
short, distinctive melodic figure that stands by itself
Step
interval btw. adjacent pitches in the diatomic or chromatic scale; whole step of half step
Leap
melodic movement not by an interval of just a step, but usually by a group of at least a fourth
Conjunct
melodic notion that proceeds primarily by steps w/o leaps
Disjunct
melodic motion that proceeds primarily by leaps rather than steps
Phrase
a self-contained portion of a melody, theme or tune
Antecedent
opening, incomplete-sounding phrase of a melody; often followed by a consequent phrase
Consequent
phrase of a two-part melodic unit that brings a melody to a point of repose + closure
Cadence
concluding part of a musical phrase
Diminuendo (same as decresendo)
gradual decrease in the volume of a sound
Decrescendo (same as diminuendo)
gradual decrease in force and loudness
Crescendo
gradual increase in the volume of sound
String Instruments (high to low)
violin, viola, violoncello, double bass

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Woodwinds (high to low)

piccolo, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon