Range
distance between
highest and lowest pitches that
can be sung or played by voice
or instrument
Interval
distance between two
pitches
Melody
A sequence of pitches, also called a “tune,” heard in the foreground of music.
Pitch
The highness or lowness of a sound
Intensity
The perceived loudness or softness of a sound.
Meter
A term describing the regular puls of much of western calssical music and its divisios into regular groupingof two, three, four or six beats
Rhythm
The temporal relationships within music.
Measure
The unit of time in Western music and musical notation in which one cycle of the meter takes place.
Vibrato
A regular fluctuation of a sound, produced by varying the pitch of the sound.
Polyrhythm
Contrasting rhythms that are performed at the same time
Duple Meter
A grouping, or measure, of two beats
Triple Meter
A rhythmic organization based on groupings, or measure, or three beats.
Quadruple
4 beats
Simple Meter
Groupings of two, three, or four beats per measure.
Compound Meter
Groupings of six, nine, or twelve beats per measure.
Syncopation
A rhythmic effect that providesan unexpected accent, often by temprarily unsettling the meter through a change in the established pattern of stressed and unstressed beats.
Consonnance
more pleasant,
stable, provides feeling of
resolution
Dissonance
harsh,
discordant, unstableunpleasant—
In need of
resolution
Monophony
? “Single voice”
? Melodic line without harmonic
accompaniment or other melodic lines
present
? Includes a group of singers or
instruments performing the exact same
line (doesn’t have to be solo
performance)
? Gregorian Chant
? Solo Voice or single-pitch instrument
Homophony
? Single melody takes
importance (interest) over
subordinate accompaniment
? Frequently used in Folk,
pop, rock music: singer
with guitar, for example
Polyphony
? “many voices”
? Two or more different
melodic lines are combined
? Example: J.S. Bach: Art of
the Fugue
Heterophony
? Multiple (2 or more) voices/
instruments simultaneously
elaborating same melodic line
? Same melody used as basis or
springboard for further improvisation
? Improvisation-spontaneous
? Heterophony more often found in
folk, jazz, or popular styles
Aerophones
any instrument
that makes sound using air

Examples: flutes, accordions,
bagpipes, horns, didgeridoo

Chordophones
make sound by
vibrating string between two
points
? Examples: violin, harp, guitar,
sitar
Idiophones
make sound using
element of instrument itself;
generally percussion
? Examples: shaker, rattle, bells,
xylophone, gong
Membraphones
make sound
stretched membrane; can be
struck, rubbed, even sung into
to produce sound; generally
percussion
? Examples: drums-toms, snare
drum, conga
Diaspora
People living outside their historic homeland who
maintain memories of, and attachments to, their
place of origin
Voluntary Migration
– Movement of people into a new region by
choice: “pull” factors
– Possible reasons: religious or economic
opportunities
– Examples: European colonization of
Americas, Chinese Migration
Forced Migrations
– Movement due to forces beyond migrant’s control:
“push” factors
– Conquest, slavery, famine, war
– Ex: 1845 Irish “great hunger,” African Forced
Migration
Glissando
slide up or down (usually in
just one direction-not quite as in Indian
music)
Dan Bau
• Lullaby: free rhythm, vibrato
• Pentatonic-based melody
• “The music of the Dan Bau should be solely
for the pleasure of its player. Don’t listen to it
if you are a young woman.”
– Also used for love songs.
balinese
faster, virtuosic
Javanese
slower, more meditative
Ewe Music
West Africa
Loud Drumming
? Was played before combat to prepare,
provide courage
? Played after to communicate events,
note deaths of warriors or chiefs
Raga
? “Mood” — “That which colors the mind”
? Term for melodic scale; how pitch system is organized
Tala
? Repeated rhythmic patterns
? Sollukattu: rhythm language/counting system; syllables
mimic drum sound (Carnatic Music)
? “Bol”: same thing in Hindustani music
Tabla
two drums; played with fingers
Veena
similar instrument in Carnatic music (fewer
strings)
Sitar
string instrument: 18-string guitar/lute