dimension
frequency, duration, wave-shape
frequency
rate of a sound’s vibration
pitch-universe
selected set of frequencies that are legitimatized when the others are filtered out
chromatic collection
referential system of tonal music
pitch-class
class of octave-related pitches, including enharmonic pitches
division
momentary durational recalibration
rubato
stretch or compress not slightly to make musical point
timbre
tone-color; quality of any musical sound that enables us to distinguish between different instruments playing the same pitch
fundamental pitch
lowest pitch heard, single pitch
tonic
do
supertonic
re
mediant
me
subdominant
fa
dominant
sol
submediant
la
leading tone
ti
subtonic
flat 7
flat mediant
flat three
flat submediant
flat 6
real transposition
typically changes key, accidentals; moves all notes up/down by same exact interval
diatonic transposition
maintain same key, no accidentals; moves most notes up or down a generic size
diatonic
only notes within collection
chromatic
outside of collection or scale
agogic accent
accent by virtue of duration
registral accent
accent based on register on the scale, up or down
motive
short clipped idea; “word” in a sentence
phrase
complete idea; “sentence”
simple duple meter
split in 2; 2/8, 2/4, 2/2;
example: Flintstones
simple triple meter
split in 3; 3/8, 3/4, 3/2
example: Popeye
simple quadruple meter
split in 4; 4/4, 4/2, 4/8
example:
compound duple meter
6/8, 6/2, 6/4, 6/16
example: Mr. Ed
compound triple meter
9 eighth notes; 9/8, 9/2, 9/4, 9/16
example: Vaughner
compound quadruple meter
12 eighth notes; 12/2, 12/4, 12/8, 12/16
example: Mr. Rogers
hypermeter
hear a greater meter, small grouping, little different meter than what is written
asymetrical
breakdown measures; 5/4 breaks into 2/4, 3/4
superimposed hemiola
two different meters played at the same time
syncopation
obscuring the downbeat
tendency tones
scale degrees 4, flat 6, and 7
register
a melody’s relative position within the universe of pitches
range/ambitus
melody’s spread of pitches through the register
tessitura
where a melody lies within its range; high, low, middle
conjunct motion
motion by repetition or step
disjunct motion
motion by intervals larger than a M2
leap
larger than a third
stable tones
scale degrees 1, 3, flat 3, and 5
passing figure
three tones in a row in descending or ascending order, middle tone unstable
neighbor figure
go up or down by a step for middle note then back to the original note; neighbors always unstable
incomplete neighbor
leap then second half of a neighbor, middle note unstable
thwarted
note that doesn’t resolve
compound melody
hear two lines and two melodies when one instrument is playing
diverging line
starts together then moves away
unconnected space
completely different lines and voices apparent
consonant vertical intervals
primes/8ves, 3rds/10ths, 5ths and 6ths; perfect, major, and minor, simple and compound
counterpoint
when melodies are combined so that harmonic sonorities appear between them; in counterpoint, contrapuntally related
chordal
hear tones all together, not as distinct voices
one-to-one
each pitch in either voice is directly and exactly aligned with another pitch in the other voice
outer voices
lowest and highest voices in a passage
imperfect consonances
3rds/10ths and 6ths predominate
perfect consonances
5ths and 8ves allowed, beginnings and ends of phrases
authentic cadence
bass moves from scale degree 5 to 1, 10th, 5th, or 8ve above both 5 and 1
half cadence
bass ends on scale degree 5, same rules as authentic cadence
melodic compensation
immediate change of direction
contrary motion
2 voices moving in opposite directions
oblique motion
when one voice stationary, other moves
similar motion
both voices moving in same direction
parallel motion
two voices moving in same direction by same generic interval; no 5-5 or 5-8 or 8-5 parallel motion
voice crossing
upper voice contains pitch that is lower than that of lower voice
voice overlap
upper voice contains pitch that is lower than that of previous or following lower voice
stereotypical contrapuntal patterns
5-6/6-5 pattern, parallel motion, voice exchange