pitch
the quality of a note that distinguishes “high” notes from low “notes”
frequency
the number of sound waves per second
hertz
unit by which frequency is measured
melody
variation in pitch over time; perceived as a series of intervals; a sequence of pitches in rhythm
definite – indefinite
quality of precision of pitch
interval
distance in pitch between two notes
octave
most fundamental interval; 2:1 frequency ratio
tuning system
pitch frequencies that are played or heard in a musical system
twelve-tone equal temperament
tuning system used in the most Western music
tonal center
pitch towards which other pitches seem to be attracted
tonality
the feeling that a melody is organized around a tonal center
tonal music
music that uses a tonal center
nontonal music
music with ambiguous tonal centers, multiple tonal centers, and sometimes no tonal center
atonal music
music that intentionally avoids having a tonal center
mode
a subset of all available pitches in a tuning system, often with impact on melodic motion
pentatonic mode
mode with five intervals within the octave
key
specification of a precise pitch as tonal center; a concept in music with a standardized tuning system
melodic contour/motion
general direction of melody; shape of sequence of adjacent intervals
conjunct motion
small intervals
disjunct intervals
large intervals
range
gamut of pitches from lowest to highest
tessitura
range of pitches in a unit of melody in relation to the overall range of pitches in the tuning system
cadence
the point in melody that feels at rest and “having arrived”
phrase
the section of a melody between successive cadences
cadential motive
a recurring melodic fragment that signals a cadence
half-cadence, semi-cadence
cadences that bring closure to a section of a melody but not the whole piece
ornament
added notes or other small changes in pitch and loudness that don’t change the overall character of a melody
motive
short melodic fragment, usually repeated
theme
an entire melody recognizable as a discrete entity
form
largest levels of musical architecture that guide the listening experience, providing expectations (repetitions) and surprises (contrasts)
strophe
a group of melodic phrases repeated over and over with different words
refrain
same melodic section with same words
verse-refrain form
sequence of new and repeated stanzas
variation
repetition with some changes
transposition
repetition of same melody at different pitch level
modulation
shift of pitch that serves as tonal center; melody has changed key; or, new mode set on same tonic
theme and variation
after a melody is introduced it is played many times with changes
rhythm
how music is organized in time
notes
a discrete musical event
isochronous temporal grid
constant brief intervals of time by which musical time can be figured
time value
the duration of a note
onset
the beginning of a note
beat
temporal unit at which musical rhythm is felt, to which the body moves; regular division of musical time
nonpulsatile music
music without beats
quasipulsatile music
notes appear to have temporal patterning but without a constant pulse
tempo
rate at which beats occur
accelerando
gradual speedup of tempo
ritardando
gradual slowing down of tempo
meter
organization of beats, division of beats, groupings of beats into distinct temporal levels
duple meter
beats are grouped in twos
triple meter
beats are grouped in threes
binary beats
beats contain two shorter durations; “simple” meter
ternary beats
beats contain three shorter durations; “compound” meter
syncopation
a note whose onset is not on a moment of metrical stress that is emphasized in the music; rhythm that runs counter to metrical stress patterns
stressed beats
a beat usually located at the beginning of a grouping of beats that conveys a sense of expectation of beginning and that marks musical organization
accent
giving emphasis to a single note
dynamics
the term under which loudness in music is discussed
crescendo
gradual increase in loudness
decrescendo
gradual decrease in loudness
texture
musical result of different roles taken by singers and instrumentalists performing in ensemble; the relative importance and distribution of various instrumental or vocal parts
monophony
a single melody
parallel octaves
same melody performed by two voices at octave interval
parallel melody
same melody performed by two voices that maintain same intervallic separation
homophony
single melody accompanied by harmony; listener’s attention is focused on the main melody; song’s identity is a function of the main melody
polyphony
listener’s focus is shared among several simultaneous melodies without one melody being the main focus; several simultaneous melodies of equal musical significance
imitative polyphony
one melody performed in polyphonic texture
nonimitative polyphony
several melodies, guided by common structural principles, weave around one another
heterophony
simultaneous variations, especially in rhythm; multiple musicians perform the same melody each rendering it slightly differently with ornaments and melodic variation
drone
constant pitch played continuously as a background or reference point