Vocabulary
Vocab #1
Notes - The written symbols of music - sound
Rests - Symbols that indicate silence
Rhythm - The pattern of long and short note values in music
Dynamics - The degree of loudness or softness and their symbols
Ledger Lines - Short horizontal lines used to extend a staff higher or lower
Vocab #2
Acapella- Singing without instrumental accompaniment
Interval- The distance between two pitches
Half Step - The interval between any two keys on a keyboard
Whole Step - The interval spanned between two adjacent half steps on a keyboard
Score - the written melodies/notes of music created by a composer
Vocab #3
Tempo - the speed of music
Allegro - a musical tempo that is fast
Chord - A grouping of three or more pitches
Crescendo - to gradually get louder
Genre - A category of music
vocab #4
Introduction - played before the main melody starts; usually sets the mood of the piece
Interlude - A substantial portion of music played between the melodic portions
Quartet - A number featuring 4 performers
Quintet - A number
featuring 5 performers
Composer - The person that writes the score
Vocab #5
Staff - the set of 5 parallel horizontal lines used for music notation
measure - a group of notes that collectively add up to the number of beats permissible according to the time signature of the piece
barline - the vertical line which separates one measure from another
time signature - a symbol at the start of the piece, usually consisting of two numbers, which indicates the piece’s meter
lyrics - the words/poetry to a song
Vocab 6
Accelerando - the term used when the tempo grows faster over the course of the piece or section of the piece
key- the term for the scale used to create a particular piece
key signature - a collection of accidentals at the beginning of the staff, just after the time signature, which indicate which pitches should be sung sharp or flat
Flat - the symbol that indicates a pitch be played/sung 1/2 step lower
sharp - the symbol that indicates a pitch be played/sung 1/2 step higher
Vocab 7
adante- a musical tempo that is walking speed
beat - a steady background pulse in music
fermata - a symbol placed over a note that indicates the note should be sustained longer than its normal duration
modulation - the technique of shifting to a new key in the course of a piece - also called a key of change
octet - a number featuring eight performers
Vocab 8
Scale - The arrangement of notes in a specific order of whole and half steps
Chromatic Scale - The succession of twelve half steps within an octave
Octave - The interval between a pitch and its repetition 8 lines and spaces higher or lower
Major Scale - A scale following the pattern of W W H W W W H (W - Whole Step, H - Half Step)
Pitch - The frequency at which a parti
cular note vibrates
Vocab 9
Form - The pattern of repetition in a piece of music, its structure or organization
Major Triad - A chord built on the the first (do), third (mi), and fifth (sol) steps of a scale
Minor Triad - A chord built on the the first (do), flat third (me), and fifth (sol) steps of a scale
Diminished Triad - A chord built on the the first (do), flat third (me), and flat fifth (se) steps of a scale
Augmented Triad - A chord built on the the first (do), third (mi), and sharp fifth (si) steps of a scale
Vocab 10
Voice Type - The classification given to a singer's voice (soprano, alto, tenor, bass)
Presto - A music tempo that is very fast
Ritardando - The term used when the tempo gradually gets slower
Sequence - A melodic phrase which is repeated at a higher or lower pitch level
Sostenuto - sustained
Vocab 11
Expression Marks - Words or symbols that indicate how a piece should be interpreted
Aria - An air or song solo voice within an opera or oratorio
Opera - A dramatic work set to music in which all or most of the text is sung with instrumental accompaniment, costumes and sets
Oratorio - A composition for voice and instrumental accompaniment
Solo - A number featuring one performer
Vocab 12
maestoso - majestic
exercise - a short musical study
grand pause - a rest for all performers in an ensemble
vamp - an accompanied figure or introduction that is repeated until all of the performers are ready to continue
vocalize - a vocal exercise sung to vowels
Vocab 13
Fusion - A style of popular music that comments the styles of jazz and rock
Sight Reading - Singing or playing a piece of music at first sight without previous rehearsal
Rock - A type of popular music that grew out of rhythm and blues in the 1950s
Dot - A symbol added to a note which adds half of the note's original value
Duo/Duet - A piece featuring two performances