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AP Music Theory Vocabulary: Michael Huerta
AP Music Theory Vocabulary: Michael Huerta
AP Music Theory Vocabulary: Michael Huerta
Authentic: last two chords are V then I, does not meet perfect authentic cadence requirements
imperfect authentic: Does not have the tonic in the soprano. Anything that's not a perfect
authentic but is V to I.
perfect authentic: last two chords are V then I, both are in root position and the soprano
holds the tonic of the i chord
Conclusive cadence: a cadence ending with the tonic triad. The choice of melodic pitch,
penultimate chord, and the metric placement of the tonic triad are three
among many factors that determine the relative strength of a conclusive
cadence. The conclusive cadences are the authentic (V-I) and plagal
(IV-I).
Deceptive: chord moves from V to anything other than I (or i in minor)
Half: Last chord is V
Phrygian half:
1) In harmonic minor
2) iv^ -> V
3) Bass moves from 6 ->5
Inconclusive cadence: a cadence ending with a chord other than the tonic triad. The
inconclusive cadences are the half ( -V) and the deceptive (V-vi, or,
more generally, V followed by some chord other than the expected I).
Plagal: last two chors are IV then I
Chord Quality
Spacing/Voicing/Position
Voice Leading
Arpeggio, arpeggiation: is a type of broken chord whose notes are played quickly in order as
opposed to simultaneously; to give a chord a harp-like effect (arpa is Italian for harp).
Chromatic: The chromatic scale is a musical scale with twelve pitches, each a semitone above
or below another. On a modern piano or other equal-tempered instrument, all the semitones
have the same size (100 cents). In other words, the notes of an equal-tempered chromatic scale
are equally spaced.
Common Practice Style: The composition techniques and harmonic language of the Baroque,
Classical, and Romantic eras
Consonance: pleasing to the ear
Diatonic: In the scale
Dissonance: unpleasing to the ear
Performance Terms
Antiphonal: Responsive
Articulation: the style in which an individual note is played
arco: Directive for a musician to play a stringed instrument with a bow as opposed to
plucked or pizzicato
legato: A directive to perform a certain passage of a composition in a smooth, graceful,
connected style, as opposed to staccato. It is often indicated by a slur over the effected notes or
as an accent mark with a line over the notes to be performed in this manner.
marcato: Marked, accented, emphatic, stressed.
pizzicato: A directive to a bowed string instrument performer that the indicated notes are
to be plucked with the fingers rather than bowed (arco). The abbreviation for this term is pizz.
slur: A sign in musical notation consisting of a curved line drawn over or under a series
of notes, indicating that those notes should be played legato
staccato: A style of playing notes in a detached, separated, distinct manner, as opposed
to legato. Staccato is indicated by dots directly above or below the notehead.
tenuto: A directive to perform a certain note or chord of a composition in a sustained
manner for longer than its full duration.
Call and response: Performance style with a singing leader who is imitated by a chorus of
followers; also responsorial singing.
Dynamics: Volume and Intensity of a note
crescendo: A directive to a performer to smoothly increase the volume of a particular
phrase or passage.
diminuendo: smoothly decrease the volume of the specific passage of a composition.
terrace dynamics: Expressive style typical of some early music in which volume levels
shift abruptly from soft to loud and back without gradual crescendos and decrescendos.
pianissimo pp: A directive to a musician to perform a certain passage very softly, even
softer than piano (p ), but not as soft as pianississimo (ppp)
piano p: quiet
mezzo piano mp: Moderately soft
mezzo forte mf: Moderately loud
forte f: loud
fortissimo ff: very loud
sforzando sf; sfz: start of the note forte then drastically drop in dynamics suddenly
Improvisation, improvisatory:
Phrasing: A musical unit, often a component of a melody.
Tempo: The speed of the rhythm of a composition. Tempo is measured according to
beats per minute
adagio: A slow tempo marking between Largo and Andante; a composition
written in a slow tempo, frequently the second movement of sonatas,
symphonies
allegro: a fast tempo marking between allegretto and vivace; a comp in fast t
empo usually the first or last movement of a sonata or a symphony
andante: A moderate tempo marking between Largo and Moderato. This tempo
typically has between 76 and 108 beats per minute.
andantino: A moderate tempo marking slightly faster than Andante and slower
than Moderato
grave: The slowest tempo in music.
A directive to perform a certain passage of a composition in a solemn, grave, or
slow manner.
An extremely low pitch.
largo: A slow and solemn tempo marking, having between 40 and 60 beats per
minute.
lento: slow
moderato: A directive to perform the designated passage of a composition in a
moderate tempo; moderately, restrained.
presto: A directive to perform the indicated passage of a composition very
quickly.
vivace: A directive to perform a certain passage of a composition in a lively or
brisk manner.
accelerando: Gradually accelerating or getting faster
ritardando: A directive to perform a certain passage of a composition with a ritard
the tempo, to gradually delay the tempo
ritenuto: A directive to perform a certain passage of a composition with a slowing
of the tempo more suddenly and extremely than a ritardando
rubato: A practice common in Romantic compositions of taking part of the
duration from one note and giving it to another. It involves the performer tastefully
stretching, slowing, or hurrying the tempo as she/he sees fit, thus imparting
flexibility and emotion to the performance.
Tremolo: a rapid reiteration
Trill: a musical ornament consisting of a rapid alternation between two adjacent notes,
usually a semitone or tone apart
Rhythm/Meter/temporal organization
Accent
agogic accent: An accent created by duration, rather than loudness or metrical position
dynamic accent: To play an indicated note louder.
metrical accent: Any beat that is strong within its metrical context.
Anacrusis (pickup; upbeat): Upbeat; a beat preceding beat one of a complete measure; a
conductor's
upward sweeping gesture prior to the downbeat
Asymmetrical meter: Time signatures with 5 or 7 as the top number
Augmentation: Statement of a melody in longer note values, often twice as slow as the original.
Bar line: The common term meaning bar or the lines drawn perpendicularly across the staff to
divide it into measures.
Beat: The regular pulse of music which may be dictated by the rise or fall of the hand or baton of
the conductor. by a metronome, or by the accents in music. See conducting patterns.
Beat type
compound: Meter in which each beat is divisible by three rather than two.
simple: Meter in which each beat is divisible by two
Changing meter: The meter changes regularly, from measure to measure, and can be indicated
by a double time signature
Cross rhythm: The simultaneous use of two or more different rhythmic patterns. Study this
excerpt from Debussy's Arabesque No. 1; note that the left hand plays in
eighth-note pairs, while the right hand plays triplets.
Diminution: A Renaissance and Baroque ornamentation which consists of the restatement of a
melody in which the note values are shortened, usually by half.
Dot, double dot: A mark that represents a duration directive in musical notation. When placed to
the right of the notehead, the dot indicates that a note should have half again its original
duration. For example, if a dot is placed to the right of a half note, the note would then have the
duration of a half note plus a quarter note.
Dotted rhythm: Rhythms that consist basically of a dotted note and a neighboring note worth
one third the duration of the entire duration of the dotted note. For example a succession of
notes composed of two note clusters, a dotted quarter note followed by an eighth note, or a
quarter note followed by a dotted half note, etc.
Duplet: A group of two notes played in the time usually taken to play three
Duration: The length of time that a note is sounded. This term can also refer to the notation of
the length of time that a note is to be sounded or the length of time that a rest should be
observed (silence).
Hemiola: the rhythmic relation of three notes in the time of two, i.e., the triplet.
Irregular meter: The time signature changes frequently -- often every measure -- and serves
more as an organizational guide than an indication of strong downbeat
Meter: Measure of time; arrangement of poetical feet; the grouping of beats into regular
patterns. The organization of rhythmic patterns in a composition in such a way that a regular,
repeating pulse of beats may continue throughout the composition.
duple: A rhythmic pattern with the measure being divisible by two. This includes simple
double rhythm such as 2/2, 4/4, but also such compound rhythms as 6/8.
quadruple: Metrical pattern with four beats to the measure; 4/4 or common time, etc
triple: A metrical pattern having three beats to a measure.
Note value: he note value is the duration of a note, or the relationship of the duration of the note
to the measure.
Polyrhythm: The use of several patterns or meters simultaneously, a technique used in 20th
century compositions.
Pulse: Music's underlying, ongoing beat
Rhythm: The subdivision of a space of time into a defined, repeated pattern. Rhythm is the
controlled movement of music in time. It may be defined as the division of music into regular
metric portions; the regular pulsation of music.
Swing rhythm: American style of jazz music originating in the 1930's. Swing was characterized
by "big band" instrumentation, a greater emphasis on solo passages, and a 4/4 tempo with an
almost even emphasis on each beat of the measure.
Syncopation: Deliberate upsetting of the meter or pulse of a composition by means of a
temporary shifting of the accent to a weak beat or an off-beat.
Tempo: The speed of the rhythm of a composition. Tempo is measured according to beats per
minute.
Tie: A curved line drawn over or under the heads of two notes of the same pitch indicating that
there should be no break between them but they should be played as a single note.
Time signature (meter signature): A symbol placed at the left side of the staff indicating the
meter of the composition. For example, a time signature of 3/4 would indicate that there are
three quarter notes in each measure and the quarter notes receive the main pulse (or beat).
Triplet: Three notes of equal length that are to be performed in the duration of two notes of
equal length.
Scales/Keys/Modes
Text/Music Relations
Texture
Alberti bass: An accompaniment derived from broken chords. The note sequence is:
bottom-top-middle-top. Alberti bass is generally for a keyboardist's left hand and
is characterisic of keyboard music of the Classical period.
Canon: Melody sung against itself in imitation. Canons have definite endings, vs. the
round, which can continue on and on; for example, "Row, row, row your boat."
Canonic: Also called "strict imitation", the imitation of one part by another, note for note
and interval for interval. This excerpt from Bach's Two-Part Invention No. 8 stays
in strict imitation until measure 8.
Chordal accompaniment: The underlying harmonic support for a melody; chords may be
blocked or
broken.
Contrapuntal: Pertaining to counterpoint
Counterpoint
imitation: The linear consideration of two melodic lines sounding together
imitative polyphony: Lines sounding together using the same or simlar melodies, with the
second voice entering soon after the first.
nonimitative polyphony: Two melodies are essentially different, but are harmonious when
performed contrapuntually.
countermelody: In a piece with a prominant melody, a second melody -- the
countermelody -- is distinct but clearly subordinate to the first.
fugal imitation: Imitation of the subject which enters at a different pitch level, usually the
fourth or fifth.
Heterophony, heterophonic: Literally "different sounds." Simultaneous performance of modified
versions of the same melody. Uncommon in Western music.
Homophony, homophonic: Melody supported by accompaniment.
chordal homophony: The same, or almost the same rhythm is applied to all voices of the
musical texture, like a hymn.
chordal texture (homorhythmic): a texture where there is a "sameness of rhythm in all
parts"
melody with accompaniment: Melody is clearly prominant; supported by chordal
accompaniment
Instrumentation
brass: Division of the orchestra: Tubular wind instruments usually made of brass.
Common members are trumpet, cornet, horn, trombone, euphonium, and tuba.
continuo: Two performers who play continually throughout a performance; a cellist and a
keyboardist, both reading from figured-bass scores. Essential to ensemble music from
about 1600-1750 (the Baroque era.)
percussion: Division of the orchestra: Any instrument that makes its sound by being
struck. Common members are drums; cymbals; timpani (kettle drums); xylophones;
marimbas; and various small, unpitched instruments such as maracas, bell trees
and wood blocks.
rhythm section: That part of the band or orchestra composed of unpitched instruments
which produce their sound by being struck. The backbone of a rhythm section is the
drums.
strings: Division of the orchestra: Instruments that make their sound from strings which
are bowed or plucked. The string section is composed of violin, viola, cello, and
double bass.
timbre: The quality of a sound; "tone color"; i.e.; the reediness of an oboe; the warmth of
the cello; the brassiness of a trumpet. Pronounced tam-ber.
woodwinds: A woodwind instrument is a musical instrument which produces sound when
the player blows air against an edge of, or opening in, the instrument, causing the air to
vibrate within a resonator
Melody: A succession of single notes; the tune; the part of a song that sticks in the
memory.
Monophony, monophonic: A single melodic line with no other support
Obbligato: A part which cannot be omitted from performance; essential part; often a
descant or countermelody.
Ostinato: A melodic, rhythmic, or harmonic pattern that is repeated throughout an entire
composition or some portion of a composition.
Polyphony, polyphonic: Two or more melodies are combined; multiple melodies have equal
importance.
Bach inventions and fugues are polyphonic.
Register: Part of the range of an instrument or voice that is different from other parts; for
example, singers speak of their "head voice" and "chest voice."
Solo, soli: Individual performer (solo); or small ensemble, one performer per line (soli)
Tessitura: The general range of a composition in relation to the performer's range; i.e.; high
tessitura, low tessitura.
Tutti: italian for "all"
Walking bass: a bass line that moves steadily in a rhythm contrasting to that of the upper parts
Other Terms