Glossary
AccompanimentThe part of the music that is subordinate to a melody. |
ArticulationThe manner in which notes are differentiated. |
BarA fixed number of beats (2, 3, 4) defined by metre. |
Bass lineThe lowest part of a piece of music which outlines the chords. |
BeatThe basic pulse underlying a piece of music which may be stressed or unstressed. |
Block chordsA succession of similar chords. |
ChordTwo or more notes sounded simultaneously. In Western music the notes sounded operate in relationship to a scale. |
Chord progressionA succession of chords related to each other. |
ConsonanceThe harmonious sounding of two or more notes. |
CrescendoGradually getting louder. |
DiminuendoGradually getting quieter. |
DissonanceTwo or more notes sounding simultaneously which create a harsh, unstable sound. |
DoubledPlayed by more than one instrument or voice. |
DynamicsLoudness, measured in decibels, but perceived as relative loudness or quietness. |
FormThe shape or organisation of a piece of music. |
FortissimoVery loud. |
GenreA class, type or category of music that behaves according to specific conventions. |
HarmonyThe combining of notes simultaneously. |
HomophonicA texture of several musical lines of similar rhythmic character. |
IntervalThe distance between two pitches. |
KeyThe tonal centre of a composition which defines the relationship of notes, chords and structure. |
LegatoSmooth, connected. |
Major/minorTerms to describe intervals, scales, chords and keys, distinguished mainly by the third note. |
MelodyThe correct term for a tune. |
MetreThe division of pulse into groups of 2, 3 or 4 beats. |
MotifThe shortest possible fragment of music that can be perceived structurally. |
MovementA self-contained section of a larger piece of music such as a sonata or symphony. Movements are characterised by differing tempos and characters and in performance are separated from each other by a brief pause. |
MutedMuffled or softened. |
PianissimoVery quiet. |
PitchThe absolute quality of a musical note perceived as high or low, but determined by frequency. |
PizzicatoPlucking the strings of an instrument normally played with a bow. |
PolyphonicA texture in which several independent musical lines interweave. |
PulseThe beat underlying a piece of music. |
RangeThe distance between the highest and lowest note of a melody; the highest and lowest note available on a specific instrument or voice. |
RegisterThe different portions of the range of an intrument or voice. |
RhythmPatterns of short and long notes. |
RiffA short, repeated melodic pattern in popular music. |
RubatoA flexible approach to tempo in which slight increases or decreases in speed are used for expressive purposes. |
StaccatoA dry, brittle attack separating notes from each other. |
SyncopatedA deliberate disturbance of normal metrical stress, e.g. accenting weak beats. |
TempoThe speed of music which is directly connected to the sense of pulse. |
TextureThe relationship between melodic (horizontal) and harmonic (vertical) elements of the music. |
TimbreTone colour, the quality that separates the sound of one instrument or voice from another. |
VibratoA slight fluctuation of pitch produced on sustained notes. |