what compositional style is meant to imitate the ringing of bells?

Want to know the deviation betwixt a Picardy Third and a Neapolitan Sixth? Coil through our musical terms (which we are always updating) to detect out!

Pro tip: use CTRL-F or CMD-F to search for a term!

8vb

Abbreviation for ottava bassa or "at the octave below." This indication is found below specific notes on a staff and indicates that those notes should exist performed one octave lower than written.

          Written                                                                    Performed

12 Bar Blues

The near mutual form of the dejection, it is a twelve-bar chord progression that is repeated throughout the vocal. A keen example of a 12 Bar Blues song is "Tutti Frutti" by Little Richard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVIttmFAzek

A Capella

Group or solo singing without instrumental accessory. Some groups use their voices to emulate instruments, while others are more than traditional and focus on harmonizing. 1 of the nigh popular a capella groups is Pentatonix. Check out this video of one of their most popular songs, "Mary Did You Know."

A Tempo

A directive to render to the original tempo after a deliberate deviation.

Advert Libitum

Probably more recognizable as "ad lib", it means "at the discretion of the performer." It gives the performer control over the passage, for example, changing the tempo of a item passage, or a part that may be omitted if desired.

Anacrusis

Too known as a pickup, information technology is a notation or sequence of notes which precedes the showtime downbeat in a bar in a musical phrase.

Arpeggio

When the notes of a chord are performed one afterward the other instead of all at the same time.

Chord vs. Arpeggio

Atonal

A generalizing term used to ascertain music that seems to lack a articulate tonal center.

Aubade

Morning music; a morning concert in the open up air performed for a specific private. This is different from a serenade, which is performed in the evening.

Bandmaster

A generic term used to designate the leader of a ring. Although this term can be applied to any person that leads a band, it is most often associated with the leader of a war machine ring, concert ring symphonic band, or marching band. The bandmaster is generally the director or conductor of the ring and can also responsible for the administrative aspects of the organization.

Bagatelle

Used as the title of a short light-hearted piece of music, it was employed well-nigh notably by Beethoven in a serial of such compositions for piano. The descriptive title was thereafter used past a number of other composers.

Bal Musette

A manner of French music and dance that outset became popular in Paris in the 1880s, usually accompanied past accordions.

Baritone

The Baritone is the 2d lowest singing range, and overlaps both Bass and Tenor. The typical baritone range is from A2 to A4, and might extend down to F2 or upward to C5. The baritone voice type is the most mutual type of male voice.

Baroque

A style of European architecture, music, and art demonstrated from most 1600 – 1750 (post-obit The Renaissance) that is characterized by ornate particular. During this fourth dimension music became tonal (equally opposed to modal) and saw the birth of new forms, including the Opera, Sonata, Oratorio, Suite, Fugue, and Concerto. A few of the major composers during this time include Vivaldi, Bach, Handel, Purcell, Scarlatti, and Pachelbel.

Browse Baroque Sheet Music.

Bass

The everyman singing range and typically lies betwixt E2 to E4. In the lower and upper extremes of the bass vox, some basses can sing from C2 to G4.

Binary Form

Describes the structure of a piece of music that is divided into two different sections. The ii sections are commonly labeled A and B.

Block Chords

Besides referred to as 'locked hands' it is a style of pianoforte playing where both easily are 'locked' together, playing chords in parallel with the melody, unremarkably in fairly close position. It is a technical procedure requiring much practice and can sound dated if the harmonies are not avant-garde plenty.

Melody

Melody with Block Chords

Blue Note

A flatted notation, especially the third or 7th calibration degree, recurring oft in blues or jazz as a characteristic feature.

Blues Scale

A Pentatonic scale with one more note (added in the calibration). This notation is known every bit a bluish note and information technology is the flattened 5th in the case of the Small-scale Pentatonic Scale or the flattened 3rd in the case of the Major Pentatonic Calibration.

C Major Dejection Scale

A Small Blues Scale

Bongo Drums

A pair of permanently attached small single-headed drums the larger of which is tuned about a fifth below the smaller drum.

Borrowed Chord

Besides called mode mixture and modal interchange, it is a chord borrowed from the parallel key (minor or major scale with the same tonic). For instance, a song in C Major could "borrow" chords from C Minor.

Key of C Major

Parallel Cardinal = C Minor

In C Major, there are no sharps or flats, so the Fm Chord is beingness "borrowed" from C Minor to create a different sound.

Borrowed Sectionalisation

The practice of "borrowing" the subdivision of i meter into some other meter. For example, borrowing the subdivision of simple time and inserting information technology into chemical compound fourth dimension, or vice versa.

Breath Marking

Besides known every bit a luftpause, information technology is a symbol used in musical notation. It directs the performer of the music passage to have a breath or to make a slight pause. This suspension is commonly intended to shorten the elapsing of the preceding note and not the tempo; in this function, it can be thought of similar a grace residue. It is usually indicated by a comma-like symbol.

Breve

A note lasting ii times as long equally a whole annotation (a double whole note). It is ordinarily indicated as:

Caesura

A break or suspension in music, notated past two diagonal lines ( // ). The break tin exist of any length at the discretion of the conductor.

Cadency

A progression of at least 2 chords that concludes a phrase, section, or slice of music.

Cajon

A box-shaped percussion instrument originally from Peru, played past slapping the front or rear faces (generally thin plywood) with the hands, fingers, or sometimes various implements such as brushes, mallets, or sticks.

Catechism

A compositional technique, based on the principle of strict imitation, in which an initial melody is imitated at a specified fourth dimension interval past one or more parts, either at the same pitch or at some other pitch.

The oldest known type of Catechism is called a Round. We are going to demonstrate it with the melody of "Row, Row, Row, Your Boat". Find how the same tune is repeated on each line (two bars subsequently the previous entrance) so that the parts are overlapping. Grab some friends and try to sing or play through it!

Cappriccio

A quick, improvisational, spirited slice of music.

Chromatic Scale

A musical calibration with twelve pitches, each a semitone above or below another.

Clefs

A symbol that is placed at the left-hand end of a staff, indicating the pitch of the notes written on it. There are many types of clefs, only the four most common are Treble, Bass, Alto, and Tenor.

Treble Clef

• As well known as the Yard Clef
• Notates the higher registers of music

Bass Clef

• Also known equally the F Clef
• Notates the lower registers of music

The Treble Clef and Bass Clef are the two almost commonly used by all instrumentalists and vocalists

Alto Clef

• Places Centre C (C4) on the third line
• Also known every bit the Viola Clef
• Used for the viola, the viola da gamba, the alto trombone, and the mandala

Tenor Clef

• Places Middle C (C4) on the 2nd line
• Used for the upper ranges of the bassoon, cello, euphonium, double bass, and trombone

Circumvolve Of Fifths

The relationship amid the 12 tones of the chromatic scale, their respective primal signatures, and the associated major and small keys. Circumvolve of Fifths progressions are considered to be harmonically very strong, in the sense that they pull our ears toward one chord being the tonic.

Learn more than about the Circle of Fifths and how to use information technology.

Common Time / Cutting Time

Common Time is the same thing as 4/iv Time. It can be referred to by a "C" symbol, but it is more common to see 4/4. Cut Time, even so, is commonly indicated past the symbol "C" with a slash in the middle of it. This means that information technology is really ii/four Time notated and executed like four/4 Fourth dimension, except with the beat lengths doubled.

Common Time Symbol

Cut Time Symbol

Compound Meter

Any fourth dimension signature in which the upper effigy is a multiple of 3, such every bit 6/eight, nine/viii, 12/8, etc. Beats are divided into iii notes, equally opposed to Elementary Meter, where they are divided into two.

                 Uncomplicated Meter                  Compound Meter

Contralto Voice

A type of classical female singing voice whose vocal range is the everyman female voice type. The contralto's vocal range is adequately rare; similar to, but different from the alto, and virtually identical to that of a countertenor, typically betwixt the F below centre C (F3) to the 2d F in a higher place middle C (F5), although some voices accomplish beyond.

Contrary Movement

The motion of two melodic lines in opposite directions.

Da Capo

Used as a direction in music, it is a musical term in Italian pregnant "from the beginning". Information technology is frequently abbreviated as "D.C."

Deceptive Cadence

A chord progression that seems to pb to resolving itself on the final chord; but does non.

In this particular phrase, you lot would expect the V7 Chord to resolve to I.

The Cadence is "Deceptive" because it resolves on the Minor vi chord instead.

Decibel

Commonly abbreviated as "dB", information technology is a logarithmic unit of measurement for measuring the intensity of sound which corresponds to the listener's perception of loudness.

Approximate Typical Sound Levels

Diphthong

A sound formed by the combination of two vowels in a unmarried syllable, such as in the world "loud" or "coin." Singers must be aware of diphthongs in solo vocal music, but even more and then enlightened in song or choral ensembles. Even for the most experienced directors, getting a choir to sing a diphthong in unison is a very tricky task!

Racket

Harsh, discordance, and lack of harmony.

Dominant

The fifth tone or degree of a diatonic scale or the triad build upon this degree. For example, in the cardinal of C Major, the Dominant Scale Caste would be G, and the Dominant Chord would be G Major.

The strongest harmonic progression in tonal music is from the ascendant chord to the tonic triad.

In the primal of C Major, Yard is the 5th Scale Degree, making it the Ascendant.

The following excerpt displays the Dominant CHORD.

Notice the One thousand Chord has an added 7th, which gives it an fifty-fifty stronger sound and desire to resolve to the tonic.

Dolcissimo

Used as a direction in music, meaning "sweetly, softly, with tender emotion".

Doloroso

A directive to musicians to perform the indicated passage of a composition in a sorrowful, mournful or plaintive manner.

Doppio Movimento

A directive to play a specific passage twice as fast. Frequently used in conjunction with mutual time changing to cut time.

Dynamics

The variation in loudness betwixt notes or phrases. The most commonly used dynamics are: pianissimo, piano, mezzo pianoforte, mezzo forte, forte, and fortissimo.

Enharmonic

Referring to notes, intervals, or key signatures having the same pitch but written in dissimilar note.

Each group of two notes is an example of Enharmonic Notes. Although they expect like different pitches, the accidentals raise or lower them to the exist the same.

Ensemble

A group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music, with the ensemble typically known by a distinct name. Some music ensembles consist solely of instruments, such as the jazz quartet or the orchestra, while others consist solely of singers, such every bit choirs and a cappella groups.

Étude

A brusque musical composition, typically for one musical instrument, designed as an practice to improve the technique or demonstrate the skill of a role player.

Exposition

The initial presentation of the thematic material of a musical composition, movement, or section.

Eye Music

Music that is pleasing or puzzling to the centre, regardless of how information technology sounds to the ear. In some cases, the music may make no sense to the ear merely has a cloak-and-dagger puzzle or message when visually analyzed. This music was almost mutual in the Middle Ages and Renaissance periods.

Fake Volume

A drove of musical lead sheets (mostly used in jazz) intended to aid a performer chop-chop larn and perform new songs. Each song in a fake volume contains the melody line, basic chords and sometimes lyrics – the minimal information needed by a musician or small group to make an impromptu, extemporized organization of a song, or "fake it".

Family

A grouping of instruments which produce audio in the same manner and are constructed in the same style only in different sizes such as the clarinet family, the saxophone family unit, the violin family unit and and then on.

Fermata

A symbol that allows a note or rest to be held for equally long as desired.

Fieramente

A directive to a musician to perform the indicated passage of a composition in a proud, haughty, or noble manner.

Figured Bass

A bass line with the intended harmonies indicated by "figures" rather than written out every bit chords, typical of continuo parts in Baroque music.

Fortepiano

A sudden dynamic change used in a musical score, to designate a department of music in which the music should be played loudly (forte), then immediately softly (piano). It is usually indicated past the following abbreviation:

Fugue

A compositional technique characterized by the systematic simulated of a master theme (chosen the discipline) in simultaneously sounding melodic lines (counterpoint). One of the most popular fugues is Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Small.

Ghost Note

A musical annotation with a rhythmic value, only no discernible pitch when played. In musical notation, this is represented by an "10" for a note head instead of an oval, or parentheses effectually the note head.

Glissando

A continuous slide upward or downwardly betwixt two notes.

Grace Note

An extra note added every bit an embellishment and not essential to the harmony or tune.

Grazioso

Graceful, smooth or elegant in style – used every bit a management in music.

Gregorian Chant

A monodic and rhythmically free liturgical chant of the Roman Catholic Church building that developed mainly in Western and Key Europe during the ninth and 10th centuries.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dlr90NLDp-0

Güiro

A Latin percussion musical instrument consisting of a gourd with grooves cut around its circumference and large holes in the bottom. It is classified as a scraped idiophone. The performer holds the instrument with the holes in the bottom while scraping across the grooves with a stick in a rhythmic fashion.

Habanera

A Cuban dance from Havana later introduced to Kingdom of spain. I of the most famous examples is found in Bizet's Spanish opera Carmen, where Carmen herself sings a seductive habanera.

Half Cadence

See: Cadence. A Half Cadence is any cadency ending on the 5 Chord. Because it sounds incomplete or suspended, the one-half cadence is considered a weak cadency that calls for continuation.

Fundamental of C Major

Hand Bells

A percussion instrument, handbells come in diverse sizes (each size sounding a separate pitch) and are ordinarily played in a set ranging in number from six to 60. They are usually performed by a group of musicians, either each holding a bell in each manus, or lifting them from a table.

Harmonic Pocket-size Scale

A small-scale scale that differs from a natural modest scale in that the seventh note is raised one semitone both ascending and descending.

Harpsichord

An early stringed keyboard musical instrument that produced tones by means of plucking strings with quills rather than by striking them with hammers, as in the modern piano. The range of the harpsichord is more often than not virtually 4 octaves; it was nearly popular in the Renaissance and Bizarre eras, in the classical era it was eclipsed by the pianoforte.

Haupstimme

German language or "Primary Voice", it is used to indicate that a certain instrument or office is carrying the melody. in opposition to Nebenstimme. Nebenstimme (German for secondary vocalization) or Seitensatz is the secondary part (a secondary contrapuntal or melodic part, e'er occurring simultaneously with, and subsidiary to, the Hauptstimme). The practice of marker the primary voice inside the musical score/parts was invented by Arnold Schoenberg.

Haute-Contre

A rare type of loftier tenor vocalism, predominant in French Bizarre and Classical opera until the latter part of the eighteenth century. In range, it is equivalent to the alto and was unremarkably written in the alto clef.

Hemiola

In music, Hemiola is the ratio 3:2.  In pitch, Hemiola refers to the difference between two strings that create the interval of a perfect fifth. In rhythm, Hemiola refers to 3 beats of equal value in the fourth dimension usually occupied by two beats.

Hocket

A technique used in medieval music in which two or iii vocalisation parts are given notes or curt phrases in rapid alternation, producing an erratic, hiccuping issue. The notes from each part make up the overall melody, though they are not sung at the same fourth dimension.

Improvisation

Also called Extemporization, it is the creative activeness of firsthand, "in the moment" musical composition.

Incalzando

A directive to a musician to perform the indicated passage of a composition in a pressing or chasing manner.

Interval

The deviation between two pitches. Intervals can be classified every bit: Major, Pocket-sized, Augmented, Macerated, and Perfect.

• Major and Minor intervals are the intervals created by the key signatures in Major or Minor Keys without any added augmentation or diminished tones.
• Perfect Intervals are used when referring to Unison, 4ths, 5ths, and Octaves. These intervals are very strong and are given the name "Perfect" because whether they key signature is Major or Modest, these intervals stay the same.
• Augmented Intervals are wider by 1 semitone (half-step) than perfect or major intervals.
• Diminished Intervals are smaller past one semitone (half-pace) than perfect or minor intervals.

Though these intervals tin can be used in various ways, Augmented 4ths and Diminished 5ths are the most mutual uses of Augmented/Diminished Intervals.

Primal of C Major

Inversions

The rearrangement of notes in a triad or seventh chord so that different scale degrees are in the lowest position of the chord. Meet: Seventh Chord

Triad Inversions

• Root Position: The Root or Scale Degree one is in the Bass
• 1st Inversion: The 3rd Scale Degree is in the Bass
• 2nd Inversion: The 5th Scale Degree is in the Bass

Key of C Major

The numbers next to the Roman Numerals bespeak inversions.

half-dozen = Outset Inversion

half dozen/4 = Second Inversion

Seventh Chord Inversions

• Root Position: The Root or Scale Degree 1 is in the Bass
• 1st Inversion: The tertiary Scale Degree is in the Bass
• second Inversion: The 5th Scale Degree is in the Bass
• 3rd Inversion = The 7th Calibration Caste is in the Bass

Cardinal of A Small-scale

7 = Root Position

six/five = Showtime Inversion

4/3 = 2nd Inversion

four/2 = Third Inversion

Irato

A directive to a musician to perform the indicated passage of a composition in an agitated mode, as if irate, angry, or passionate.

Isorhythm

A musical technique using a repeating rhythmic blueprint, chosen atalea, in at least 1 voice office throughout the limerick.

Isorhythm in the Treble Clef.

Jitterbug

A lively, improvisational, athletic style of dancing performed to syncopated music which originated in New York in the 1940s and 1950s.

Jive

A lively style of trip the light fantastic toe pop peculiarly in the 1940s and 1950s, performed to swing music or rock and scroll.

Klangfarbenmelodie

German for tone-color melody, information technology is a musical technique that involves splitting a musical line or melody betwixt several instruments, rather than assigning it to but 1 instrument, thereby adding colour and texture to the melodic line. Listen to the beginning infinitesimal of the piece to hear a demonstration.

Leading Tone

Also referred to as subtonic, it is the 7th annotation of the calibration where at that place is a strong desire to resolve on the tonic. See: Scale Degrees.

Ledger Lines

The brusk, horizontal lines added to the top or the lesser of a staff for the indication of notes likewise high or too low to be represented on the staff.

Legato

In a smooth, flowing manner, without breaks betwixt notes. Standard annotation indicates legato either with the word legato or by a slur (a curved line) under notes that course one legato grouping.

Leitmotif

See: Motif. A curt, constantly recurring musical phrase associated with a item person, identify, or idea.

For example, if you've ever seen Lord of the Rings, there is a theme associated with the Hobbits that occurs throughout all iii movies, and fifty-fifty into 'The Hobbit' serial likewise.

"Concerning Hobbits" – Lord of the Rings

Libretto

The text on an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical.

Lied

German for "song". Lieder in the plural is used more than specifically to indicate songs in the great German tradition of songwriting exemplified by the work of Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Hugo Wolf, Richard Strauss, and others.

Lieto Fine

Italian for "happy ending" the Lieto fine was a major characteristic of Opera in the 17th and 18th centuries.  During this time flow, it would have been extremely rare to find an Opera ending in tragedy.

Lute

An instrument popular in the Medieval and Renaissance eras. The lute is a plucked string instrument of the guitar family, it has a short, fretted neck, a rounded back, and a large torso something between oval and pear-shaped.

Lydian Mode

The mode represented by the natural diatonic scale F–F (containing an augmented 4th). It can also be thought of as a major scale with a raised 4th calibration caste.

F Lydian Scale

C Lydian Scale

Madrigal

A vocal music form that flourished in the Renaissance. Generally written for four to half dozen voices, madrigals are usually set to curt beloved poems. The madrigal is characterized past word-painting and harmonic and rhythmic contrast. In the madrigal, each line has its own tune, rather than the entire composition having a single tune with harmonic accompaniment.

Marcato

A musical direction indicating a notation, chord, or passage is to exist played with stiff accentuation.

Melodic Minor Calibration

A small-scale scale modified by raising the 6th and seventh scale degrees when ascending, then restoring them to their original pitches when descending.

Melomaniac

1 with an aberrant fondness of music; a person who loves music.

Messa Di Voce

A musical technique that involves a gradual crescendo and diminuendo while sustaining a single pitch.

Mezzo-Soprano

The heart-range voice type for females. Information technology lies between the soprano and contralto ranges. The typical range of this voice is betwixt A3 to A5, though some voices may reach even further. Although this voice overlaps both the contralto and soprano voices, the tessitura of the mezzo-soprano is lower than that of the soprano and higher than that of the contralto.

Minuet

A slow, stately ballroom dance for two in triple time. Originating in French republic, it was a pop trip the light fantastic among European elite until the end of the 18th century.

Mode

Refers to a blazon of scale, coupled with a prepare of characteristic melodic behaviors. Modes can exist disruptive and hard to master, so we've written a divide Guide to Musical Modes | Tip and Tricks to Memorize Each Mode.

Modulation

The human action or procedure of changing from 1 fundamental to another.

Monochord

An ancient musical instrument used for performing and teaching too as tuning and experimentation. It consists of a single string stretched betwixt ii fixed bridges. A 3rd movable bridge is placed between the two fixed bridges which can adjust the length of the vibrating string, thus irresolute the pitch produced by plucking the string.

Motif

A curt musical idea.

This thought volition appear often in a piece of music, sometimes exactly the same and sometimes changed. When a motif returns, information technology can exist slower or faster, or in a unlike central. Information technology may return "upside down" (with the notes going up instead of down, for example), or with the pitches or rhythms contradistinct.

Natural

A symbol [♮] that cancels the consequence of a sharp or a apartment.

Neapolitan Chord

A major chord congenital on the lowered second (supertonic) scale degree. It can too exist called a Phrygian II, since in Minor Scales the chord is congenital on the notes of the corresponding Phrygian mode. Information technology most commonly occurs in first inversion so that it is notated either as ♭II6 or N6 and is commonly referred to every bit a Neapolitan sixth chord.

Neutral Clef

A symbol located at the kickoff of a musical staff used to indicate that none of the instruments reading the notation have a definite pitch.

Nocturne

A short composition of a romantic or dreamy character suggestive of night, typically for piano.

Nocturne in Eb Major, Opus 9, No. two – Frederic Francois Chopin

Nonharmonic Tone

A tone or note that is non a office of the chord that is sounding. For instance, the F in the excerpt below would exist considered a nonharmonic tone because it does not belong in the C Major Chord that is sounding.

There are many different types of nonharmonic tones, depending on how the notes are approached and delivered. The traditional types are every bit follows (each has an abridgement it is associated with):

• Passing Tone (p). Ex. i Approached by a stride and then continues by step in the same direction. This nonharmonic tone is usually unaccented (not occurring on the beat).
• Neighbor Tone (n). Ex. 2 Approached by a step and resolved by a step. This nonharmonic tone is usually unaccented (non occurring on the beat out).
• Incomplete Neighbour (in). Ex. 3 Approached by a residue (or by nada) and resolves by a stride.This nonharmonic tone is usually unaccented (not occurring on the beat).
• Pause (due south). Ex. four A annotation that is repeated or held from the previous chord and and so resolves down by step to a chord tone. This nonharmonic tone is unremarkably accented (occurring on the crush). *See Suspension
• Retardation (r). Ex. 5 A note that is repeated or held from the previous chord and and then resolves upward by step to a chord tone. This nonharmonic tone is usually accented (occurring on the crush).
• Anticipation (an). Ex. 6 Approached past a step so remains the same. It is essentially a note from the second chord played early. This nonharmonic tone is normally unaccented (non occurring on the trounce).
• Pedal Tone (ped) Ex. 7 A repeating tone that ordinarily occurs in the bass, and normally changes between harmonic and nonharmonic. This nonharmonic tone is commonly accented (occurring on the beat out).
• Appoggiatura (ap). Ex. eight Approached by leap and resolves stepwise (normally in the opposite direction). This nonharmonic tone is usually accented (occurring on the crush).
• Escape Tone (east) Ex. 9 Approached past stride; then resolves by leaping (normally in the reverse management). This nonharmonic tone is normally unaccented (not occurring on the beat).
• Cambiata or Changing tones (cam). Ex. 10A  pair of notes separated by the interval of a third, approached by pace and resolved by step (normally to the note in-between the third). This nonharmonic tone is usually unaccented (not occurring on the beat out).

Oblique Motion

The movement of ii melodic lines where ane voice is stationary as the other voice moves in either direction.

Ocarina

The ocarina is an aboriginal wind musical instrument—a type of vessel flute. Variations exist, but a typical ocarina is an enclosed space with 4 to twelve finger holes and a mouthpiece that projects from the body. It is traditionally made from clay or ceramic, but other materials are too used—such as plastic, woods, glass, metal, or bone.

Octatonic Scale

Any viii-note musical scale.

Ode

A song written in commemoration and celebration of a item event, object, or person. Purcell and Handel were important composers of odes in English Baroque music. One of the duties of the Chief of the King'due south Musick (the most important purple ensemble in England during the Bizarre Era) was to compose odes for special occasions such as New year's Day, birthdays, deaths, etc.

Oliphant

An ivory horn of Medieval Europe, ordinarily ornately decorated and primarily used as a sign of status and wealth rather than as a musical instrument.

Opera

A drama ready to music, usually sung throughout, originating in 17th century Italia. Opera is a combination of music, drama, scenery, costumes, dance, etc., to create a consummate art form.

Ornaments

Tones used to embellish the principal melodic tone.

The symbols in this excerpt betoken ornamentation.

The symbol in measure two is chosen amordent, and the symbol in measure out iii is called aturn.

This is what the ornament looks similar when notated.

There are many unlike types of decoration; nosotros merely picked two classic types for this example (a mordent and a turn). You lot tin besides embellish melodies with your own written decoration!

Ostinato

A musical rhythm or phrase that is repeated over and over again. In that location is an ostinato in the bass clef of this excerpt:

Overture

An orchestral piece at the beginning of an opera, suites, play, oratorio, or other extended composition. A very famous example is Rossini'south "William Tell Overture".

This slice has been used in countless films and television shows, including the Looney Tunes!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kj6fkrYr_ts

Parallel Motion

When two voices move in the same direction and so that they keep the aforementioned interval betwixt them.

An example of parallel 6ths.

When it comes to writing or arranging music, here are a few kinds of Parallel Motion that you by and large want to avoid: Parallel 5ths and Parallel Octaves. Though many famous composers have broken this rule, parallel 5ths and parallel octaves are usually avoided past the fact that theyweaken the overall harmonic structure.

An instance of parallel fifths (measure ane) and parallel octaves (mensurate ii).

Parody

A composition based on a preview work. This was a mutual technique used in Medieval and Renaissance music but has too made a presence in the 21st  Century with artists similar Weird Al Yankovic.

"A Musical Joke" – Mozart

"Eat It" – Weird Al Yankovic

https://www.youtube.com/sentinel?5=ZcJjMnHoIBI

Pedal Bespeak

A sustained annotation during which the harmony above information technology changes in some way so that the overall sound becomes anomalous.

Find how the harmony changes in the upper three voices, but the bass stays the aforementioned.

Pentatonic Scale

A scale consisting of five notes within one octave.

Major Pentatonic Scales use scale degrees: ane, ii, three, 4, and half dozen.

C Major Pentatonic Scale

Minor Pentatonic Scales apply scale degrees: 1, 3, 4, five, and seven.

A Pocket-sized Pentatonic Scale

Perdendosi

A directive to perform the indicated passage of a limerick in a manner that the sound dies abroad, gradually diminishing in volume, rhythm, and tone.

Perfect Authentic Cadence

A cadence ending in V – I, where both chords are in root position, and the tonic scale caste is the highest annotation of the final I chord.

Perfect Pitch

The ability to recognize the pitch of a note or to produce any given note without the benefit of a reference tone.

Picardy Third

A major chord of the tonic at the end of a musical section that is either modal or in a minor fundamental.

Key of E Modest

Discover that the Thousand# in the last measure out makes the concluding chord major.

Piccolo

A small flute whose range is an octave higher than that of an ordinary flute.

Pivot Chord

Used for a polish modulation, it is a chord that is common to the current fundamental, and the ane being modulated into.

Plagal Cadence

See: Cadence. A cadence in which the tonic chord is preceded past the subdominant chord (IV-I).

C Major

Poco a poco

An Italian phrase that means "little by picayune," and is used with other musical commands to brand their efforts wearisome and gradual.

Polytonality

The combination of two or more keys being played at the same time.

Polyrhythm

A rhythm that makes use of two or more different rhythms simultaneously.

Prima Donna

Italian for "first adult female," the prima donna is the main female vocalizer in an opera or concert organization. The respective term for the male lead is primo uomo, which is Italian for "first man."

Primary Chords

Chords built on scale degrees ane, iv, and 5. For example, in the key of C Major, the primary chords are C, F, and G.

Quart De Soupir

The French term for a sixteenth residual.

Ragtime

An American way of music characterized by "ragged" or syncopated rhythms. Popular betwixt the 1890's and the 1910's, Scott Joplin was a major exponent of ragtime. By the 1920'southward ragtime had given way to jazz.

Rallentando

A gradual decrease in tempo containing less certainty and drama than the ritardando.

Real Book

It tin can refer to any of a number of pop compilations of atomic number 82 sheets for jazz tunes just is more often than not used to refer to Volume i of an undercover series of books transcribed and collated by students at Berklee College of Music during the 1970s. It got its proper name to distinguish it from the widely bachelor fake books by providing melody lines, while fake books printed but chords and lyrics of standard songs.

The Existent Volume is too available in different editions to suit B♭, East♭, and C (concert-pitch) instruments, also every bit bass clef and vox editions ("low" and "high" vocalization, with lyrics included). A band leader tin conveniently telephone call out folio numbers since each edition is also paginated identically.

Recitative

A rhythmically free song style that imitates the natural inflections of speech. It is most usually used for dialogue and narrative in operas and oratorios and is many times found preceding an aria.

Relative Keys

The major and minor scales that share the same key signature. For example, A Small and C Major.

Listing of Relative Keys

Relative Pitch

The ability of a person to place or re-create a given musical note past comparison it to a reference notation and identifying the interval between those 2 notes. This is different from perfect pitch, where no reference note is needed to determine a note.

Remote Keys

Those keys that have few notes in common. For example, the keys of C Major and F Sharp major would be considered remote.

Retrograde

A term meaning "astern" or "the series is sounded in reverse order." Retrograde reverses the order of the motive'southward pitches: what was the beginning pitch becomes the last, and vice versa.

Mensurate 2 indicates Retrograde.

Riff

A prominent characteristic in pop and jazz compositions, a riff is a short ostinato (a brusque melodic, rhythmic, or harmonic design that is repeated throughout an entire composition or some portion of a limerick), 2 to 4 confined long.

Ritenuto

An indication to suddenly and temporarily decrease the tempo; to hold back for dramatic consequence. This is different from a Ritardando, where the tempo gradually decreases.

Rockabilly

A genre of popular music in America that was an early on grade of rock n' scroll music in the 1950s. Information technology was derived from hillbilly music (early on State & Western music), western swing, boogie-woogie, and rhythm and blues.

Rondo

A musical form with a recurring leading theme often institute in the final movement of a sonata or concerto.

Eine Kleine Nachtmusik KV. 525 IV. Rondo: Allegro – Mozart

Root

The cardinal pitch on which a chord is based, from which the chord takes its proper noun, and to which the other tones of the chord are referred to (the third, seventh, etc.)

Rudiment

Key strokes or patterns that are bones to all drum music and technique. There are over forty such patterns used in therudimental style of snare drumming.

Sarabande

A slow dance in triple meter, mostly constitute in the Bizarre instrumental suite. The trip the light fantastic seems to have been Latin American in origin, imported from Latin America to Spain in the 16th century.

Scale Degree

Refers to the position of a particular note on a scale relative to the tonic (the first and chief notation of the scale from which each octave is causeless to begin). Degrees are useful for indicating the size of intervals and chords, and whether they are major or small.

Calibration Degrees may be identified in several means. The near common ways are numbers, roman numerals, and names (referring to function).

Numbers (C Major)

Roman Numerals (C Major)

Roman Numerals (A Minor)

Names (C Major)

Roman Numerals are usually used when referring tochords rather than individual notes.

Scherzo

A vigorous, light, or playful limerick, typically comprising a movement in a symphony or sonata.

Scherzo II in Bb Minor, Op. 31, No. 2 – Chopin

Secondary Dominant

An altered chord having a ascendant or leading tone relationship to a chord in a fundamental other than the tonic. For a deep swoop into Secondary Dominants, check out our commodity: Intro to Secondary Dominants: What Are They and How to Utilize Them.

An altered chord is a chord containing at to the lowest degree i tone that is foreign to the fundamental.

To requite one example, allow's beginning with a common chord progression in the key of C Major.

Now, permit'south add a Secondary Dominant before the G Major Chord.

Why G Major? Secondary Dominants are most commonly used when approaching Dominant Chords (Five Chords), though they are not bound to them.

The chord nosotros are approaching is Thousand Major, which is the Dominant Chord in our tonic cardinal (C major). To discover the Secondary Dominant, we need to find the Dominant (in G Major) of the Dominant

(in C Major), which is D Major. Notice that D Major also uses an F# instead of the F Natural the cardinal of C Major uses. This is what makes D Major an altered chord in the central of C Major.

G = Five (Dominant) in C Major

D = V (Dominant) in M Major

Remember that V is the Roman Numeral used for the fifth scale degree (too called the Dominant) in any key. That'southward why the Roman Numeral Assay for Secondary Dominants looks similar a fraction. It is simply maxim that this chord is the V of the V Chord.

Finally, let'southward use some inversions to give the progression a smoother sound. Give it a try!

Call back that Secondary Dominants tin can be used in other ways likewise! You lot tin can approach other chords besides the 5 (Dominant Chord). You tin can as well use the vii diminished chord equally Secondary Ascendant. Check out these examples, and then go to experimenting!

Example in D Major

Example in M Major

Semitone

Also called a half step or a half tone, it is the smallest musical interval commonly used in Western tonal music, and it is considered the most dissonant when sounded harmonically. It is defined as the interval between two side by side notes in a 12-tone scale. For case, C is side by side to C♯; the interval between them is a semitone.

Sequence

A melodic or choral effigy repeated at a new pitch level.

Seventh Chords

Chords consisting of a triad plus a annotation forming an interval of a seventh in a higher place the chord'south root. Though at that place are different types, when not otherwise specified, a "7th chord" usually means a Dominant 7th Chord: a major triad together with a pocket-sized seventh. However, there are several different types of 7th Chords:

Major 7th Chord Intervals:Major Tertiary, Major Third, Major 3rd

Ascendant seventh Chord Intervals:Major Third, Major 3rd, Minor Third

Pocket-size 7th Chord Intervals:Minor Third, Major Third, Pocket-size Third

Half-Diminished seventh Chord Intervals:Pocket-size Tertiary, Pocket-sized Third, Major Tertiary

Diminished 7th Chord Intervals:Minor Third, Minor Third, Modest Third

See: Inversions.

Sforzando

An indication to make a strong, sudden emphasis or accent on a annotation or chord. It is usually represented by this symbol:

Simple Meter

Meters that divide the shell into ii equal parts. For example, four/4 Time is an case of simple meter because a quarter annotation (The beat) can be divided into two eighth notes.

 Elementary Meter                  Compound Meter

Encounter: Compound Meter.

Slentando

A directive to perform the indicated passage of a limerick with a relaxed tempo, to become slower.

Slur

Indicates to play 2 or more than notes in one physical stroke, one uninterrupted breath, or (on instruments with neither breath nor bow) connected into a phrase equally if played in a single jiff.

Solfege

An practice used for sight-reading vocal music in which each scale caste is assigned a analogous syllable.

• The most standard form of solfege is a Fixed-Do System. This means that the syllable "practice" is always coordinated with the first scale degree of whichever key you're in.
• A less common form of solfege is the Moveable-Practice Organization. In this case, the syllables are ever assigned to the notes in a C Major Calibration (where "C" would exist "practise"), regardless of the key.

In the case of raised or lowered scale degrees, the solfege syllable vowel changes to an
"i" for sharping, and "e" for flatting. The exception is when flatting "re", in which instance you go to "ra".

To learn more than about Solfege, check out our commodity: Solfege: What Is It, And How Is It Used?

Sonata

An instrumental musical composition typically containing three or four movements in contrasting forms and keys. One of the near popular Sonatas of all time is Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata".

Soprano

The highest female singing voice. The typical soprano phonation lies between C4 and C6, though many voices tin reach beyond.

Sostenuto

A musical direction indicating that a note or passage exist sustained or lengthened.

Sostenuto Pedal

Larger pianos typically take iii pedals–the sostenuto pedal being in the middle. This pedal will sustain only those notes that are existence held downwardly when the pedal is depressed, assuasive futurity notes played to be unaffected. It is commonly abbreviated "S.P."

Spiccato

A bowing technique for string instruments in which the bow appears to bounce lightly upon the string. The term comes from the past participle of the Italian verb spiccare, meaning "to dissever".

Sprechstimme

A song way that combines elements of song and speech.

Staccato

A way of playing notes in a detached, separated, distinct way, every bit opposed to legato. Staccato is indicated by a dot directly above or below the notehead.

Stringendo

A musical direction that indicates progressively quickening in tempo.

Strophic Form

Likewise chosen verse-repeating or chorus form, it is the term applied to songs in which all verses or stanzas of the text are sung to the same music. "Amazing Grace" would exist an instance of a Strophic Class song.

Subdominant

The fourth tone of a major or minor scale.

Music which modulates oft modulates into the subdominant when the leading tone is lowered by a half step to the subtonic (B to B♭ in the key of C). Modulation into the subdominant key often creates a sense of musical relaxation; as opposed to modulation into ascendant (fifth calibration degree), which increases tension. See: Scale Degree.

Suspension

A means of creating tension by prolonging a notation while the underlying harmony changes, unremarkably on a strong shell.

This particular kind of Suspensions is chosen a 4-3 Interruption because the suspended note is 4th above the bass (G) and information technology resolved to a 3rd above the bass (F#).

Syncopation

A disturbance or interruption of the regular flow of downbeat rhythm with emphasis on the subdivision or off-beat out.

Observe this excerpt of music.

Now look at the aforementioned extract wit the beats drawn in and notice all of the notes being played outside of the trounce (on the off-trounce).

Tam-Tam

A percussion instrument similar to a gong. Typically thinner than a gong, the tam-tam has a smaller rim and no protrusion in the center. Either flat or saucer-shaped, the shape and construction produce a slap-up difference in audio. It has no discernable pitch or fundamental notation, simply a crash of dissonant frequencies.

Tenor

The tenor is the highest type of male person voice, typically comfy between C3 to C5. Tenors mostly accept greater control over their falsetto (head voice), allowing them to reach notes well into the female person register. Those who can sing higher than the boilerplate tenor are often given the title "countertenor."

Tempo

A term indicating how fast or irksome to play/sing a piece of music.  The most usually used tempo terms (from slowest to fastest) are every bit follows:

• Larghissimo – very, very slow (24 bpm and under)
• Adagissimo
• Grave – very tiresome (25–45 bpm)
• Largo – broadly (40–lx bpm)
• Lento – slowly (45–60 bpm)
• Larghetto – rather broadly (sixty–66 bpm)
• Adagio – slow and stately (literally, "at ease") (66–76 bpm)
• Adagietto – slower than andante (72–76 bpm)
• Andante – at a walking footstep (76–108 bpm)
• Andantino – slightly faster than andante (although, in some cases, it tin can be taken to mean slightly slower than andante) (80–108 bpm)
• Marcia moderato – moderately, in the manner of a march^] (83–85 bpm)
• Andante moderato – between andante and moderato (thus the name) (92–112 bpm)
• Moderato – at a moderate speed (108–120 bpm)
• Allegretto – by the mid 19th century, moderately fast (112–120 bpm)
• Allegro moderato – close to, but not quite allegro (116–120 bpm)
• Allegro – fast, speedily, and vivid (120–168 bpm)
• Animato – animated
• Agitato – allegro plus agitation
• Veloce – with velocity, speedily
• Vivace – lively and fast (168–176 bpm)
• Allegrissimo or Allegro vivace – very fast (172–176 bpm)
• Presto – very, very fast (168–200 bpm)
• Prestissimo – fifty-fifty faster than presto (200 bpm and over)
• Vivacissimo – very fast and lively (172–176 bpm)

Ternary Form

Sometimes called "vocal form", is a three-part musical class where the first section (A) is repeated afterward the second section (B) ends. It is ordinarily schematized every bit A–B–A. An case of a vocal in Ternary Form would exist Chopin's "Raindrop Prelude" (Op. 28 No. 15).

Tessitura

The general range of pitches institute in a melody or vocal office.

Tetrachord

A calibration of four notes, or a series of iv notes (usually played 1 afterward the other), where the interval betwixt the first and last annotation is a perfect fourth.

C Major Tetrachord

Theme and Variation

A vocal form consisting of a melody (theme), followed by variations of that melody. Composers often use theme and variation to write an unabridged slice or to write 1 move of a larger piece. It is most often used in instrumental music.

Through-Composed Form

A type of vocal form that means that the music is relatively continuous, not-exclusive, and/or non-repetitive. A song is said to be through-equanimous if information technology has different music for each stanza of the lyrics.

Timbre

The quality of a musical tone that distinguishes voices and instruments.

Time Signature

A set of numbers (one on top of the other) notated later on the clef at the outset of a piece that indicates how many beats are in each measure and which note value is equivalent to i shell.

• Top Number = how many  beats are in the mensurate
• Bottom Number = what kind of note gets the beat
  • 1 = Whole Note
  • two = Half Note
  • 4 = Quarter Note
  • 8 = Eighth Note
  • sixteen = Sixteenth Note

3/iv Time ways at that place are3 beats in a measure and thequarter note gets the beat.

6/8 Fourth dimension means there are half dozen beats in a measure and theeighth note gets the beat.

Tin Whistle

Also referred to as a penny whistle, it is a folk wind instrument similar to the recorder, but usually fabricated of tin can. It by and large has half-dozen finger holes and is prominent in British and Irish folk music.

Tone Cluster

A musical chord comprising at least iii next tones in a scale.

Tonic

Also called the keynote, it is the first note of whatsoever major or minor scale. For case, B is the tonic in B Major. See: Calibration Degrees.

Tremolo

Quick repetition of the aforementioned note or the rapid alternation between two notes.

Transposition

A useful tool for musicians, it is the process of playing or writing music in a dissimilar key.

Triplet

A group of three notes played inside another note-length; a portion of musical time that's been split rhythmically into 3 equal parts.

Tristan Chord

A chord made upward of the notes F, B, D#, and 1000#. More generally, it tin be any chord that consists of these aforementioned intervals: augmented 4th, augmented sixth, and augmented 9th above a bass notation.

Though this chord is technically an odd spelling of an F half-diminished chord [F, Ab (G#), Cb (B), Eb (D#)] this particular spelling and use of the notes is particular to Richard Wagner. It is heard in the opening phrase of Richard Wagner's opera Tristan und Isolde as role of the leitmotif relating to the character Tristan, then it was named after the performance.

Tutti

A passage for the entire ensemble or orchestra without a soloist.

Viola

The second highest-pitched fellow member of the violin family. The viola is similar to the violin in most respects. However, information technology is larger and is a fifth lower in range.

Virtuoso

Performing with exceptional ability, technique or artistry.

Vocalise

A song work, whether an exercise or something more than musically substantial, that has no words. Information technology is usually used to develop flexibility and control of pitch and tone.

Wagner Tuba

A tuba invented by the composer Richard Wagner to be used in his operas. It is smaller than the orchestral tuba and has a range betwixt that of the horn and the trombone. Its somber, majestic tone has inspired other composers such as Strauss, Bruckner, and Stravinsky to include it in compositions.

Waltz

A ballroom dance that is written in triple time with a strong accent on the first beat.

Well-Tempered

A term applied to an instrument that is voiced and tuned satisfactorily, with the pitches, tone, and timbre have the desired quality of audio.

Whole Tone Scale

A scale in which each note is separated from its neighbors past the interval of a whole tone.

Yodel

A style of singing or calling that involves switching the registers of the vocalization rapidly from head voice to chest voice (or falsetto and natural vocalism). Forms of yodeling can be constitute in several cultures, including cowboy singers in the United States such as Roy Rogers and Gene Autry.

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