Reading...
Play button
Play button
Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
315 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
|
32-bar song form
|
A structure of four 8-bar phrases in the pattern AABA, used originally for chorus of a popular song. B=middle eight/bridge.
|
|
|
A cappella
|
Unaccompanied singing
|
|
|
Accent
|
A note given special emphasis
|
|
|
Additive rhythm
|
Rhymic patterns made from repetitions of a fast-note value as opposed to rhythms based on divisions and multiplications of the time value of a regular pulse.
|
|
|
Aerophone
|
A category of instruments that produce sounds when a body of air is made to vibrate (eg. woodwind and brass).
|
|
|
Agogo
|
In African music, a double bell played with a stick.
|
|
|
Air
|
English or French for 'song'.
|
|
|
Alap
|
Indian music - unmetred, improvised prelude (intro).
|
|
|
Aleatoric
|
Music determined by chance rather than composer.
|
|
|
Alto
|
A high male or low female voice.
|
|
|
Anacrusis
|
One or more weak-beat notes before the first strong beat or phrase. Also called 'pick-up'.
|
|
|
Analogue synthesiser
|
An early type of synthesiser that used varying electrical waveforms to produce sounds now created digitally.
|
|
|
Answering phrase
|
Second of a pair of balanced prhases. Sounds as if answering first phrase (question). These symmetrical/periodic phrases are also called the antecedent and the consequent.
|
|
|
Antiphony
|
Music in which 2 or more groups of performers alternate with each other.
|
|
|
Arco.
|
To use the bow.
|
|
|
Pizzicato
|
To pluck the strings.
|
|
|
Col legno
|
To bounce the bow on the strings with the wooden side,
|
|
|
Aria
|
Solo vocal work with instrumental accomp. Usually found in operas.
|
|
|
Arpeggio
|
A chord played as successive notes.
|
|
|
Articulation
|
The point at which the note is sounded.
The length of notes in relation to context (legato/staccato). |
|
|
Attack
|
The start-point of a sound.
|
|
|
Atonality
|
Unrelated to a tonic note and has no sense of key.
|
|
|
Atumpan
|
Large, African, goblet-shaped drum, usually played in pairs.
|
|
|
Augmentation
|
A proportionate increase in the note-lengths of a melody (eg. 2 quavers and 1 crotchet becomes two crotchets and a minim).
|
|
|
Backing vocals
|
Accompany main singers. Notated as bvox.
|
|
|
Balafon
|
West-African xylophone
|
|
|
Ballad
|
Slow and expressive pop song / romantic composition in one movement.
|
|
|
Bandish
|
N. Indian music - content (rag and tal of piece)
|
|
|
Bansuri
|
Side-blown flute. Indian.
|
|
|
Baroque
|
1600-1750, period of music
|
|
|
Basic series/set
|
12-note row in serialism/prime order.
|
|
|
Bass
|
Low male voice / Lowest-sounding part of composition.
|
|
|
Basso Continuo
|
Baroque. Bass part with improvised accompanying chords on harmony instrument.
|
|
|
Basso Ostinato
|
Short bass melody continuously repeated for a sufficient length of time.
|
|
|
Bayan
|
Larger drum in tabla - Indian
|
|
|
Beat-matching
|
Dance music - adjusting speed of recording to exactly match the tempo of previous track.
|
|
|
Bhangra
|
Amalgation of western pop styles and traditional punjabi styles of music (indian).
|
|
|
Binary form
|
Structure in 2 sections - AB.
|
|
|
Bitonality
|
2 different keys at the same time.
|
|
|
Blues
|
USA musical genre evolved from black slaves. W. Africal traditions and western folk music.
|
|
|
Blue scale
|
A scale in which some degrees (blue notes) are flattened. Usually third and seventh degrees.
|
|
|
Bols
|
N. Indian music - syllables used to represent drum strokes on a tabla.
|
|
|
Book
|
Spoken words, stage directions and indications of lyrics for songs in a musical.
|
|
|
BPM
|
beats per minute
|
|
|
Break
|
in pop and jazz music, an instrumental solo. In dance music, a short passage when all parts drop out - sound effects/silence used.
|
|
|
Bridge
|
Contasting passage (eg, middle eight) in pop song.
|
|
|
Britpop
|
British music - evolved in 90s.
|
|
|
Breakbeat
|
Rhythm of hip-hop track created by sampling and looping an existing drum break.
|
|
|
Breakdown
|
Dance track - parts gradually drop out, leaving only 1 playing (usually drums).
|
|
|
Broken chord
|
Notes sounded individually in patterns, not together.
|
|
|
Cadenza
|
Improvised/written-out solo in an aria or concerto movement.
|
|
|
Canon
|
Compositional device in which a melody in one part is later repeated in another part whilst part1 continues to unfold.
|
|
|
Canon by inversion.
|
Second part to enter to enter presents original melody upside down.
|
|
|
Cell
|
Motif - often refers to group of notes/short-rhythm in 20th-century modernist styles.
|
|
|
Chaal rhythm
|
Found in Bhangra.
|
|
|
Chaconne and passacaglia
|
Continuous variations based on an ostinato. Different in origins but basically same by beginning of 18th century.
|
|
|
Chamber orchestra
|
Small orchestra.
|
|
|
Chordophone
|
Instruments which produce sound primarily by vibrating strings eg. violin, guitar.
|
|
|
Chromatic notes
|
Foreign to the prevailing key.
|
|
|
Circle of 5ths
|
Series of bass notes each a 5th higher or lower than previous note.
|
|
|
Classical
|
1750-1825, period of music.
|
|
|
Clef
|
A symbol defining the pitches of the notes on a stave.
|
|
|
Coda
|
Closing section at end of movement/song/piece.
|
|
|
Coloratura
|
Ornamental style of vocal music - eg. soprano soloists in opera.
|
|
|
Compound metre
|
Each beat can be divided into three shorter notes of equal length.
|
|
|
Concerto
|
Composition for one or more solo instruments accompanied by an orchestra. Usually in 3 movements.
|
|
|
Consonance
|
Relative stability of two or more notes sounded together (concords) - they go together well.
|
|
|
Dissonance
|
Relative instability of two or more notes sounded together (discords) - clashing chords.
|
|
|
Con sordino
|
An instruction for a performer to use a mute.
|
|
|
Countermelody
|
A new melody heard simultaneously with a melody that has been heard before.
|
|
|
Counterpoint
|
(Countrapuntal) - the simulataneous combination of 2 or more melodic lines.
|
|
|
Cross-rhythm
|
Conflicts with the regular pattern of stressed and unstressed beats of a composition, or the combination of conflicting rhythms within a single beat (eg. duplets against triplets).
|
|
|
Cyclic
|
2 or more different movements are linked by the uses of the same/similar themes.
|
|
|
Da capo
|
Instruction to repeat the music from the beginning - usually ending at Fine.
|
|
|
Dance band
|
Ensemble (typically consists of saxophones, trumpets, trombones, piano, drums and bass) associated with popular music of swing era - 30s and 40s.
|
|
|
Decay
|
The end-part of a sound. Might decay gradually or suddenly.
|
|
|
Decks
|
Turntables used by DJ.
|
|
|
Decorations
|
Printed embellishments or small departures from the written score designed to enrich a performance.
|
|
|
Delay
|
Audio effect - a sound is replayed after a very short delay - often many times in quick succession.
|
|
|
Descant
|
Melodic line sung above the main melody of a hymn/similar vocal piece.
|
|
|
Dhol
|
Large, cylindrical African drum.
|
|
|
Dhrupad
|
Traditional style of dignified slow singing in Indian music.
|
|
|
Dimunition
|
Proportionate decrease in note-lengths - opposite of augmentation.
|
|
|
Disco
|
Populare style of up-tempo dance music in 70s with distinctive four-on-the-floor beat.
|
|
|
Distortion
|
Rough sound produced when audio signal is deformed.
|
|
|
DJ
|
Presents and comments on recorded music / creates continuous music for dancing by mixing pre-recorded tracks.
|
|
|
Djembe
|
Goblet-shaped African drum.
|
|
|
Dominant
|
Fifth degree of a scale.
|
|
|
Double stopping
|
The performance of a two-note chord on a bowed string instrument.
|
|
|
Doubling
|
The simultaneous performance of the same melody by two players/groups of players at same pitch/in octaves.
|
|
|
Drone
|
A sustained/repeated note sounded against a changing harmony.
|
|
|
Drum and bass
|
Very fast popular dance style - drum and bass = underlying structure.
|
|
|
Drum loop
|
Short series of drum beats repeated over and over again without any musical/tempo inconsistencies.
|
|
|
Drum machine
|
Synsthesiser capable of simulating the sounds of a number of percussion instruments.
|
|
|
Dundun
|
Double-headed hourglass drum from Africa - talking drum.
|
|
|
Editing
|
Preparing a final version of a piece by selecting, processing and correcting material.
|
|
|
Episode
|
A distinct section within a movement.
|
|
|
EQ
|
Equalisation. A signal processing device that alters the frequency response of a sound.
|
|
|
European synth-pop
|
New wave of pop music in 70s. Synthesisers play an important role in rhythm and melody, as well as harmony. Eg. Ultravox and Duran Duran.
|
|
|
Expressionism
|
Early 20th-century style characterised by expression of inner fears and obsessions (delves into subconsious mind) through distorted/violent artistic ideas.
|
|
|
Extended performance techniques
|
Unusual or unconcentional ways of using the voice/an instrument.
|
|
|
Falsetto
|
Vocal technique when a man sings in a different tone in a higher register.
|
|
|
Figuration
|
Melodic line made up of repeated and varied figures or continuous ornamental patterns.
|
|
|
Figure
|
Motif.
|
|
|
Figured bass
|
Bass part with Arabic numerals that indicate intervals above the bass to be played to form desired chords.
|
|
|
Fill
|
Brief improvised flourish in between phrases.
|
|
|
Filtering
|
Masking out some components of an electronic signal.
|
|
|
Flanger
|
Electronic effect - sometimes on electric guitars - to give a 'sweeping' sound.
|
|
|
Flutter-tonguing
|
On wind instruments, rolling an 'r' with the tongue while blowing to produce rapid repetitions of the same notes.
|
|
|
Four-on-the-floor
|
Dance music (eg. disco/house) characterised by four accented beats per bar on the bass drum.
|
|
|
Funk
|
American music in 60s and 70s - developed from soul, but is more rhythmic and less mellow.
|
|
|
Gamak
|
N. India, approaching a note by sliding to it from above or below.
|
|
|
Gankogui
|
African double bell.
|
|
|
Garage
|
Electronic dance music in mid-90s. Combined deep bass of jungle with drum loops and rap-like vocals.
|
|
|
Gat
|
Indian music - instrumental composition.
|
|
|
Gating
|
In recording, only letting sounds through if they are above a certain dynamic level.
|
|
|
Gharana
|
N. Indian music - an extended family of musicians learning from a particular master and often living under the same roof.
|
|
|
Graphic score
|
Uses pictoral rater than conventional notation to indicate pitch and duration etc.
|
|
|
Griot
|
W. African poet and musician who travels around singing traditional stories.
|
|
|
Groove
|
Repeating rhythm to create 'feel' of a piece.
|
|
|
Ground bass
|
Melody in bass part of a composition repeated many times and which forms basis from melodic/harmonic variations.
|
|
|
Hammer on
|
Electric guitar technique - note is sounded by bringing finger down firmly on string, not by plucking.
|
|
|
Harmonium
|
Reed organ.
|
|
|
Harpsichord
|
Keyboard instrument with one, 2 or 3 manuals contolling jacks - pieces of plastic/quill which pluck a string when key is depressed.
|
|
|
Heterophonic
|
Texture made of a simple tune and a more elaborate version of it played/sung together.
|
|
|
Hexachord
|
Set of 6 pitches.
|
|
|
Hip-hop
|
Culture evolved in urban black America in 70s. Features : uses of rap by MC with accompaniment of looped drum breaks from other songs and created by a DJ.
|
|
|
Highlife
|
African pop music genre - fusion of African percussion and drum rhythms with Western guitars and dance-band instruments.
|
|
|
Hocket
|
Breaking up notes of a melody with short rests and sometimes distributinng them between different voices/instruments.
|
|
|
Homophonic
|
One part has all melodic interest and other parts provide simple accompaniment.
|
|
|
Hook
|
In pop music, a short melodic idea designed to be instantly memorable.
|
|
|
Hosho
|
A rattle made from a gourd with seeds inside (or beads around) often used to accompany mbira in African music.
|
|
|
House
|
Style of electronic dance music, often sequenced. Fast four-on-the-floor beat (often on drum machine), continuous bass patterns, samples and synthesisers.
|
|
|
Idiophone
|
Produce sound by their own vibration, eg shakers and xylophones.
|
|
|
Imperfect cadence
|
Almost any chord plus chord 5 at the end of a phrase.
|
|
|
Interlocking phrases
|
The result of using phase shifting in minimalism.
|
|
|
Interlude
|
Music played between sections of a longer piece.
|
|
|
Interrupted cadence
|
Chord V to chord VI.
|
|
|
Isicathamiya
|
'On tiptoes' - style of unaccompanied choral singing, originated from Zulu people.
|
|
|
Jamaican Dub
|
Pops style originated in 70s, where an instrumental track was assembled from fragments of an existing song - added percussion, low, loud bass and effects such as reverb. Ofter formed backing for toasting.
|
|
|
Jhala
|
N. Indian music - lively, rhythmical, improvised section in fast tempo following the jhor. Ofter contains gat, where tabla enters.
|
|
|
Jhor
|
N. Indian music - improvisatory section with a strong pulse but no set metre. It is in medium tempo and follows the alap.
|
|
|
Jungle
|
An early name for drum and bass.
|
|
|
Khali
|
Indian music, an unaccented vibhag in which the 1st beat is indicated by a wave rather than a clap.
|
|
|
Khayal
|
Indian traditional style of singing, more decorated and improvisatory than dhrupad.
|
|
|
Kora
|
Long-necked harp in West-African music.
|
|
|
Leitmotif
|
A musical idea used in opera and musicals as a reminder of a particular character, setting or situation.
|
|
|
Libretto
|
The words of an opera or musical. In musicals, it contains the book (spoken words) and the lyrics.
|
|
|
Lick
|
Short solo phrase in pop and jazz.
|
|
|
Lute
|
Fretted plucked-string instrument popular in the renaissance and baroque eras.
|
|
|
Matra
|
'Measure' or 'count' in which a tal is performed.
|
|
|
Mbira
|
African 'thumb piano' consisting of metal strings attached to a resonator that are twanged by both thumbs (and sometimes index fingers).
|
|
|
MC
|
Microhone Controller or Master of Ceremonies - raps over the breakbeats in hip-hop.
|
|
|
Meend
|
Indian music, a gamak involving a smooth glide between notes.
|
|
|
Melismatic
|
Vocal line when several notes are sung to the same syllable.
|
|
|
Melodrama
|
Speech which is accompanied by or interspersed with music to heighten its dramatic impact.
|
|
|
Membranophone
|
Produces sound by a vibrating skin - (drums).
|
|
|
Metallophone
|
Rows of tuned metal bars struck with mallets, eg. glockenspiel.
|
|
|
Microtone
|
An interval smaller than a semitone.
|
|
|
MIDI
|
Musical Instrument Digital Interface: system for exchanging music performance data between computers/electronic instruments.
|
|
|
Military Band
|
Wind band with woodwind, brass and percussion.
|
|
|
Minimalism
|
Late 20th century style. Characterised by varied repetition of simple rhythmic, harmonic or melodic ideas.
|
|
|
Minuet
|
Elegant dance in 3/4. Alternates with trio to produce a ternary structure.
|
|
|
Mix-in
|
Opening section of a dance track, which DJ mixes with the sound of the previous track.
|
|
|
Mix-out
|
Closing section of a dance track, which DJ mixes with the sound of the next track.
|
|
|
Mixing
|
Blending separate sources.
|
|
|
Modal music
|
Based on one of scales of seven pitch classes found in western music (not maj or min).
|
|
|
Modernism
|
Cultural movement of early 20th century which rejected tradition to create new forms of expression. Features include complexity and free use of dissonance.
|
|
|
Monophonic
|
Texture - single unaccompanied melody performed by soloist or many people singing in unison or in octaves.
|
|
|
Motif
|
A short idea which can be modified, manipulated and possibly combined with other motifs whilst retaining its own identity.
|
|
|
Motivic Development
|
Sustaining interest in longer musical structures by manipulating short motifs rather than just repeating and contrasting complete sections.
|
|
|
Multiphonics
|
An instrument or voice which usually is monophonic, produces two or more notes at one time.
|
|
|
Multi-tracking
|
Recording technique - Several tracks recorded independently are played together.
|
|
|
Music theatre
|
Involves some dramatic presentation, not necessarily fully staged like opera/musical.
|
|
|
Octave displacement
|
Moving notes of a tone row one or more octaves from their original pitches, therefore producing angular melodic lines.
|
|
|
Opera buffing
|
Opera of a comic nature usually with happy ending.
|
|
|
Operetta
|
Light opera - spoken dialogue, songs and dances. Shorter than operas.
|
|
|
Oral tradition
|
Music handed down through generations by speech and performance rather than notation and writing.
|
|
|
Orchestra
|
Large instrumental ensemble. Full sized symphony orchestra contains at least 60 performers.
|
|
|
Organ
|
Wind instrument with bellows that supplies compressed air to a set of pipes OR an electronic instrument with a wide selection of sounds and effects as well as pipe organ sound.
|
|
|
Ornamentation
|
Decorative notes to embellish main notes of a melody.
|
|
|
Ostinato
|
Rhythmic, melodic or harmonic pattern repeated many times in succession - in pop music = riff.
|
|
|
Outro
|
In pop and jazz, a closing section. Essentially same as coda.
|
|
|
Pakhawaj
|
Large wooden cylindrican Indian drum with skin at both ends, played with palms and fingers.
|
|
|
Palm muting
|
Guitar and bass technique which stops a sound by pressing the heel of the hand on a vibrating string.
|
|
|
Palta
|
Indian scalic melodic pattern practised to improve sitar technique.
|
|
|
Pan
|
Control determining position of a sound in the stereo field.
|
|
|
Passing note
|
Non-harmony note which moves by step between two harmony notes.
|
|
|
Pedal
|
Sustained/repeated note sounded against a changing harmony.
|
|
|
Pentatonic music
|
Based on a 5-note scale.
|
|
|
Perfect cadence
|
Chord V - Chord I.
|
|
|
Phrase structure
|
Length and pattern of melodic phrases making up a section of music.
|
|
|
Phasing/phase shifting
|
Minimalist technique - melody copied by another part in slightly extended version so the two parts phase in and out of sync.
|
|
|
Pitch bending
|
Detuning a note so it slides to another pitch.
|
|
|
Pitch class
|
A set of pitches all sharing same letter name.
|
|
|
Pizzicato
|
To pluck the strings on a usually bowed instrument.
|
|
|
Plagal cadence
|
Chord IV - Chord I.
|
|
|
Pointillism
|
20th-century style - selection of isolated notes are heard as points of sound.
|
|
|
Polyphonic
|
Texture - 2 or more different melodies sounding together.
|
|
|
Polyrhthym
|
2 or more distinctly different rhythms at the same time.
|
|
|
Portamento
|
Slide from one pitch to another.
|
|
|
Post-modernism
|
Reaction to complex dissonance of modernism. Characterised by simple, novel structures and a return to mainly diatonic harmony.
|
|
|
Power chord
|
Loud guitar chord - open 5th (tonic and dominant).
|
|
|
Pre-chorus
|
In pop song, bridge between verse and chorus.
|
|
|
Production number
|
Section in musical including singing and dancing from full company.
|
|
|
Programme music
|
Music which suggests visual images or a story.
|
|
|
Prose score
|
Experimental music - when the music is described rather than notated.
|
|
|
Pull off
|
Guitar technique - finger is lifted from fretboard while string is vibrating, therefore pitch drops.
|
|
|
Pulse
|
Beat.
|
|
|
Pulsing
|
Numerous rapid repetitions of the same chord.
|
|
|
Relative major/minor
|
Keys which share the same key signature (eg. C major and A minor).
|
|
|
Reprise
|
Return of a section of music.
|
|
|
Residual tone
|
Breathy sound resulting from blowing down a flute without producing a note.
|
|
|
Retrograde
|
A series of note values, pitches or chords played backwards.
|
|
|
Retrograde Inversion
|
A series of notes played backwards and upside down.
|
|
|
Reverb
|
Reverberation. Series of reflections which occurs when sound is made in an enclosed space.
|
|
|
Revue
|
Theatrical entertainment that includes music, dance, comedy and satire.
|
|
|
Riff
|
In jazz or pop music - a short pattern designed to be instantly memorable.
|
|
|
Ritornello
|
Instrumental section in a baroque aria or a section for a large string ensemble in a baroque concerto.
|
|
|
Romantic
|
1825-1900, musical era.
|
|
|
Rondo
|
Composition in which a passage at the start is repeated at intervals throughout the piece. The repeates are separated by contrasting passages called episodes.
|
|
|
Root
|
In tonal music, the fundamental pitch of a chord built of superimposed thirds.
|
|
|
Rubato
|
Freedom with tempo. Expressive slight speeding up and slowing down.
|
|
|
Sam
|
Indian music - 1st beat of a tal.
|
|
|
Sampler
|
Device for recording sections of sounds as digital information - they can then be played back with various modifications.
|
|
|
Sarangi
|
Indian fretless bowed instrument with 3 main strings and a range or sympathetic strings.
|
|
|
Sargam
|
Indian system for naming notes (like sol-fa) - SA RE GA MA PA DHA NI SA.
|
|
|
Sarod
|
Indian plucked-string instrument with melody, drone and sympathetic strings. It has a metal fingerboard and no frets.
|
|
|
Scherzo
|
Fast movement in triple-time, usually found in 19th century instrumental music. (Alternates with trio to give ternary form).
|
|
|
Score
|
Written document representing how a piece of music should be played.
|
|
|
Scotch snap
|
Two-not rhythm consisting of a short on-beat note and a long off-beat note.
|
|
|
Scratching
|
Manipulating vinyl record to repeat passage of music several times - move disc back and forwards.
|
|
|
Sequence
|
Immediate repetion of a motif or phrase of a same melody in the same part but at different pitch OR performance data saved by sequencer.
|
|
|
Sequencer
|
Computer sofware for the input, editing and playback or music performance data using MIDI.
|
|
|
Serialism
|
Music based on manipulations of a 12-note series including every pitch of a chromatic scale.
|
|
|
Setting
|
Music added to a text so that the words are sung instead of spoken.
|
|
|
Seventh chord
|
A triad plus a 7th above the root.
|
|
|
Sforzando
|
Strongly accented.
|
|
|
Simple metre
|
Each beat can be divided into two shorter notes of equal length.
|
|
|
Sitar
|
Indian fretted, plucked-string instrument - melody, drone and symathetic strings.
|
|
|
Solo
|
Piece written for or performed by a single musician.
|
|
|
Soprano
|
High female or unbroken boy's voice.
|
|
|
Soul music
|
Pop music - 50s America. Combination of r&b, gospel and places emphasis on vocalists.
|
|
|
Sound card
|
Internal/external devise connected to computer which records and plays back digital audio signals.
|
|
|
Sound module
|
Device without a keyboard that can play synthesised or sampled sound under control of computer, sequencer or remote keyboard.
|
|
|
Sprechstimme (sometimes Sprechgesang)
|
Vocal production - half-way between singing and speaking.
|
|
|
Stab
|
Pop music, a single accented chord, played staccato by brass or an orchestral sample.
|
|
|
Step
|
In GB, a semitone or tone, in USA, a tone (semitone is half-step).
|
|
|
String quartet
|
2 violins, a viola and a cello.
|
|
|
Strophic song
|
Same music is used for every verse.
|
|
|
Subdominant
|
4th degree of a scale.
|
|
|
Subito
|
Suddenly.
|
|
|
Suite
|
Collection of pieces intended to be performed together.
|
|
|
Syllabic
|
Each syllable is set to its own note.
|
|
|
Sympathetic strings
|
Not played, but produces sound 'in sympathy' with strings that are being played.
|
|
|
Symphony
|
Orchestral composition, usually of 4 movements.
|
|
|
Syncopation
|
Accentuation of notes sounded off the beat or on a weak beat.
|
|
|
Synthesiser
|
Electronic instrument that can produce and modify sound. Can imitate other instruments or make non-musical sounds.
|
|
|
Tabla
|
Indian pair of drums played with hands and fingers of 1 performer.
|
|
|
Tal/Tala/Talam
|
Cyclic rhythmic pattern in Indian music which forms the basis of improvisation.
|
|
|
Tan
|
Indian music - improvised fast variations expanding basic notes of the rag.
|
|
|
Talking drums
|
African music - drums on which a variety of sounds similar to elements of speech can be played.
|
|
|
Tanpura/Tanbura
|
Indian plucked-string instrument with four drone strings.
|
|
|
Tape loop
|
Section of magnetic tape fixed end to end so that the same music can be repeated indefinitely.
|
|
|
Tintal
|
Indian music - most common rag with 16 beats shaped as 4 patterns of 4.
|
|
|
Ternary form
|
3-part structure (ABA) where B is a contrasting section.
|
|
|
Tessitura
|
Pitch range in which a passage of music mainly lies.
|
|
|
Texture
|
Number and timbres of parts in a composition and how they relate to each other.
|
|
|
Theka
|
Indian - pattern of drum strokes which make up tal.
|
|
|
Theme
|
Main idea in a conception eg. the melody.
|
|
|
Through-composed
|
In musicals, no dialogue, just music.
|
|
|
Tierce de Picardie
|
Major 3rd in final tonic chord of a minor-key passage.
|
|
|
Tihai
|
Tabla pattern played 3 times (usually ending on sam) to mark end of a section.
|
|
|
Timbre
|
Tone colour.
|
|
|
Time line
|
In W. African drumming, a short repeated rhythm guiding the other players - usually played on a bell.
|
|
|
Tonal language
|
A language where pitch can also determine the meaning of the words. (Many African languages are tonal).
|
|
|
Tonal music
|
In a clearly defined key.
|
|
|
Tone row
|
Series of 12 different pitch classes. In strict serialism, none of these pitch classes is repeated until all 12 have been used.
|
|
|
Tonic
|
1st degree of a scale.
|
|
|
Trance
|
90s dance music evolved from techno, with more harmonic and melodic content.
|
|
|
Transformation
|
Melody, rhythm or chord progression is changed to take on a new character, while still retaining original pitches.
|
|
|
Transposition
|
Performance or noteation is lower or higher than the original.
|
|
|
Treble
|
Boy's unbroken voice.
|
|
|
Tremolo
|
Continuous rapid repetition of either a single pitch or 2 alternating pitches more than a tone apart.
|
|
|
Tripple stopping
|
3-note chord on a bowed string instrument.
|
|
|
Triplet
|
3 notes of equal length played in the time of 2 notes of same time value.
|
|
|
Tritone
|
Interval of 3 tones.
|
|
|
Turn
|
Step above, written note, step below, written note. An ornament.
|
|
|
Tutti
|
All (or most) of the emsemble are playing.
|
|
|
Twelve-bar blues
|
Also been widely adopted in jazz and pop. 12 bars with a chord progression based on I and V.
|
|
|
Unison
|
2 or more notes at same pitch.
|
|
|
Vari-speed
|
Control on turntable, tape recorder or CD player allows small adjustments to be made to speed of rotation.
|
|
|
Variations
|
Theme is repeated, each time with slight alterations.
|
|
|
Vaudeville
|
Theatrical entertainment popular in the USA in late-19th, early 20th century with variety of acts.
|
|
|
Velocity
|
Measure of how fast a key on a music keyboard has been pressed - used in MIDI to determine volume, timbre and attack.
|
|
|
Techno
|
1980s sequencer-based electronic dance music, with few/no vocals. Emphasis on drum tracks, samples and effects.
|
|
|
Verse and chorus
|
Standard form in popular song.
|
|
|
Verticalisation
|
Use of adjacent notes in tone row to form a chord.
|
|
|
Vibhag
|
Indian - group of beats making up a tal.
|
|
|
Virtual modelling
|
Synthesising sounds starting with a set of 'real sounds' - the model. Equations are used to make exact replica of the sound in the sunthesiser.
|
|
|
Virtuoso
|
Performer of outstanding technical ability.
|
|
|
Vocoder
|
Electronic device which can use the audio signal from pitches played on an instrument to modify sounds of words spoken - sounds robotic.
|
|
|
Wind Band
|
Large ensemble of woodwind, brass and percussion.
|
|
|
Word painting
|
Illustration in music of the meaning or suggestion of particular words in a text.
|
|
|
Xylophone
|
Percussion instrument in which beaters are used to strike a set of tuned wooden bars.
|
|
|
Quantisation
|
Sequencer, automatically adjusting data to fit within defined limits - eg. shifting notes to exact rhythmic positions.
|
|
|
Quarter tone
|
1/2 a semitone.
|
|
|
Rhythm and blues
|
Style of black American music combining jazz and blues in the 40s OR urban music - combination of soul and hip-jop originating in 80s.
|
|
|
Rag
|
Pattern of ascending and descending notes associated with particular moods, forms the basis of Indian improvisation.
|
|
|
Range
|
Distance between the highest and lowest note of a composition.
|
|
|
Rap
|
70s emerged - semi-spoken rhythms over backing tracks.
|
|
|
Rasa
|
Indian music - emotional character of a piece.
|
|
|
Recapitulation
|
Repetition of music heard earlier in same movement.
|
|
|
Refrain
|
Passage that is repeated at intervals throughout a work.
|
|
|
Register
|
Part of the range of a voice or instrument.
|
