Music - Key terms

• Melody

  Pitch and rhythm together
• Articulation

  How the music is played
• Dynamics

  How loud or soft the music is
• Modulation

  Change of key or scale
• Anacrusis

  1 beat in the first bar taken from the last bar
• Melodic minor

  Raise the 6th and 7th ascending, flatten 7th descending
• Natural minor

  Same as major but starts 3 semitones back
• Harmonic minor

  Raise the 6th ascending and descending
• Interval

  The distance between two pitches
• Tonic

  1st scale degree
• Supertonic

  2nd scale degree
• Mediant

  3rd scale degree
• Subdominant

  4th scale degree
• Dominant

  5th scale degree
• Submediant

  6th scale degree
• Leading note

  7th scale degree
• Power chord

  A normal chord without the middle/third
• Dominant 7th

  5th chord adding the 7th pitch
• Riff

  A catchy repeated part, usually played on guitar and is used in rock or pop
• Scale

  A set of particular pitches from the circle of 5ths
• Chord progression

  Set of chords (usually 4)
• Perfect cadence

  V - I
• Plagal cadence

  IV - I
• Interrupted cadence

  V - vi
• Imperfect cadence

  ? - V
• Binary

  Structure of 2 parts
• Ternary

  Structure of 3 parts
• Intro


  Beginning, sets the mood or style, usually an instrumental section, may vary in length, usually used in pop
• Pre-verse

  A short link between intro and verse - not often used, popular in the 60s
• Verse

  Gives the message of the song, each verse develops message further, lyrics change, melody stays the same
• Refrain

  Sometimes used as the last part of the verse, often containing the 'hook' or the title of the song. Melody and lyrics remain the same
• Pre-chorus

  Not always used. referred to as the climb as it prepares for the build up to the chorus.
• Chorus

  Contains the main message of the song, music and lyrics are repeated, memorable
• Bridge

  A transition or link section which provides a contrast or a new idea. Often found before the last chorus
• Outro

  An optional addition, used to finish a piece.
• Contrast

  Complete change in rhythm/key/melody to chords
• Imitation

  Copied in another instrument - interesting rather than simple repeat
• Sequence

  Same thing move up or down
• Dotted rhythm

  A rhythmic pattern with dotted notes
• Drone

  On and on same pitch or chords under a melody