Key words

• Riff.

  A repeated pattern played by a low instrument.
• Melody.


  Main tune.
• Drum fill.


  When the drummer adds extra hits to mark the end of a section of music.
• Chord Sequence.


  Chords put into a pleasing order.
• Chord.

  • 2 or more notes played at once.
  • Triad chords have 3 notes. (G, B, D)
• Bass line.


  A low part of the music usually based on the lowest note of the chord.
• Improvise.


  To make up by playing as you go along.
• Hook.


  A catchy bit of music.
• Acciaccatura.

  • Melodic/musical decoration.
  • One of the various decorations used.
• Polyphonic/counterpoint.


  2 or more equally important melodic lines which all fit together harmonically.
• Imitation.

  • Question and answer.
  • Carried out between different instruments and melodic lines.
• Unison.


  Singers/instrument players playing/singing the same thing at the same time.
• Figured bass.

  • Associated with basso continuo.
  • Baroque period.
  • Only melody and a bass line.
  • Harpsichord/organ.
• Concerto.


  Solo instrument accompanied by an orchestra, especially conceived on a large scale.
• Harpsichord.

  • Baroque.
  • Main instrument.
• Sonata form.

  1. INTRO - can be completely contrasting to the rest of the movement.
  2. Exposition.
  3. Development.
  4. Recapitulation (recap.
  5. Coda (rounds off).
• Rondo form.


  A main theme (A) keeps on returning between contrasting sections. A,B,A,C,A,D,A.
• Terraced Dynamics.

  • Loud - forte,
  • Soft - piano.
  • Very loud - fortissimo.
• Viol/Bass viol.

  • Viol - Musical instrument of the baroque period.
  • Bass viol - Bass instrument of the viol family.
  • BAROQUE!
• Turn.

  • Melodic/musical decoration.
  • One of the various decorations used.
• Cyclic form.


  Repeated cycle.
• Concerto grosso.

  • A group of solo instruments accompanied by an orchestra.
  • Mainly Baroque.
• Strophic.


  Same tune repeated through each verse.
• Canonic.

  • Particular type of imitation.
  • It is like a round, where the imitating voice/instrumental part repeats the entire melody, not just the opening.
• Through composed.

  • Opposite of strophic.
  • New music for each verse.
• Homophonic.

  • Homo = same.
  • Texture where all parts move in the same rhythm.
  • Chordal movement, same rhythm, different notes.
  • Block chordal + melody and accompaniment.
• Antiphonal.


  Special form of imitation where a musical phrase is passed between different groups of voices/instruments.
• Hetrophonic.

  • Simultaneous variation of a single melody line.
  • A variation of the melody is played over the original melody.
• Monophonic.

  • Mono = one.
  • No harmony, one line of tune.
  • May be played/sung by more than one instrument/voice at a time.
• Basso continuo.

  • Continuous bass.
  • Played by harpsichord/organ or bassoon.
  • Continuo player played from a special kind of notation 9 figured bass0.
• Mordent.

  • Melodic/musical decoration.
  • One of the various decorations used.
• Trill.

  • Melodic/musical decoration.
  • One of the various decorations used.
• Call and response.

  • A musical phrase is sung/played by 1 person/musician and is followed by a response.
  • Question and answer.
• Ternary form.


  Built up in 3 sections. A,B,A.
• Binary form.


  2 sections of roughly equal length. A and B.
• Appoggiatura.

  • Melodic/musical decoration.
  • One of the various decorations used.
• Exposition.

  • SONATA.
  • Exposes the main theme/ideas.
• Structure.


  The order of different sections in a piece of music.
• Development.

  • SONATA.
  • Develops the themes.
  • Explores new keys.
  • Ends in dominant preparation for the home key.
• Ground bass. (structure, baroque).

  • Music for a while.
  • Repeated melody in the bass.
  • Harmony and melody may change above the ground bass.