Music

• Homophonic (Texture)


  A style of composition in which there is one melody, and all the voices and accompaniments move rhythmically together.
• Polyphonic (Texture)


  Music composed for many parts or voices, each with its own melody, thus creating a rich texture of sound. The music itself is called polyphony.
• Monophonic (Texture)


  Music that is written for only one voice or part is said to be monophonic (the music itself is called "monophony").
• Heterophonic (Texture)


  The practice of two or more musicians simultaneously performing slightly different versions of the same melody. Each version would be characterised as improvised or ornamented versions of the melody as opposed to harmonized versions of a melody as in polyphonic music.
• Parallel Motion (Texture)


  In part writing, parallel motion occurs when two or more voices move from one position to another, keeping exactly the same interval between them.
• Melody and Accompaniment (Texture)

  Accompaniment is the additional but subordinate music used to support a melodic line. In piano music, for example, the left handoften performs chords which serve as an accompaniment for the melody performed by the right hand. Similarly, a solo musician is often accompanied by a piano or an orchestra.
• Texture


  Term which refers to the vertical structure of a composition. That is to say, how many parts or voices there are, what the configuration (close, open, etc.) of the voices happens to be, how the voices interact, etc.
• Dynamics


  The loudness or softness of a composition. The term piano (p) is used to indicate softness and forte (f) to indicate loudness.
• Forte (f)


  To play loudly
• Fortissimo (ff)


  To play very loudly
• Mezzo forte (mf)


  To play quite loudly
• Mezzo piano (mp)


  To play quite quietly
• Piano (p)


  To play quietly
• Crescendo


  To get louder gradually
• Diminuendo


  To get quieter gradually
• Tempo


  The speed of the music, indicated with a BPM reference or with an adjective
• Lento (Tempo)


  Slowly (40-60 BPM)
• Largo (Tempo)


  Slowly (40-60 BPM)
• Adagio (Tempo)


  Slowly (66-76 BPM)
• Andante (Tempo)


  Walking Pace (76-108 BPM)
• Moderato (Tempo)


  Moderate speed (108-120 BPM)
• Allegro (Tempo)


  Fast tempo (120-168 BPM)
• Presto (Tempo)


  Very fast (168-200 BPM)
• Acciaccatura (Ornament)


  Played as quickly as possible before the note that follows it
• Lower Mordent (Ornament)


  Play the note shown, the note below, then the original note again
• Upper Mordent (Ornament)


  Play the note, the note above, then the original note again.
• Appoggiatura (Ornament)


  Takes part of the value of the note shown (usually half).
• Turn (Ornament)


  Play the note above, then the note shown, the note below, and then the note shown again.
• Trill (Ornament)


  Rapid alternation of the note shown and the note above it.
• Legato (Articulation)


  To play the notes very smoothly
• Staccato (Articulation)


  To play the notes as short and detached as you can
• Accent (Articulation)


  To emphasise one note more than the rest
• Polyrhythm


  The simultaneous use of several rhythmic patterns or meters, common in twentieth-century music and in certain African musics.
• Alberti Bass


  Typical of the Classical Era, a left hand keyboard accompaniment style. The chords of the Alberti bass are played as arpeggios, or broken chords.

  The Alberti bass pattern uses a three pitch chord with the pattern - lowest pitch - highest pitch - middle pitch - highest pitch.
• J. Haydn


  Classical Era Composer
• Phrasing


  Similar to the organisation of poetry, this is a reference to how long melodic ideas last, if phrases are of a similar length etc.
• Call and Response


  Performance style with a singing leader who is imitated by a chorus of followers. Can also be found in instrumental music.
• Syncopation


  Deliberate upsetting of the meter or pulse of a composition by means of a temporary shifting of the accent to a weak beat or an off-beat.
• Harmony


  The combination of notes sounded simultaneously to produce chords. Usually, this term is used to describe consonance, however, it can also be used to describe dissonance.
• Primary Chords


  I, IV and V, in any given key