General Music Terminology

accidentals	Symbols used to raise or lower a pitch
Alberti bass	A broken chord keyboard accompaniment with the notes of a chord presented in the order of lowest (Bass), highest (Alto), middle (Tenor), and highest (Alto)
alla breve	Cut time, indicating two beats with the half note getting the beat
alto clef	C clef, on the middle line of the staff, identifies middle C. Used for vocal scores and the viola.
anacrusis	Upbeat, incomplete measure, or pick up note(s)
arpeggio	Broken chord
atonality	Music that lacks tonality by avoiding functional diatonic and chromatic harmonies that gravitate to a tonic
augmented triad	A triad built of root – M3 – A5
bar line	Measure line, indicates that the next note or rest after the bar line is a downbeat and should be accented
bass clef	F clef, identifies the F note on the 4th line of the staff, used mostly for notes below middle C
beam	Horizontal or diagonal line connecting multiple notes equal to or less than an eighth note
cadence	A series of notes or a chord progression indicating the end of a musical phrase, section, or composition
chord	Three or more different pitches sounding simultaneously
chromatic scale	A scale consisting of the subdivision of the octave into 12 equal half steps
chromatic semitone	A half step with two notes of the same letter name, such as F → F
chromatic sequence	A chromatic melody or chord progression that is repeated at a higher or lower pitch
circle of fifths	The representation of all 12 keys with their corresponding key signatures
coda	A “tail.” A concluding section of a piece.
compound meter	Subdivision of the basic pulse into three parts
consonance	Stable, agreeable sound. In Common Practice Period music these are the perfect octave, thirds, perfect fifth, and sixths.
counterpoint	Two or more independent lines sounding simultaneously (see “polyphony”)
cut time	The half note is the basic pulse
diatonic	Within the key, using the notes of one specific diatonic scale
diatonic semitone	A half step using two different letter names, such as E → F
diatonic sequence	A melody or chord progression that is repeated at a higher or lower pitch
diminished triad	A triad built of root – m3 – d5
dissonance	Unstable, harsh, disagreeable sound. In Common Practice Period music these are seconds, sevenths, augmented and diminished intervals.
dominant	The fifth degree of a scale; the chord built on the fifth scale degree
dominant seventh chord	The chord built on the dominant: root – M3 – P5 – m7 or so– ti – re – fa
double bar line	Indicates the end of a piece or a section
double flat	Lowers the pitch two half steps
double sharp	Raises the pitch two half steps
dynamics	The volume at which music is performed
enharmonic	Spelled differently but sounding the same. Can refer to pitches, scales, or chords.
F clef	Bass clef
fermata	Lengthening a note or rest by an amount to be determined by the performer
flat	Lowers the pitch by a half step
G clef	Treble clef
grand staff	The  treble and bass staves connected by a bracket
half step	Minor second (m2); a semitone; the smallest interval
harmonic minor scale	The natural minor scale with raised leading tone (7)
harmony	A succession of chords
homophony	Melody supported by harmony as a succession of chords
interval	The distance between two pitches
inversion	1. Rearranging an interval so the lower note becomes the upper note an octave higher, or vice versa 2. Rearranging a chord so that the root is not the lowest note
jazz improvisation	The instant creation of melodies against a preset harmonic and formal structure, such as for 12-bar blues, 32-bar song forms, and others
jazz standard	Early to mid-20th century popular songs from Broadway shows and films, and including the blues. Used in jazz arrangements involving improvisation.
key	Tonic pitch + the mode; example: C minor
key signature	A group of sharps or flats written next to the clef indicating the scale and key of a piece
leading tone	The seventh scale degree, always a half step lower than the tonic. The leading tone triad is built on this pitch.
ledger line	A short line placed above or below a staff
hemiola	The ambiguity of the rhythmic subdivisions of 6/8 and 3/4
imitative counterpoint	Repetition by one voice of a phrase previously stated by another voice
major scale	A diatonic scale, comprised of 2 whole steps + ½ step + 3 whole steps + ½ step
major triad	A triad consisting of a root – M3 – P5
measure	A group of beats separated by bar lines
mediant	The third scale degree; the chord built on the third scale degree
melodic minor scale	The natural minor scale with 6 and  7 ascending,  6 and 7 descending
melody	A succession of pitches
meter	Regularized accents over a beat/pulse
minor scale	A scale starting on the 6th degree of a major scale. Variants include the natural, harmonic (7), and melodic (6 and 7 ascending,  6 and 7 descending)
minor triad	A triad consisting of root – m3 – P5
mixed modes	The use of two or more modes at the same time, over the same fundamental note (such as Dorian-Aeolian, Ionian-Mixolydian)
modality	Music based on the church modes as opposed to major or minor keys (tonality)
modulation	Process of changing the tonal center, reinforced by a cadence in a new key
monophony	Unaccompanied melody
natural	Lowers the pitch by a half step
ostinato	A continuously repeated rhythmic or melodic pattern, frequently used in folk music and jazz
parallel major/minor	Major and minor scales built on the same tonic
pentatonic scale	Five note scale containing no half steps
pitch	A sound at a particular frequency and dynamic level
polychords/polyharmony	The simultaneous use of two or more diatonic or chromatic chords
polymodality	The simultaneous use of two or more distinct modes at the same time
polyphony	Two or more independent melodies; the horizontal aspect of music (see “counterpoint”)
polytonality	Simultaneous use of two or more different tonalities in the same passage
primary triads	Triads built on the tonic (1), subdominant (4), and dominant (5) scale degrees
relative major/minor	Major and minor scale with the same key signature; example: C major and A minor
rest	A symbol indicating silence
root	The tone on which a chord is built
secondary triads	Triads built on the supertonic (2), mediant (3), submediant (6), and subtonic or leading tone (7) scale degrees
semitone	Half step
sequence	The repetition of a melodic or harmonic unit at a higher or lower pitch
seventh chord	A four-note chord comprised of stacked thirds
sharp	Raises the pitch by a half step
simple meter	Subdivision of the basic pulse into two parts
slur	A curved line indicating a smooth, connected performance of the phrase (legato)
subdominant	The fourth scale degree; the chord built on the fourth scale degree
submediant	The sixth scale degree; the chord built on the sixth scale degree
supertonic	The second scale degree; the chord built on the second scale degree
syncopation	A regularized off-beat accent
tall chord	Seventh chords extended with 9ths, 11ths, or 13ths
tenor clef	C clef, on the fourth line of the staff, identifies middle C. Used in the tenor range in the cello, trombone, and bassoon.
tonality	Music in the major or minor keys that uses functional diatonic chords gravitating towards a tonic
transposition	The transferring of a piece of music into a new key by raising or lowering every pitch by the same interval and changing the key signature. For example, to transpose from C major to D major raise all the pitches by a whole step.
triad	A three-note chord comprised of stacked thirds
tritone	A4 and d5 intervals
treble clef	G clef, identifies the G note on the second line of the staff, used mostly for notes above middle C
triplet	A group of three notes played in the time of two notes
upbeat	Anacrusis, incomplete measure, or pick-up note(s)
whole step	Major 2nd (M2); an interval comprised of two half steps

The Elements of Music

1. Rhythm

2. Melody

3. Harmony

4. Texture
The number of melodic lines occurring simultaneously in music

5. Form
The shape and design of large sections of a musical composition, such as AB and ABA

Performance Terminology