1.
accelerando: speeding up gradually
2.
acoustics: the science of sound: how it is produced, transmitted, and received
3.
amplitude: the size of a sound wave; determines volume
4.
cadence: a point of arrival signifying the end of a musical unit
5.
chord: three or more notes played or sung at the same moment
6.
conjunct motion: melodic motion of pitches by step
7.
crescendo: a gradual increase in loudness
8.
decrescendo: a gradual decrease in loudness
9.
diminuento: diminishing
10.
disjunct motion: melodic motion of pitches by leap
11.
duple-meter: an underlying pattern of rhythm in which each unit consists of one accented beat followed by one unaccented beat or some multiple of two
12.
dynamics: the volume of sound, determined by the size of each sound wave
13.
dynamics: indicates the volume of sound ranging from very soft to very loud
14.
form: the structure of a musical work; the way in which its individual units are put together
15.
forte: loud
16.
fortissimo: very loud
17.
frequency: the number of sound-wavelengths in one second
18.
genre: the category of a given work determined by a combination of its performance medium and its social function
19.
harmony: the sound created by multiple voices playing or singing together
20.
interval: the distance between two pitches
21.
key: the central note and mode on which a melody or peice is based
22.
major mode: a type of scale produced by singing "do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do", or by playing the white keys of the piano between C and C, in which half steps occur between notes 3 and 4 and notes 7 and 8.
23.
measure: a rhythmic unit, indicated by bar lines in notated music, that presents one complete statement of the meter
24.
melodic motion: the movement of pitches within a melody up or down, either by step or leap
25.
melody: a single line of notes heard in succession as a coherent unit
26.
mezzo-forte: medium loud
27.
mezzo-piano: medium soft
28.
minor mode: a type of scale produced by playing the white keys on the piano between A and A, in which half steps occur between notes 2 and 3 and notes 5 and 6
29.
octave: the interval between two pitches of the same name. The frequency of the higher pitch is twice that of the lower pitch
30.
phrase: a brief musical statement
31.
pianissimo: very soft
32.
piano: soft
33.
pitch: the position of a sound on a range from very low to a very high, determined by the frequency of its sound waves
34.
retardando: slowing down gradually
35.
rhythm: the ordering of music through time
36.
scale: a series of notes that provide the essential pitch building blocks of a melody
37.
sforzando: a notation written above a note and indicating that it is to be played with a strong initial attack
38.
sound wave: the vibration through air that produces sound
39.
subdivide: to divide the beat into smaller, equal units
40.
syncopation: music in which the strong accents do not always fall on the strong beats
41.
texture: the number and general relationship of musical lines or voices to one another
42.
timbre: the color of music, the character of sound
43.
tonality: system of pitch organization around a central pitch
44.
tonic: the note that establishes a key, based on its distinctive relationship with a particular set of harmonies or other notes in the underlying scale. Also the chord based on the first scale degree
45.
unison: more than one performer playing or singing the same pitch or pitches at the same time
46.
wavelength: the distance between peaks of sound waves
