Music Chapter 3 Flashcards

Music Terminology and Concepts

• Pitch: Refers to the perceived highness or lowness of a musical sound.

• Functional Pitch Conditions:

  • Melody involves a series of pitches forming a coherent unit.
  • Counterpoint contrasts multiple logical series of pitches.
  • Harmony consists of several pitches sounding simultaneously.

• Theme: The central melody of a musical composition.

• Counterpoint: Melodic interdependence often involving imitation and contrast.

Tonality and Harmony

• Modulation: The shift in tonal center during a piece, resulting in a change of key.
• Dissonance: A combination of sounds perceived as harsh or disagreeable.
• Melody: A cohesive sequence of consecutive pitches.
• Phrases: Logical shorter segments of music, akin to clauses in language.
• Imitation: Repetition of a theme or motif in another part or shortly after.
• Canon: A form of music where lines imitate each other throughout the piece.
• Harmony: The combination of multiple pitches, creating chords that accompany a melody.

Musical Structures

• Tonal Center: The pitch around which a piece of music is centered.
• Key: Refers to the tonic or root note of a scale.
• Scale: A defined series of pitches that ascend or descend based on specific patterns.
• Chord: Combination of three or more pitches sounded together.
• Tonic Chord: Built on the first degree of a major or minor scale.
• Interval: Measures the distance between two pitches.

Scales and Modes

• Octave: Relationship of pitch where one frequency is double or half that of another.
• Major Scale: Comprises seven distinct pitches within an octave with specific half-step placements.
• Minor Scale: Also consists of seven pitches, differing in half-step arrangement.

Sound Qualities

• Consonance: Simultaneous sounds perceived as agreeable or restful.
• Cadences: Melodic or harmonic formulas that signal the end of a phrase.
• Texture: The arrangement of melody and harmony into forms such as monophonic, homophonic, or polyphonic.

Texture Types

• Monophonic: One melodic line without accompaniment.
• Homophonic: A primary melody supported by accompanying harmony.
• Polyphonic: Multiple melodic lines of similar importance played simultaneously.

General Principles

• Sound arises from vibrating molecules in the air.
• The rate of vibration determines pitch; more rapid vibrations yield higher pitches.
• Musical notes are designated by the first seven letters of the alphabet, repeated in each octave.
• Higher and lower pitches from the same note differ in their frequency, being either halved or doubled.
• Melody is formed from consecutive pitches and can be segmented into phrases, influenced by harmony and instrumentality.
• Most music centers on a tonal note, with frequent modulations occurring throughout compositions.
• Scales establish the tonal foundation for music, with major and minor scales providing a contrasting musical character.

Textural Understanding

• Modern music predominantly features homophonic texture; polyphony includes forms of imitation like canons, or simultaneous melodic lines.

Explore key terms and concepts in Chapter 3 of music studies with these flashcards. Learn about pitch, melody, counterpoint, and harmony, along with their definitions. This quiz will help reinforce your understanding of essential musical terminology.