Download Music Terminology - Clinton Public Schools

Music Terminology
Students may use this page to review music terminology.
Vocabular
Definition
y
Diaphragm
An upsidedown bowlshaped muscle
used for
breathing.
Rhythm
The pattern of
notes and
rests in music.
Beat
The underlying
pulse - what
you clap or tap
your foot with.
Melody
The main
"tune" of the
music - the
most familiar
part of a song.
Round/Canon
A song in
which one
voice begins
the melody
and other
voices enter in
sequence.
Looks like a
fraction at the
beginning of
the music. The
top number
indicates the
Time Signature
number of
beats per
measure. The
bottom number
indicates what
kind of note
gets one beat.
Measure
The distance
between two
bar lines.
Every song is
made up of
small units
called
Symbol
measures.
Barline
The vertical
lines that
separate the
staff into
measures.
Double Bar
Line
Indicates the
end of the
song.
Staff
The system of
five lines and
four spaces on
which music is
written.
Unison
Everyone
singing the
same melody
at the same
time.
Scale
A pattern of
eight notes
that moves by
step either up
or down.
Ascending
Moving
upward pitches get
higher.
Descending
Moving
downward pitches get
lower.
Interval
The distance
between two
notes.
Octave
The interval of
eight notes ex: from C to C
is an octave.
Repeat Sign
Indicates to go
back to the
beginning of
the song or to
the last repeat
sign.
Piano
Soft
Forte
Loud
Mezzo Piano
Medium Soft
Mezzo Forte
Medium Loud
Pianissimo
Very Soft
Fortissimo
Very Loud
Legato
Smooth and
connected
Conductor
The person
who directs the
beat, gives
cues, and is
responsible for
keeping the
ensemble
together.
Tempo
How fast or
slow the music
is sung.
Crescendo
To gradually
get louder.
Decrescendo
To gradually
get softer.
Harmony
The music
underneath the
melody.
Pitch
Used
interchangeabl
y with "note."
The frequency
of a note - how
fast or slow the
sound waves
<
>
travel. Higher
pitches have
faster waves.
Form
The pattern
the music
follows.
Binary
Two-part form
= AB
Ternary
Three-part
form = ABA
Intonation
The ability to
sing pitches
accurately solo
or in a group.
Sacred
Music intended
for
performance in
church. The
text of the
song is usually
taken from the
Bible.
Secular
Music intended
for
performance
outside the
church and
has nothing to
do with God or
the Bible.
Coda
The ending
section of a
song.
Sharp
Raises the
pitch a half
step.
Flat
Lowers the
pitch a half
step.
Natural
Cancels a
sharp or flat.
Accent
Located above
a pitch and
indicates to put
stress on a
specific pitch
or word.
Slur
Connects two
different
pitches and
indicates that
they should be
sung in a
connected
(legato) style.
Tie
Connects to
pitches that
are the same
and adds their
rhythmic
values.
Treble Clef
Also called the
G-Clef. Higher
pitched voices
sing in this
clef.
Bass Clef
Also called the
F-Clef. Lower
pitched voices
sing in this
clef.