[ Home ] [ Up ] [ Factfile ] [ GCSE Musical Style ] [ GCSE Listening Questions ] [ Vocal Style ] [ Historical Periods ] [ Composing Log ] [ GCSE Evaluation Guide ] [ GCSE Revision Activities ]

Key Words & Factfile – General Vocabulary

Periods of Music

1. Renaissance ca.1450-1600

2. Baroque ca.1600-1750

3. Classical ca.1740-1820

4. Romantic ca.1820-1910

5. 20th Century ca.1900-1999

For further links click here.

Form

1. Rondo form = A B A C A etc. (Rondo means 'to return', this is why idea A always comes back)
2. Binary form = A B (in 2 parts)
3. Ternary form = A B A (in 3 parts)
4. Sonata form = A=Exposition, B=Development, A=Recapitulation (in 3 parts, like ternary, but longer)
5. Variation form =A B A1 C A2 B1 etc.

Scales

1. Major
2. Minor
3. Pentatonic - five note scale (ie.F G A C D) found in folk music.
4. Mode - scale of notes using white notes of piano only. Eg.Dorian Mode - D to D using the white notes of the piano.
5. Chromatic - scale using all the white and black notes :of the piano.
6. Whole-Tone - Six note scale in tones. ( ie. C D E F# G# A#)
7. ‘Blues’ scale – played in Blues music, having a lowered 3^rd, 5^th and 7^th note within the scale.

Time Signatures

1. Simple – time, in which each underlying beat in the bar is divisible by 2 (ie. 3/8, 3/4, 2/4, 4/4, etc.)

2. Compound - time in which each underlying beat in the bar is divisible by 3 (ie. 6/8, 6/4, 6/16, etc.)

Texture

1. Homophonic - it moves in chords, with all the lines of music (or parts) moving together in the same rhythm.

2. Polyphonic - two or more lines or parts at the same time. Counterpoint is polyphonic.

3. Monophonic - a single line, one part. ( Sometimes referred to as "unison" - The soloist can be accompanied)

Tonality / Key

1. Major - bright, cheerful key.

2. Minor - unhappy sounding.

3. Tonal - the music has a home scale and key.

4. Atonal - the music has no home scale or key.

5. Unison – when all the parts are performing exactly the same notes.

Musical Devices

1. Ostinato - a repeated idea.
2. Ground bass - a repeating bass line (ie. Pachelbel’s Canon).
3. Diminution - a melody contracted (ie. note halved or shortened).
4. Augmentation - a melody expanded (ie. notes doubled or lengthened).
5. Parallel movement - two parts moving the same distance apart.
6. Sequence - the same melody played at a different pitch.
7. Syncopation - melody played on the of f-beat.
8. Pedal Point - a note held in the bass with changing chords above.
9. Walking bass - a moving bass played in straight crotchets or quavers etc.
10. Inversion - a melody played upside down.
11. Retrograde - a melody played backwards.
12. Riff - a short repetitive pattern found in jazz and rock music, similar to ostinato.
13. Pedal - when the note in the bass stays the same but the chords/music above changes.
14. Scale - a series of notes played in order up and down (eg. CDEFGABC etc)
15. Arpeggio - the notes of a chord played in sequence (eg. C E G C G E C etc)
16. Drone – a repeated pattern of 2 notes.
17. Modulation – when the key changes.
18. Unison – when all the parts are performed exactly the same notes.
19. Cadence – chords played at the end of a phrase - There are 4 types of cadence: Perfect / Imperfect / Plagal / Interrupted.
20. Dissonance – music which clashes or sounds harsh.
21. Consonance - music which does not clash, being pleasing to the ear.

Instrumental Effects

1. Drum Roll
2. Glissando (A slide)
3. Double Stopping  (2 or more notes played at the same time on a string instrument)
4. Arco (use the bow in string music)
5. Tremolo (a ‘shaky’ sound)
6. Mute (softens the sound)
7. Flutter Tonguing (flute purring)
8. Pizzicato (plucking)
9. Col legno (with the back of the bow)
10. Con sordino (means with Mute)
11. Trill (fast repetition of 2 notes played in a melody)

Instrumental Ensembles

1. String Quartet (small group of 2 violins viola and cello)
2. String Orchestra (bigger group of above instruments plus double bass)
3. Wind Band (piccolo flutes clarinets saxes bassoons and percussion)
4. Jazz Band (small group usually piano, bass, clarinet, trumpet
5. Brass Band (Brass instruments only)
6. Military Band (wind, brass and percussion .... marching music)
7. Symphony Orchestra (strings woodwind brass and timps)
8. Percussion Ensemble (usually including tuned and untuned percussion together)
9. Swing Band (larger jazz ensemble ... wind, brass, drum kit, and guitars)
10. Rock Band (electric instruments, mainly guitars, and drums)

Click here for types of musical styles

Vocal Music

Click here for types of vocal styles

Expressive Terms

         DYNAMICS

1. p = piano = quiet
2. pp = pianissimo = very quiet
3. f = forte = loud
4. ff = fortissimo = very loud
5. crescendo = get louder
6. diminuendo = get quieter

ARTICULATION

1. staccato = short and detached
2. legato = smooth

TEMPO

1. Adagio = very slow
2. Lento = slow
3. Moderato = moderate pace
4. Allegro = fast
5. Presto = very fast
6. Vivace = lively

Back to Top

[ GCSE Distance Learning - What is it? ] [ GCSE Music ] [ AS & A Level Music ] [ Exam Preparation ] [ Music Technology ] [ Music Link Sites ] [ Exam Boards ] [ Careers in Music ] [ Buy ABC Music Notes & Tuition ] [ Site Search ] [ Your Feedback & Order Forms ]