Music Theory Flashcards
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What is a note?
A symbol used in music notation to represent a sound.
Bass clef
Treble clef
What is a rest?
A symbol used in music notation to represent a pause or silence.
What is a staff?
A set of horizontal lines and spaces used in music notation to represent pitch.
What is a clef?
A symbol placed at the beginning of a staff to indicate the pitch of the notes.
What is a key signature?
A set of sharps or flats placed at the beginning of a staff to indicate the key of the music.
Legato
A smooth and connected style of playing notes.
C sharp
C4
Staccato
A detached and separated style of playing notes.
Glissando
A sliding movement between two notes.
Trill
A rapid alternation between two adjacent notes.
What is a dominant?
The fifth note of a scale, which often resolves to the tonic.
What is a subdominant?
The fourth note of a scale, which often serves as a transitional chord between the tonic and dominant.
What is a triad?
A three-note chord consisting of a root, third, and fifth.
What is a seventh chord?
A four-note chord consisting of a root, third, fifth, and seventh.
What is a tonic?
The first note of a scale, which serves as the starting point and foundation of the melody.
Diatonic
Using only the notes of a particular scale or key.
Circle of fifths
A diagram that shows the relationship between major and minor keys.
Common time
A time signature that indicates four beats per measure.
Cut time
A time signature that indicates two beats per measure.
What is a major scale?
A scale consisting of seven notes with a specific pattern of whole and half steps.
What is a minor scale?
A scale consisting of seven notes with a specific pattern of whole and half steps.
What is a pentatonic scale?
A scale consisting of five notes.
Octave
The distance between one note and another note with the same name, but twice or half the frequency.
Arpeggio
A chord played one note at a time.
Fermata
A symbol that indicates to hold a note or rest longer than its written value.
Crescendo
A gradual increase in volume.
Decrescendo
A gradual decrease in volume.
What is a melody?
A series of single notes played in a particular rhythm.
What is a harmony?
The combination of different notes played together to create a chord progression.
What is a progression?
A series of chords played in a specific order.
What is a cadence?
A musical phrase that signals the end of a section or piece.
Vibrato
A slight and rapid variation of pitch to enhance the sound of a note.
Articulation
The way in which notes are played, including legato, staccato, and others.
Counterpoint
The combination of two or more melodic lines played simultaneously.
Dominant
The fifth note of a scale or chord.
Subdominant
The fourth note of a scale or chord.
Major scale
A series of notes arranged in a specific pattern that creates a bright and happy sound.
Minor scale
A series of notes arranged in a specific pattern that creates a sad or melancholy sound.
Chromatic scale
A series of notes that includes all twelve pitches of the Western musical system.
Enharmonic notes
Two different names for the same pitch, such as C# and Db.
Syncopation
An accent on a weak beat or offbeat.
What is a time signature?
A symbol placed at the beginning of a staff to indicate the meter or rhythm of the music.
What is an interval?
The distance between two notes.
What is a chord?
Three or more notes played together.
What is a scale?
A series of notes played in ascending or descending order.
Melismatic
A style of singing in which multiple notes are sung on a single syllable of text.
A cappella
Music that is sung without instrumental accompaniment.
Adagio
A tempo indication meaning "slow and stately."
Allegro
A tempo indication meaning "fast and lively."
Aria
A solo vocal piece in an opera or other musical work.
E flat
Cut time
32nd note
Eighth note
Crescendo
A flat
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