Accidental – a symbol such as a sharp, flat or natural that is placed next to a note to indicate that it should be higher or lower in pitch, or played, as in the case of natural – without a sharp or a flat.
Acoustics - The study and the science of sound – how it is produced and transmitted. The study of acoustics includes all the physical laws of sound.
A step – Whole step, tone, an interval equals to two semitones.
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Beat - The regular pulse of music , a single element of measured time in a musical piece. Beats occur at regular intervals and are the rhythmic foundations of music. Time is counted in music by using beats.
Circle of 5ths – A method to remember how many sharps or flats are in each one of the 12 major scales. In the western culture, the musical system has 12 notes: C, C#(Db), D, D#(Eb), E, F, F#(Gb), G, G#(Ab) A, A#(Bb), B - Thus we have 12 major scales originating from each one of those 12 notes. Those scales will look like this.
1. - C step D step E ½ step F step G step A step B ½ step C
2. - Db step Eb step F ½ step Gb step Ab step Bb step C ½ step Db
3. - D step E step F# ½ step G step A step B step C# ½ step D
4. - Eb step F step G ½ step Ab step Bb step C step D ½ step Eb
5. - E step F# step G# ½ step A step B step C# step D# ½ step E
6. - F step G step A ½ step Bb step C step D step E ½ step F
7. - F# step G# step A# ½ step B step C# step D# step E# ½ step F#
or
7A. - Gb step Ab step Bb ½ step Cb step Db step Eb step F ½ step Gb
8. - G step A step B ½ step C step D step E step F# ½ step G
9. - Ab step Bb step C ½ step Db step Eb step F step G ½ step Ab
10. - A step B step C# ½ step D step E step F# step G# ½ step A
11. - Bb step C step D ½ step E# step F step G step A ½ step Bb
12. - B step C# step D# ½ step E step F# step G# step A# ½ step B
The Circle of 5ths evolved as a system to arrange the 12 scales in certain order that would help to remember all of the 12 scales. As a result they where arranged in the following sequence:
1. - C step D step E ½ step F step G step A step B ½ step C
2. - G step A step B ½ step C step D step E step F# ½ step G
3. - D step E step F# ½ step G step A step B step C# ½ step D
4. - A step B step C# ½ step D step E step F# step G# ½ step A
5. - E step F# step G# ½ step A step B step C# step D# ½ step E
6. - B step C# step D# ½ step E step F# step G# step A# ½ step B
7. - F# step G# step A# ½ step B step C# step D# step E# ½ step F#
or
7A. - Gb step Ab step Bb ½ step Cb step Db step Eb step F ½ step Gb
8. - Db step Eb step F ½ step Gb step Ab step Bb step C ½ step Db
9. - Ab step Bb step C ½ step Db step Eb step F step G ½ step Ab
10. - Eb step F step G ½ step Ab step Bb step C step D ½ step Eb
11. - Bb step C step D ½ step Eb step F step G step A ½ step Bb
12. - F step G step A ½ step Bb step C step D step E ½ step F
And finally back to C again:
1. - C step D step E ½ step F step G step A step B ½ step C - which completes the Circle of fifths sequence.
Notice the following: 1. the sequence of the scales is arranged in such a way that every fifth note in each scale is the note that starts the next scale in the sequence. 2. As we progress through the sequence starting with C scale (with no sharps or flats) the number of sharps is increasing every time by one until we get to the F# scale (6 sharps). The same scale can be written as Gb scale (6 flats). From that point on the number of flats is decreasing every time by one until we get back to the C scale.
The reason it is called a circle is because as you follow the sequence after 12 scales you end up on the 1 st scale again, kind of like in a circle, which is why in most music theory texts a picture of a circle is drawn in order to illustrate the concept. In reality there is no real circle here, the origin of this word was meant FIGURATIVELY. It really is a sequence, not a circle.
Chord – two or more notes played together (at the same time) – comes from the word ACCORD (agreement, harmony) – [from Latin ad to, at + cor heart]
Chromatic – 1.That which proceeds in half steps 2. Characterized by frequent use of accidentals
[15th century. Directly or via French chromatique from, ultimately, Greek chrōmatikos , from khrōma “color.”]
Clef - Musical symbol: in written or printed music, a symbol placed at the beginning of each staff to indicate the range of notes that that musical staff represents. For example: Treble clef is used for notes that are from around the middle C and higher. Bass clef is used for notes that are from around the middle C and lower.
[Late 16th century. Via French from Latin clavis “key.”]
Cycle of fifths - see Circle of fifths or Circle of 5ths
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Decrescendo - see Diminuendo
Diminuendo, also known as decrescendo – a sign that looks like two lines that get closer and closer together until they meet on the right edge, signifying that the volume of the notes under which it is placed should be smoothly decreased. Also called Decrescendo
[Early 19th century. From Italian , “decreasing.”]
Flat - a sign (b) placed next to a note to show that it is to be lowered by a half-step, or a note that is lowered a half-step. The same sign can also be placed in the beginning of a musical piece or a section of that piece to indicate that that every time a certain note is written within that piece or a section – it is to be lowered by a half step.
Frequency – rate of recurrence: the number of times that something such as a cycle is repeated within a particular length of time, usually one second.
In music - The number of vibrations per second of a musical pitch, usually measured in Hertz (Hz).
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Half step - The smallest interval in use in western musical system (what we know as music today). When two notes that are the closest to each other on an instrument – the interval between them is a half step (also known as “semitone”)
Harmony:
- Combination of simultaneously sounded musical notes so as to form chords
- Cord structure of musical work, as distinguished from its melody and rhythm
- Science or study of the structure, relations and combinations of chords
[Comes from Latin harmonia – agreement of sounds]
Hertz (Hz) - The unit in which the frequency of a note is measured. One hertz is one cycle per second.
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Interval – is the difference in pitch between any two notes. Example: ½ step, 2 steps etc.
[Latin intervallum space between ramparts inter between + vallum rampart ( fortified embankment)]
Key - 1. The levers on a keyboard instrument that sound a note when pressed, or the metal buttons on a woodwind instrument that alter a note’s pitch 2. The tonality or scale on which a piece of music is based. The key gets its name from the first note of the scale.
Keynote – The first note of a scale or a mode on witch a composition or a piece of music is based. For example: if the song “twinkle, twinkle little star” played as follows: CC GG AA G FF EE DD C – it is based on the scale of C major, which is CDEFGABC – The Keynote is C.
Key signature – One or more sharps or flats placed at the beginning the staff or at the beginning of a piece of music to show the key in which it is to be played.
Legato - a curved line connecting two ore more
different notes (as opposed to TIE where it is connecting
two of the same notes), indicating that those notes are to be played in a connected fashion (slurred).
[Mid-18th century. From Italian , literally “tied together.”]
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Major chord – a chord the basis of which are the following three notes: the 1 st note of a major scale, the 3 rd, and the 5 th. For example: C major scale consists of the following 8 notes: CDEFGABC, so the C major triad will consist of the tree notes C, E, and G – all three played together will constitute a C major triad.
Major scale – an 8 note musical scale arranges as following: Key note - step – note - step - note ½ step – note - step – note - step – note - step - note ½ step - note.
Major Triad – a chord consisting of three notes as following: the 1 st note of a major scale, the 3 rd, and the 5 th. For example: C major scale consists of the following 8 notes: CDEFGABC, so the C major triad will consist of the tree notes C, E, and G – all three played are a C major chord.
Melody - is a succession of single notes organized rhythmically as a complete phrase or musical idea; tune.
[The word comes from Greek melos + oide, which means song. ]
Middle C – is a note roughly in the middle of a piano keyboard, written in musical notation on the first ledger line below the treble staff or on the first ledger line above the bass staff.
Minor chord - a chord the basis of which are the following three notes: the 1 st note of a minor scale, the 3 rd, and the 5 th. For example: A minor scale consists of the following 8 notes: ABCDEFG, so the A minor triad will consist of the tree notes A, C, and E – all three played are an A minor chord.
Minor scale – any scale in which the 3 rd note is a ½ step lower then the 3 rd note of a major scale.
Mode – The way or a manner of playing a scale.
Example: if you are playing the scale: CDEFGABC – another mode of playing it would be DEFGABCD, and another mode – EFGABCDE, and another - FGABCDEF etc. Hence there are seven modes of playing the CDEFGABC scale or any major scale for that matter. Since the sequence of intervals between the 8 notes of the scale changes every time it is played in a different manner (mode), each one of the seven modes sounds different from the other. Each one of those modes has a name; those names don’t have any particular significance except for identification purposes.
[Middle English moede, from Latin modus measure, manner]
Music – 1 . Any rhythmic, melodic, or harmonic grouping of sounds that is intended to communicate, convey a message or entertain artistically.
2. Art of arranging sounds: the art of arranging or making sounds, usually those of musical instruments or voices, in groups and patterns that create a pleasing or stimulating effect.
[13th century. Via French musique from, ultimately, Greek mousikē “art of the Muse, music,” from mousikos “of a Muse,” from mousa “muse”]
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Natural - not sharp or flat: a sign (symbol) placed next to a note to show that it is neither sharp nor flat. This symbol is usually seen only where a sharp or flat is expected, thus assuring the performer that the note should be played without such an accidental (a sharp or flat).
Note – 1. A sound of definite pitch. 2. A symbol representing a sound of a particular duration and pitch.
[Latin nota mark, sign]
Oscillation - motion between extremes: the act of moving backward and forward between two extreme points. [Early 18th century. From Latin oscillat- , the perfect participle stem of oscillare “to swing,” from oscillum “swing, mask” (of Bacchus hung as a charm on a tree to swing), from os 1.]
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Pitch - particular frequency of single note.
[12th century. Origin uncertain.]
Pulse - rhythmical beat: a beat or throb, for example, of a drum, or a series of rhythmical beats or throbs .
[14th century. Via Old French from Latin puls- , past participle stem of pellere “to beat” (source of English push).]
Rhythm – 1. Placement of notes or any types of sounds and their duration - in time within the recurring pulse or beat.
[Greek rhythmos measured motion, time proportion.]
Rest - a pause: 1. a rhythmic pause between musical notes where instead of sound there should be silence for an indicated duration. 2. The mark (symbol) indicating a musical pause (measured break in the sound), with a defined duration.
[The verb is from Old English ræstan ; the noun from Old English ræst , both of prehistoric Germanic origin]
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Semitone – The smallest interval in use in western musical system (what most of us know as music today). When two notes that are the closest to each other on an instrument – the interval between them is a semitone (also known as “half step”)
[15th century. Directly or via Old French , “half tone,” from medieval Latin semitonus , from tonus (see tone).]
Scale - A series of notes that are arranged in a certain sequence by certain intervals. The intervallic relation and the name of the note that the scale starts with determine the name of that scale.
Sharp - a sign (#) placed next to a note to show that it is to be higher in pitch by a half step. The same sign can also be placed in the beginning of a musical piece or a section of that piece to indicate that that every time a certain note is written within that piece or a section – it is to be higher in pitch by a half step.
[Old English scearp . Ultimately from an Indo-European word meaning “to cut,” which is also the ancestor of English sharp, and shard.]
Sound - COMMON USAGE - something audible: something that can be heard
in acoustics - vibrations sensed by the ear:vibrations traveling through air, water, or some other medium, especially those within the range of frequencies that can be perceived by the human ear.
Staccato – a dot directly above or below a note indicating that that note should be played as a short note, separated from the other notes that come before it of after it. The opposite of staccato is legato.
[Early 18th century. From Italian , literally “detached.”]
Staff - A set of five horizontal lines and four spaces on which notes are written to indicate their pitch.
[Old English stæf “stick, rod.]
Step – also known as a Whole step or tone - an interval equals to two semitones.
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Tie - a curved line connecting two of the same notes (as opposed to LEGATO where it is connecting two or more different notes), indicating that those notes are to be connected and sustained for the combined duration of both notes.
In the above example the half note F (normally would be sustained for the count of 1+2+) is tied to the eight note F. As a result the note F will be held (sustained) for the count of 1+2+3.
[Old English tīgan . Ultimately from a prehistoric Germanic base meaning “to pull” (also the ancestor of English tug).]
Timbre - musical sound quality: The quality or color of sound that makes one voice or instrument different from another. The timbre any sound is determined by a combination of many different sound waves that comprise that particular sound.
[French, from Middle French, bell struck by a hammer, from Old French, drum, from Middle Greek tymbanon kettledrum, from Greek tympanon ]
Tonality - a particular scale or system of tones; a key.
Tone – 1.An interval consisting of two semitones, which is a whole step.
2. A sound with a particular quality and particular coloring. For example, the tone produced by a certain saxophonist could be said to be rich, dark, and mellow; this is the result of the natural sound of the instrument, combined with the performer’s way of playing.
[13th century. Via French ton from, ultimately, Greek tonos “tension, tone.” Ultimately from an Indo-European base meaning “to stretch” that is also the ancestor of English thin, tenuous, and tendon.]
Tonic – A keynote - The first note of the sale on witch the key is based on. For example: in the key of C the Tonic is C in the key of D minor the Tonic is D, in the Key of F# the Tonic is F#.
[Mid-17th century. Via French tonique from Greek tonikos “of stretching,” from tonos .]
Transposition - putting in different key: a rewriting or playing of a given piece of music in the way that it starts on a different key.
Example: a “twinkle twinkle little star” song can be played as follows: C C G G A A G F F E E D D C. This can be transposed (moved) to another key by starting the same song on a different note. For example if this song is played starting on the key “C#” it will look like this: C# C# G# G# A# A# G# F# F# E# E# D# D# C#.
[14th century. From French transposer , an alteration (by association with poser “to place”) of Latin transponere , literally “to place across,” from ponere “to place” (see position).]
Triad - a musical chord consisting of three notes, a first, a third, and a fifth note of any particular scale.
[Mid-16th century. Via French triade or the late Latin stem triad- from Greek triados “of three.”]
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Vibration - repetitive periodic oscillation:a continuing periodic oscillation relative to a fixed reference point, or a single complete oscillation
Volume - the degree ofloudness or softness of a sound
[14th century. Via Old French volum from Latin volumen “roll, scroll, book,” from volvere “to roll.” The sense “loudness” evolved from “certain size of book” via “size,” hence “size of sound.”]
Whole step - An interval consisting of two semitones that is a tone, also known as “a step”
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