Glossary

a complex effect which quantifies the subjective perception of rapid (15-300 Hz) amplitude modulation of a sound often in relation to one another.

Two consecutive weak-beat fifths or octaves in fourth species counterpoint; e.g., from two successive 9–8 suspensions or 6-5 suspensions, etc.

The second-highest voice part in SATB style, written in the treble clef staff with a down-stem; its generally accepted range is G₃–D₅

a major seventh chord with a raised fifth scale degree. Often referred to as a "major seven sharp five".

a statement or proposition which is regarded as being established, accepted, or self-evidently true

The lowest voice in SATB style, written in the bass clef staff with a down-stem; its generally accepted range is E₂–C₄

Literally meaning “fixed voice," this is a pre-existing melodic line that serves as the basis for a new counterpoint exercise or other composition.

In counterpoint, a type of consonant weak beat melodic motion that steps in the opposite direction following a large leap.

Music sung in two or more distinct parts, with two or more singers assigned to each part. Choral music is necessarily polyphonal—i.e., consisting of two or more autonomous vocal lines. It has a long history in European church music (especially Lutheran) and in American Gospel tradition.

A musical texture that is sometimes interchanged with SATB style or a homophonic musical texture with melody and chordal accompaniment.

A pitch that belongs to a chord. Example: a c major triad has three chord tones, pitch-classes C, E, and G.

Chromatic voice leading between two successive chords but in different voices.

Melodic motion in a given voice wherein the primary note letter name remains the same but the accidental inflection is changed. Example: C to C-sharp is a chromatic half-step as opposed to C to D-flat which is a diatonic half-step.

A contrapuntal ending (cadence) in which a perfect octave or unison is approached with contrary motion in the voices by stepwise motion. One line will have re–do (2̂– 1̂) while the other will have ti–do (7̂-1̂). This results in the sequence of harmonic intervals sixth–octave, tenth–octave, or third–unison. The effect is one of closure and ending.

An interval measured between two tones which have at least one tone in between (often two or more).

A perceived stability or smoothness in a chord or interval relative to the surrounding musical texture.

Passing melodic motion that does not involve dissonance.

A form of motion between two voices when they move melodically in opposite directions relative to one another—that is, one voice moves up and the other moves down.

the art or technique of setting, writing, or playing a melody or melodies in conjunction with another, according to fixed rules. Literal meaning is "point against point" which we interpret as "note against note"

An interval that is spelled as a fifth with a distance of six (6) half steps, one half-step shy of a perfect fifth. We also call this distance a tritone (three whole steps).

In counterpoint, a type of consonant weak beat melodic motion that skips by third and then steps into the following downbeat.

A seven note scale that follows the pattern of whole and half steps W–W–H–W–W–W–H. Since there are seven, there are in effect, seven different "modes" -- places we can start and thus rotate the pattern of whole and half steps.

Diatonic further refers to any music that is only made of the seven pitches derived from the local mode/key (as opposed to "chromatic" notes which fall outside any of those seven notes).

a seventh chord that is built from a diminished triad with a diminished seventh above the root.

Similar motion into either a fifth or octave. Also called hidden fifths / hidden octaves.

Intervals and chord tones that are more distantly related than consonances in the harmonic series and have a perceived quality of auditory roughness.

A perceived quality of auditory roughness in an interval or chord, relative to the surrounding musical texture.

scale degree five (5) in a major/minor key in tonal music. Has a dominant area function.

Beat 1 of any measure, which, when conducted, is conducted with a downward motion.

A pitch (pitch class) in tertian harmony located the distance of a fifth (perfect, augmented, or diminished) above the root.

Arabic numerals and symbols that indicate the intervals above a bass note to be realized into chords and non-chord tones by performers. Used also for identification of chords in Roman numeral harmonic analysis

A triadic (or tertian) harmony with the third in the bass.

the lowest frequency of a periodic waveform. In music, the fundamental is the musical pitch of a note that is perceived as the lowest partial present.

The number of scale steps between notes of a collection or scale.

The vertical dimension of music formed, often formed by two or more intervals sounding together (dyads, chords, etc.) and the relative relationships of the partials of the harmonic series of sounding voices and instruments.

a dissonant interval found in a chord, typically in relationship to the root of the chord.

When the bass note of a harmony is not the root of the chord. For example, when the third of the chord is in the bass instead of the root.

A harmonic progression, also known as a chord progression, is the movement from one chord to another, often in such a way as to create or define the structural foundation of a work, song, or piece of music, particularly music in the Western tradition.

Thirds or sixths with major or minor quality. These intervals are found in higher overtones in the harmonic series from a given fundamental and have a more distant relationship in terms of frequency ratios.

In counterpoint, a type of consonant weak beat melodic motion that divides a larger consonant leap (from downbeat to downbeat) into two smaller leaps.

a nice hello

A melodic interval o greater than a third.

A melodic interval greater than a third (fourths, fifths, octaves, etc.)

scale degree 3 in the diatonic major and minor modes, located a third above the tonic, and a fifth above the submediant.

The domain of musical time through meter and pulse

In tonal music, the term "minor mode" refers to the use of the diatonic Aeolian mode in combination with two variations: Harmonic (raised 7th scale degree) and Melodic (raised 6th and 7th scale degrees). The use of these flavors, in context, provides the overall sense and feeling we hear as minor in both modern tonal music and music from the Western "common practice" period (in the 18th and 19th centuries)

Scale Degree 1 of a diatonic mode. Also referred to as the modal center. In tonal music, we call this the tonal center (tone defining the key).

Embellishing melodic tones that are approached by step and left by step in the opposite direction.

A five note chord constructed in thirds above a root tone. It can be thought of as an extension of a seventh chord with an additional chord tone located a third above the seventh.

A type of voice motion when one voice moves melodically while another voice remains on the same pitch

Notes of a chord are spaced out beyond their closest possible position

a single component frequency within a tone's harmonic series. Also referred to as a "partial".

Perfect Unison

Perfect Twelfth: A compound Perfect Fifth ( = Perfect Octave plus a Perfect Fifth)

Perfect Fifth

Perfect Octave

A type of voice motion when two voices move in the same direction in relation to each other and move by the same melodic interval and, thus, retain the same harmonic interval—for example, both voices move upward by a melodic second.

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Second-to-last

the state of being or process of becoming aware of something through the senses

Perfect octaves (twelve semitones), perfect unisons (zero semitones), and perfect fifths (seven semitones). Perfect fourths (five semitones) are sometimes considered a perfect consonance, sometimes a dissonance; this depends on the context.

appearing or occurring at intervals. In sound, this refers to the regular and predictable period (time to complete one full cycle with a crest and valley) of a stable sound wave.

Pivot tones are tones in a given scale/key which allow the following: movement from one mode to another, movement from one key to another key in tonal music, or movement between different forms of modes (as in the minor mode with Ascending and Descending forms).

the scientific study of sound perception and audiology. This includes speech, music, and other sound frequencies that travel through our ears.

A way of labeling chords according the the scale degree upon which the chord is built in tonal music. The scale degree number is represented as a Roman numeral as opposed to an Arabic numeral and the case of the Roman numeral is often used to denote the quality of the chord with Upper Case as major and Lower Case as minor.

a voicing of a chord which does not contain its root, but still is able to function as if the root were present and sounding in the voicing. 

A four part musical texture with soprano (S), alto (A), tenor (T), and bass (B) parts, abstracted through voice.

The relative position of a note within a diatonic mode (scale). Scale degrees are indicated with a number, 1–7, that shows this position relative to the tonic (tonal/modal center) of that mode.

A triadic (or tertian) harmony with the fifth in the bass

a member of a chord located a a seventh above the root. For example, V⁷ in the key of C is spelled G-B-D-F; F is the seventh chord tone, located a seventh above the G. Sometimes referred to as a "chordal seventh" as well.

A triad with an additional third above the fifth, creating a seventh between that top note and the bass and totaling four notes.

A type of motion between two voices when they move melodically in relation to each other in the same direction (either upward or downward) while the distance (harmonic interval) changes.

In counterpoint, a type of consonant weak-beat melodic motion that is approached by skip (third) and left by step in the same direction.

a melodic interval of a third, named as such because often a note between is skipped in the mode/scale (example, C going to E skips over the D in between)

Solmization (solfege) is a system of attributing a distinct syllable to each note of a musical scale. Various forms of solmization are in use and have been used throughout the world, but solfège is the most common convention in countries of Western culture. The seven syllables normally used for this practice in English-speaking countries are: do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, and ti (with sharpened notes of di, ri, fi, si, li and flattened notes of te, le, se, me, ra). The system for other Western countries is similar, though si is often used as the final syllable rather than ti.

The highest part in SATB style, written in the treble clef staff with an up-stem; its generally accepted range is C₄–G₅.

vibrations that travel through the air, or another medium, and can be perceived (heard) when they reach a person's or an animal's ear

An acoustic wave (energy vibration) that is perceived as sound

The intervals between voices. For chords in strict SATB style, there should be no more than an octave between upper voices (soprano and alto, alto and tenor), and no more than a twelfth between the tenor and bass

A traditional approach to music composition pedagogy focused on counterpoint as a way of learning to think of music horizontally (melodically) and vertically (harmonically) simultaneously. Consists of five “species,” each of which focuses on a single compositional element.

melodic motion to the next adjacent note (pitch) in the mode/scale (scale degree), either up or down.

In a given meter, it is beat which is stressed (given emphasis).

scale degree 6 of the diatonic major and minor modes, a fifth below the mediant and a third below the tonic

In counterpoint, a type of consonant weak beat that involves a melodic leap of a fourth followed by a step in the opposite direction. The name implies that this motion substitutes for a more common passing-tone motion.

The non raised seventh scale degree in minor modes (te, 7̂), or the triad built upon that scale degree (VII).

the second scale degree of the diatonic major or minor mode, a step above the tonic and a fifth above the dominant.

Tablature (or tabulature, or tab for short) is a form of musical notation indicating instrument fingering rather than musical pitches. Tablature is common for fretted stringed instruments such as the guitar, lute, etc.

In tonal music, a note that has a tendency to move to a specific note in the following chord, usually a step up or down. Also called a "active note" or, with respect to a modal change, a "pivot tone"

The second lowest part in SATB style, written in the bass clef staff with up-stems; its generally accepted range is C₃–F₄.

derived from the Latin "tertianus": of or concerning thirds, describes any piece, chord, counterpoint etc. constructed from the intervals of thirds (major or minor quality)

The density of and interaction between voices in a work

A pitch (pitch class) in tertian harmony located the distance of a third (major or minor) above the root.

the perceived sound quality of a musical note, sound or tone. Also known as tone color or tone quality.

In tonality, the tonic (tonal center) is the tone of complete relaxation and stability, the target toward which other tones lead and to which all other tones in the mode/scale relate. The tonal center is defined as scale degree 1.

Music, often of the Western tradition, that is organized around a particular pitch class, operating within one of the two modern diatonic modes: major and minor. The harmony often flows according to tonal functions with progressive movement in tension and relaxation via dissonance in relationships to roots and scale degrees.

a musical interval with a distance of three (3) whole steps, hence the name "tri" (3) and "tone" (whole step). Often this interval is spelled as a diminished fifth or an augmented fourth.

An independent, monophonic part within a piece of music (instrumental or vocal). Each voice may be played by a different instrument, or multiple voices may be played by one instrument (especially with polyphonic instruments such as they keyboard or guitar)

When a higher voice part moves below a lower voice part. In strict SATB style, the ranges of voices should not cross; the soprano must always be higher than the alto, the alto must always be higher than the tenor, and the tenor must be higher than the bass.

A contrapuntal technique or musical passage where voices in two parts exchange notes between them.
Example:
Voice 1: a b
Voice 2: b a

In a multi-voice texture, when one voice leaps beyond the previous note in another voice.

The distance between two peaks or valleys of a sound wave.

In a given meter a beat that is unstressed (not emphasized).