PASCHAL H.S. CHOIR
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ap Music theory

Remember these words.
Accidentals – Sharps, flats, or natural signs used to raise, lower, or return a note to the normal pitch.

Alto Clef – The symbol that marks the pitch C on the staff

Anacrusis – Pickup or upbeat

Atonal – Music lacking in a tonal or key center

Augmented – Raised or stretched

Bass Clef – The symbol that marks the F-line on the staff

Beat – Regular reoccurring series of durations

Binary Form – A compositional form in which an initial section is followed by a contrasting section (AB)

Cadence – The melodic or harmonic ending of a piece or the sections or phrases therein. A chord progression that ‘feels’ like the conclusion. Authentic (AC), Deceptive (DC), Half (HC), Imperfect Authentic (IAC), Perfect Authentic (PAC), and Plagal (PC)

Chord – Three or more notes sounded together

Chromatic – Moving by half-steps

Chromatic Scale – A scale composed of 12 half-steps

Clef – The symbol at the beginning of a staff that indicates which lines and spaces represent which pitches

Consonant Interval – Sounds that are pleasing to the ear (Major and minor 3rds and 6ths, and Perfect 5ths)

Degree – A note of a scale identified by a name or number

Diatonic – The notes indigenous to a key in a scale

Diminished – Lowered

Dissonant Interval – Sounds that are displeasing to the ear

Double Flat bb – Lowers a pitch by a whole-step

Double Sharp x – Raises a pitch by a whole-step

Duration – Length of time that a sound or silence last

Enharmonic - Notes that are spelled differently but sound the same.

Figured Bass – The bass part with numbers written adjacent to it to indicate the intervals or harmonies to be played above it. 
A Baroque system (1600-1750)

Flat b – Lowers a pitch by a half-step

Grand Staff – The combination of the treble and bass clef

Half-step (H) – The shortest distance between two pitches

Harmonic Minor Scale – An octave encompassing the following half-step and whole-  step configuration: WHWWH(W+H)H (the 7th scale degree is raised from the natural minor)

Harmony – The study of the structure, progression, and relationships of chords.

Homophonic, homophony – Music in which one voice leads melodically, being supported by an accompaniment in chordal or a slightly more elaborate style

Interval – The distance between two pitches

Key Signature – A pattern of sharps or flats that appears at the beginning of a staff and indicates that certain notes are to be raised or lowered.

Major Scale – An octave encompassing the following half-step and whole-step configuration: WWHWWWH

Melodic Minor Scale – An octave encompassing the following half-step and whole-step configuration: (Ascending) WHWWWWH the 6th and 7th scale degree is raised from the natural minor scale. (Descending) WWHWWHW (the 6th and 7th scale degree is lowered from the ascending version of the same scale)

Melody – An organized sequence of single notes

Meter – Regular, recurring groups of beats (usually 2-duple, 3-triple, or 4-quadruple)

Mode – A type of scale with a specific arrangement of intervals (See Mode Chart)

Monophonic, monophony – Music with one single melody line only.

Motive, motif – A short melodic pattern or musical idea that runs through a

Music Theory – The study of how music is put together

Natural Minor Scale – An octave encompassing the following half-step and whole-       step configuration: WHWWHWW

Natural n – The music symbol that indicates that a note that is neither sharp nor flat;

Notation – Written music indication pitch and rhythm

Octave – The interval between the first and eighth degrees of the diatonic scale

Parallel Keys – Major and minor keys having the same key note (tonic).

Pentatonic scale - Formed from five notes (from the Greek pente: five). Most common is the five black notes on the piano keyboard.

Period - A musical statement, made up of two or more phrases and a cadence.

Phrase – An independent musical idea terminated by a cadence

Pickup – Introductory note or notes preceding the first strong beat of a new measure.

Pitch – The highness or lowness of a tone

Polyphonic, polyphony - Music that combines two or more melodic lines

Relative Keys – Major and minor keys that share the same key signature.

Rhythm – A set or sequence of durations

Rondo Form – A compositional form characterized by a recurring theme in alternation with contrasting themes; usually ABACADA or ABACABA

Rounded Binary Form – A compositional form in which an initial section is followed by a contrasting section, which ends with a return of the material from the initial section (AB[A])

Scale – A progression of notes in a specific order.

Sharp # – Raises a pitch by a half-step 

Solfeggio, Solfege – For ear training and sight singing, singing the degrees of the scale with syllables (i.e. doh, reh, mee, etc.)

Song Form – The organization of sections of a song, represented by letters

Staff – Five horizontal, parallel lines resulting in four equal-distant spaces

Strophic – A song in which all the verses are sung to the same melody

Subdivision – Division of beat (usually 2-simple or 3-compound)

Syncopation – Emphasis on a beat, against a standard or norm

Tempo – Rate or speed of the beat

Ternary Forms – A compositional form in which an initial section is followed by a contrasting section, which is followed by a return of the initial section (ABA)

Tertian Harmony – Standard western harmony based on thirds or triads

Texture – The number of parts in a piece and their relation to one another 

Through-composed – A song in which new music is performed for each verse

Treble Clef – The symbol that marks the G-line on the staff

Triad – A chord consisting of three notes: root, third, and fifth

Whole-step (W) – The distance between two pitches with one pitch in between

Whole-tone scale - Six notes separated from one another by a whole step.
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  • Home
  • Calendar
  • Staff
  • Choirs
    • Panther Chorale
    • Resonance
    • Panther Corps
    • JV Men
    • Harmony
    • Cantabile
    • Vox
    • Applied Music
  • AP Music Theory
    • Course Syllabus
    • course outline
    • AP exam >
      • A. Mulitple Choice
      • B. Free Response
      • C. Sight-Reading
      • Terms to Review
      • Glossary of Terms
      • Dictation tips
      • Exam Strategies
    • Helfpful learning Links
    • quick resources
    • Assignments >
      • EOC Composition Final
      • Speed Drills
      • Teacher links
  • Boosters
  • Resources & Links
    • Handbook
    • Honors Credit
    • Graduate with Choir
    • Pay Choir Fees
    • Be a Panther HERO
  • Competition
    • All-State Competition
    • 9/10 honor choir
    • Solo and Ensemble Competition
  • Media Archives
    • 2018-2019
    • 2017-2018
    • 2016-2017
    • 2015-2016