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MUSICAL LANGUAGE

Using a musical vocabulary through speaking and writing is very important. Without the spoken and written language, the forming and communicating of musical thought can be very difficult.

This vocabulary contains over 200 words that can be used for:

· understanding, listening and appraising compositions

· discussing composing performing and listening.

· analysing compositional features to facilitate reporting or changing its content.

Categories

Pitch	Articulation	Conventional orchestral	timbre (individual instruments)
melody	duration	Conventional band	texture
harmony		Western instruments	vocal
notation		Indian Instruments	instrumental groups
Note values		Gamelan Instruments	Vocal Sounds
metre		Latin American Instruments	Instrumental Combinations
Italian terms		African Instruments
dynamics		Instrumental families

PITCH (back to categories)

Pitch	Melody/Theme	Harmony	Notation
pitch names	movement:	consonance	stave
sharp, flat	step	dissonance	score
octave	leap - interval		clef
intervals within	scalic	major, minor	pitch positions
range		modal	(treble and bass clefs)
register	chromatic	atonal	bar
tessitura	pentatonic		double bar
(diatonic) key	whole tone	concept and recognition of modulation:
tonic	raga (Indian)	related keys:	key signature
sub-dominant	pitch bend	IV, V and relatives	time signature
dominant	glissando	transpose	note values
	meend (Indian)	pedal	phrase/ articulation marks
		drone	dynamic signs
		continuo	ornamentation signs

DURATION AND TEMPO (back to categories)

Note values	Metre	Italian terms	Italian terms
pulse/beat	simple duple	adagio	accelerando
triplet	simple triple	largo	ritardando/ rallentando
doted rhythm	simple quadruple	andante	allargando
syncopation	compound duple	moderato	rubato
off-beat	irregular	allegro	silence
cross rhythm		vivace	pause
phrase (length & shape)		presto
Phrase structure
tala (Indian)

DYNAMICS AND ARTICULATION (back to categories)

Dynamics	Dynamics	Articulation
fortissimo	crescendo	legato
forte	diminuendo	staccato
mezzo forte	subito	tremolo
mezzo piano	accent / sforzando
piano
pianissimo

TIMBRE (back to categories)

Conventional orchestral instruments

Conventional band instruments

Plus

WESTERN	INDIAN	GAMELAN	LATIN AMERICAN/ CARIBBEAN	AFRICAN
recorders	tabla	gongs	panpipes	master drum (conga)
bagpipes	sitar	metallophones	samba whistle	talking drum
accordion	sarod		bar chimes	kalimba (thumb piano)
steel guitar	sarangi		bongos	agogo bells
acoustic guitar	harmonium		claves
electric guitar	flute		maracas
melodeon	violin		steel pans
harmonica
piano
harpsichord
organ
synthesiser
electronic keyboard

VOCAL SOUNDS AND INSTRUMENTAL FAMILIES

VOCAL SOUNDS (back to categories)	INSTRUMENTAL FAMILIES
treble	brass
soprano	percussion
alto	strings
tenor	woodwind
bass	electric
falsetto

VOCAL COMBINATIONS (back to categories)	INSTRUMENTAL COMBINATIONS	ENSEMBLES
a capella	orchestra	consort
choir (mixed, male voice, female voice)	chamber orchestra	string quartet
chorus	wind band	duo
backing vocals	brass band	trio
		quartet
		quintet
		sextet
		octet

CHANGING SOUNDS	(back to categories)
muted (con sordino)	harmonics	orchestration
double stopping	flutter tonguing	arrangement
vibrato		cover version
arco
pizzicato

TEXTURE

Texture	(back to categories)
monophonic	solo	counter melody
homophonic	unison	descant
polyphonic	doubling	contrapuntal
melody and accompaniment	2 / 3 / 4 part
	tutti

STRUCTURE

Structure	(back to categories)
Structure 1	Structure 2	Structure 3
Musical development	introduction	antiphonal
motive/pakad (Indian)	coda	call and response
repetition	binary	through composed
recapitulation	ternary	aleatoric
decoration	strophic	chorus / refrain
sequence	ritornello	cadenza
imitation	rondo	recitative and aria
canon		air and variation
ostinato		minuet and trio form / da capo
riff		fugue
ground bass		middle 8/ bridge

PERIOD/ STYLE/ GENRE (back to categories)

Classical Periods	Western styles	Latin styles	Classical vocal genres
medieval	fanfare	salsa	opera
renaissance	plainsong	samba	operetta
baroque	chorale	bossa nova	ballet
classical	toccata	tango	Lied/ lieder
romantic	march	calypso	music theatre
20th century	waltz	rumba	musical
minimalism	folk song		cantata/ oratorio
impressionism		Classical instrumental genres	anthem/motet
	Pop genres	symphony	madrigal
Pop Styles	reggae	sonata
traditional jazz	ska	solo concerto	techniques
blues	spiritual	concerto grosso	improvised
swing	rap	overture	walking bass
rhythm and blues	gospel	programme music	vamp
rock

DEFINITIONS OF TERMS (back to categories)

heading	type	Musical term	definition	MIDI	Visual
Pitch	Pitch back	pitch names	The alphabetic names of notes, note numbers or sol fah names used to label different pitches.
Pitch	Pitch	sharp	Raises the note by a semitone (next sound up)
Pitch	Pitch	flat	Lowers the note by a semitone(Next sound down)
Pitch	Pitch back	octave	This is an interval embracing eight notes of a major scale. The upper note having exactly twice the number of vibrations of the lower, the phenomenon results that the two appear to be the same, although different in pitch.
Pitch	Pitch	intervals within	Intervals within an octave for example.
Pitch	Pitch	range	The lowest to the highest note of the composition or instrument/voice.
Pitch	Pitch	register	A range of notes within the full rang of the instrument.
Pitch	Pitch back	tessitura	The range of notes within the full range of the instrument or voice.
Pitch	Pitch	diatonic key	Major or minor key.
Pitch	Pitch	tonic	The first note of the scale
Pitch	Pitch	dominant	The 5th note of the scale.
Pitch	Pitch	sub-dominant	The fourth note of the scale. A sub-dominant chord is one built on the fourth note of a scale.
Pitch	melody/ Theme back	movement:	The movement between one note and the next. (Step, leap, repeat)
Pitch	melody/Theme	step	Movement to the next note up or the next note down.
Pitch	melody/Theme	leap - interval	A melody that leaps from one note to the other, usually following the underlying chords.
Pitch	melody/Theme	scalic	A melody using a number of step movement using the notes of the scale.
Pitch	melody/Theme back	chromatic	Added notes to a diatonic composition without altering its key centre.
Pitch	melody/Theme	pentatonic	A five-note scale associated with folk music from all over the world.
Pitch	melody/Theme	whole tone	A seven note scale containing only whole tones. The music sounds rather vague and mystical. Mainly found in the late 19th century impressionist style of Debussy and Ravel.
Pitch	melody/Theme	raga (Indian)	An Indian theme upon which a Classical composition was built. Usually tarts slowly and increases in speed and drama.
Pitch	melody/Theme back	pitch bend	An electronic effect on an electronic instrument where a sliding effect can be created with the pitch either upwards or downwards.
Pitch	melody/Theme	glissando	Sliding sounds from one note to another. This is called portamento on a synthesiser
Pitch	melody/Theme	meend (Indian)	Gliding from one note to the other may smooth some tonal transitions. On a stringed instrument such as a sitar one may, while staying on the same fret, pull the string to obtain some of the higher notes. This effect, known as meend gives continuity in both time and frequency
Pitch	Harmony back	Consonance	Notes which sound well together in a chord.
Pitch	Harmony	dissonance	Clashing notes in a chord.
Pitch	Harmony	Major/minor	A tune based on the major scale.
Pitch	Harmony	modal	One of a number of medieval scales.
Pitch	Harmony back	atonal	Music in no definite key, without a key centre.
Pitch	Harmony	concept and recognition of modulation:	Movement from one key centre to another
Pitch	Harmony	related keys: V	A chord with a root, 3rd and 5th based on the fifth note of a scale.
Pitch	Harmony back	related keys: IV	A chord with a root, 3rd and 5th based on the fourth note of a scale.
Pitch	Harmony	transpose	To move an existing melody or arrangement up or down in pitch.
Pitch	Harmony	pedal	A part of a piano. Left quiet pedal and right sustaining pedal. Also part of an organ where pedals provide an added keyboard played with the feet.
Pitch	Harmony	drone	A single or multiple notes played at the same time as other parts.
Pitch	Harmony back	continuo	A Baroque music term referring to the harmonic instrument binding the orchestral group. This was usually a harpsichord, organ or theorbo.
Pitch	Notation	stave	The five lines upon which music is written.
Pitch	Notation	score	All the parts written out of an arrangement for a large group.
Pitch	Notation	clef	An indication of a range of notes in notation.
Pitch	Notation	pitch positions	Pitch positions can be indicated through the notation.
Pitch	Notation	treble and bass clefs	Indicating a higher and lower range of notes.
Pitch	Notation	double bar	Two vertical lines across a stave ending a composition or a section.
Pitch	Notation back	bar	The divisions of time on musical notation, usually an equal number of beats.
Pitch	Notation	key signature	Sharps or flats indicated at the start of a composition and the start of every stave.
Pitch	Notation	time signature	Two numbers indicating the number of beats and what kind of beats in each bar.
Pitch	Notation	ornamentation signs	Signs indicating how notes are to be decorated.
Pitch	Notation back	phrase/ articulation marks	Signs indicating loud, soft, changing loudness in a composition.
Pitch	Notation	dynamic signs	Indications of how loud or soft
Duration and Tempo	Note values back	note values	Note lengths in relation to each other. Names such as minim, crotchet and quaver.
Duration and Tempo	Note values	pulse/beat	Indications of regular accenting in a composition, usually two, three or four beats in a pattern.
Duration and Tempo	Note values	triplet	Three notes in the time of two notes.
Duration and Tempo	Note values back	dotted rhythm	A rhythm where the beet can be divided by tree.
Duration and Tempo	Note values	syncopation	Deliberate accents on sounds between beats giving the impression that the sound is slightly before or after it is expected.
Duration and Tempo	Note values back	off-beat	Regular strong accents on usually weaker beats of the bar. For example accents on beats two and four of a 4/4 time composition.
Tempo	Note values	cross rhythm	Different rhythms and metres performed at the same time but with the beats usually running at the same speed.
Duration and Tempo	Note values	phrase (length & shape)	Musical phrase lengths are often 4 bars in length and consist of a question phrase (unfinished) followed by an answer phrase (finished). The shape of a phrase often refers to the melodic outline, which follows a pattern up and down, or down and up through the phrase. There are of course exceptions!
Duration and Tempo	Note values	phrase structure	Usually phrases are four bars in length and structured into question and answer phrases.
Duration and Tempo	Note values	tala (Indian)	The rhythm upon which an Indian composition might be based.
Duration and Tempo	Metre	simple duple	A two beat pattern where beats are divided by two, then four etc. when needed.
Duration and Tempo	Metre	simple triple	A three beat pattern where beats are divided by two, then four etc. when needed.
Duration and Tempo	Metre	simple quadruple	A four beat pattern where beats are divided by two, then four etc. when needed.
Duration and Tempo	Metre	compound duple	Each metre has two strong beats; each divided by three when needed.
Duration and Tempo	Metre	irregular metre	Changing numbers of beats in the bar within a musical phrase.
Duration and Tempo	Italian terms speed back	adagio	Slowly
Duration and Tempo	Italian terms speed	largo	Broad and slow
Duration and Tempo	Italian terms speed	andante	Walking pace
Duration and Tempo	Italian terms speed	moderato	Moderate pace
Duration and Tempo	Italian terms speed back	allegro	Fast
Duration and Tempo	Italian terms speed	vivace	Lively
Duration and Tempo	Italian terms speed	Presto	Very fast
Duration and Tempo	Italian terms speed	Accelerando	Gradually faster
Duration and Tempo	Italian terms speed	ritardando/ rallentando	Gradually slower
Duration and Tempo	Italian terms speed	allargando	Broadening
Duration and Tempo	Italian terms speed	rubato	Some changes of pace within the bar. (Associated with Romantic music)
Duration and Tempo	Italian terms speed	silence	Can be a general, timed silence for dramatic effect.
Duration and Tempo	Italian terms speed	pause	Lengthening of a note or a silence between notes
Dynamics and articulation	Italian terms dynamics back	dynamics	loudness or volume
Dynamics and articulation	Italian terms dynamics	fortissimo	Very loud
Dynamics and articulation	Italian terms dynamics back	forte	Loud
Dynamics and articulation	Italian terms dynamics	mezzo forte	Moderately loud
Dynamics and articulation	Italian terms dynamics	mezzo piano	Moderately quiet
Dynamics and articulation	Italian terms dynamics	piano	Quiet
Dynamics and articulation	Italian terms dynamics	pianissimo	Very quiet
Dynamics and articulation	Italian terms dynamics	crescendo	Gradually louder
Dynamics and articulation	Italian terms dynamics	diminuendo	Gradually quieter
Dynamics and articulation	Italian terms dynamics	subito	Under voice
Dynamic and articulation	Italian terms Articulation	accent / sforzando	Accent, forced accent
Dynamic and articulation	Italian terms Articulation	legato	Smoothly
Dynamic and articulation	Italian terms Articulation back	staccato	Short and detached
Dynamic and articulation	Italian terms Articulation back	tremolo	Quickly alternating loud and soft
Timbre	Western Instruments	recorders	Blown wind instrument, flute like sound
Timbre	Western Instruments	bagpipes	A blown wind instrument with extra drone notes.
Timbre	Western Instruments back	accordion	Sound produced with metal reeds with air forced through them.
Timbre	Western Instruments	steel guitar	An electric slide guitar often used in country music, notes are changed with a steel cylinder (Bottle neck)
Timbre	Western Instruments	acoustic guitar	A non- electric guitar that may have metal or nylon strings.
Timbre	We Western Instruments	electric guitar	A steel stringed guitar, either strummed (Rhythm guitar) to produce broken chords) or individual notes plucked. (lead guitar)
Timbre	Western Instruments	melodeon	Keyboard instruments in which the wind supply is directed towards free metal reeds as those of a harmonica or accordion are called reed organs. They include the melodeon, developed in the United States about 1825
Timbre	Western Instruments	harmonica	A blown instrument producing tunes from metal reeds
Timbre	Western Instruments back	piano	A keyboard percussion instrument. Hammers hit strings to make the sounds.
Timbre	Western Instruments	harpsichord	A keyboard instrument associated with the Baroque period. Strings are plucked to make the sounds.
Timbre	Western Instruments	organ	A keyboard instrument associated with the Church with metal flute and reed pipes.
Timbre	Western Instruments	synthesiser	An electronic instrument which can be programmed to produce a wide variety of timbres some of which imitate acoustic instruments.
Timbre	Western Instruments back	electronic keyboard	A keyboard using electronics to produce the sound. This could include synthesisers, electronic organ and porta-sound instruments.
Timbre	Indian instruments	tabla	Indian tuned drums.
Timbre	Indian instruments	sitar	An Indian fretted stringed instrument similar to the lute with plucked and sympathetic drone strings.
Timbre back	Indian instruments	sarod	The Sarode is a fretless lute, with a fingerboard faced with metal. It has a sound table of goatskin. The Sarode has generally 8 to 10 main playing strings and 11 to 16 sympathetic strings. It is plucked with a pick made coconut shell. It evolved from the ancient Rabab, sometime it the 19th century. The Sarode is shorter than the Sitar in length and has a clearer, rounder tone. The Sarod is capable of both long slides and fast percussive phrases.
Timbre	Indian instruments	sarangi	An instrument (played like a fiddle) used mainly in Indian classical music. The Sarangi consists of squat, truncated body. Like the Sarode, it has a soundboard of goatskin. It has three main playing strings of heavy gut. These are the ones, which are bowed. It also has additional 30-40 metal sympathetic strings, which give the instrument its characteristic sound.
Timbre	Indian instruments	harmonium	A keyboard instrument rather like a small organ where bellows provide the wind power for the sound.
Timbre	Indian instruments back	flute	A woodwind instrument used in Western music.
Timbre	Indian instruments	violin	A bowed string instrument just like the Western violin.
Timbre	Gamelan instruments	gongs	A Gamelan orchestra from South East Asia contains gongs and bells
Timbre	Gamelan instruments	metallophones	Instruments with large metal tuned keys. Music of South East Asia.
Timbre back	Latin American instruments	pan-pipes	A south American folk instrument.
Timbre	Latin American instruments	samba whistle	A whistle rather like a referee's whistle, blown as an added effect in a samba rhythmic accompaniment.
Timbre back	Latin American instruments	bar chimes	Metal bars with a sounding box are hit to produce sound. This is similar to the glockenspiel and metalophone.
Timbre	Latin American instruments	bongos	Two small hand hit drums, often held between the knees and used for Latin music.
Timbre	Latin American instruments	claves	Two pieces of hard wood hit together. They are often used in Latin music as part of the rhythm section, playing on off beats.
Timbre	Latin American instruments	maracas	Shaken hollow spheres with seeds or beads inside. Used for rhythmic effect in Latin music.
Timbre	Latin American Instruments back	steel pans	The instrument is made out of a steel drum with raised areas tuned to specific notes using a Western pitch system. The Steel Band uses conventional Western harmony combined with rhumba reggae or related 'pop' styles.
Timbre	African instruments back	master drum (conga)	The drum that leads and the other players then follow.
Timbre	African instruments	talking drum	An African drum where the drumhead can vary in tension by squeezing the supporting strings to produce different notes. It is hit with a hooked stick.
Timbre	African instruments	Kalimba (thumb piano)	Metal strips are plucked by the thumbs making a high pitched metallic sounds. The sounds often overlap each other.
Timbre	African instruments	agogo bells	Small bell like instruments used for high pitched metallic effects.
Timbre	Vocal sounds	treble	The higher notes in an arrangement
Timbre	Vocal sounds	soprano	The highest female voice
Timbre	Vocal sounds back	alto	The 2nd part of a vocal piece or a male contralto singer
Timbre	Vocal sounds	tenor	The highest male voice.
Timbre	Vocal sounds	bass	Usually the lowest part in a musical composition.
Timbre	Vocal sounds	falsetto	High pitched singing through using the harmonics of the voice rather than the fundamental notes.
Timbre	Instrument families	brass	Instruments made of metal where the player makes the sounds by vibrating the metal mouthpiece.
Timbre back	Instrument families	percussion	Percussion instruments are those hit to make sounds. Percussion ensembles contain a number of players using instruments that are either or both tuned and untuned percussion instruments.
Timbre	Instrument families	strings	A term which usually refers to the bowed strings of the orchestra, the violins, violas, cellos and double basses.
Timbre	Instrument families	woodwind	A family of instruments including the flute, oboe, clarinet and bassoon.
Timbre	Instrument families	electric	A family of instruments which need electricity to work. These include the synthesiser, porta-sound keyboard, and electric piano.
Timbre	Vocal combinations back	a capella	Unaccompanied voices
Timbre	Vocal combinations	female choir	A choir where a number of singers sing each part with usually two voice types, soprano, and contralto.
Timbre	Vocal combinations	male voice choir	A choir where a number of singers sing each part with male voices, usually tenors and basses.
Timbre	Vocal combinations	mixed voice choir	A choir with four groups of singers, soprano, Contralto, tenor and bass.
Timbre	Vocal combinations	chorus	A choir with four groups of singers, soprano, Contralto, tenor and bass. This term also refers to the refrain of a song where more singers often join the solo or solo group.
Timbre	Vocal combinations	backing vocals	One singer or more supporting the main part.
Timbre	Instrumental Combinations	orchestra	A large group of instruments performing music of the Western tradition together. They are usually between 40 and 60 players divided into woodwind, strings brass and percussion instruments.
Timbre	Instrumental Combinations	chamber orchestra	A small orchestra, quite often with strings only.
Timbre	Instrumental Combinations	wind band	A band with mainly blown brass and woodwind instruments.
Timbre	Instrumental Combinations	brass band	Late 19th and 20th century ensemble, consisting of brass instruments such as the cornet, tenor horn and euphonium. They usually play in concert arrangement but also march to their playing.
Timbre	Ensembles back	consort	A group of related instruments playing as a group. Often refers to renaissance or baroque recorder or viol groups.
Timbre back	Ensembles	string quartet	There contain two violins, a viola and cello. The players each have an individual part. The grouping became common from about 1760 with its founder Joseph Haydn. The music often sounds intense and complex.
Timbre	Ensembles	duo	Two voices or instrumentalists playing together.
Timbre	Ensembles	trio	Three instrumental or vocal parts.
Timbre	Ensembles back	quartet	A four part musical group, most often in the form of string quartet.
Timbre	Ensembles	quintet	A five instrument musical group, very popular from the Classical age onwards
Timbre	Ensembles	sextet	A group of six performers. A term used most often in Jazz and Classical music.
Timbre	Ensembles	octet	Eight voices or instrumentalists playing together.
Changing sounds	Effects back	muted (con sordino)	A Bowed string instrument effect of muting the sound, usually on a violin, viola, cello or double bass.
Changing sounds	Effects	double stopping	playing two notes at the same time on a bowed string instrument
Changing sounds	Effects	vibrato	Quickly alternating slight movements up and down in pitch on a single note.
Changing sounds	Effects back	arco	Played with the bow after plucking the strings.
Changing sounds	Effects	pizzicato	Plucking the strings of a normally bowed string instrument such as a violin.
Changing sounds	Effects	harmonics	Sounds above the fundamental note, sometimes known as partials.
Changing sounds	Effects	flutter tonguing	An effect on a woodwind instrument where the player literally flutters the tongue.
Changing sounds	Arrangement	orchestration	The art of writing for an orchestra.
Changing sounds	Arrangement back	arrangement	One version of a composition is made into another. This often involves adding more instrument or vocal parts and making changes to original but not so much as to render it unrecognisable.
Changing sounds	Arrangement	cover version	A pop music term applied to an arrangement/performance by another group of the same basic song but with some different elements.
Texture	All Music	monophonic	One voice or instrument.
Texture	All Music	homophonic	mainly chordal music
Texture	All Music	polyphonic	Many voices or instruments of equal importance.
Texture	All Music back	melody and accompaniment	One melodic line stands out above quieter accompanying parts.
Texture	All Music	solo	An individual singer or instrumentalist stands out above the other parts.
Texture	All Music	unison	Where different players or singers are using the same notes of the melody together.
Texture	All Music	doubling	A second instrument or voice which has the same part as another. It could be at the same pitch or at the octave. (or two)
Texture	All Music back	2 / 3 / 4 part	The number of parts in a vocal or instrumental composition
Texture	Classical Music back	tutti	A term applied to a section of Baroque music where all the players in an orchestra are playing together.
Texture	All Music	counter melody	A second melody which fits with the first.
Texture	All Music	descant	A melodic part above the main tune.
Texture	All Music	contrapuntal	A composition with more than one melody at the same time.
Structure Column1	All Music back	Musical development	A composition is developed by using various devices, which creates contrast using mainly musical ideas stated in earlier sections.
Structure Column1	Ethnic	motive/pakad (Indian)	A short musical phrase upon which the rest of the composition is based.
Structure Column1	All Music	repetition	Repetition is a unifying feature usually balanced with elements of change or variety. It is the balance of these two features that make a "good" composition.
Structure Column1	Classical Music	recapitulation	The last part of a sonata form movement involving the return of many themes and the dominance of the home key.
Structure Column 1	All Music	sequence	A short melodic phrase repeated higher or lower once or a number of times.
Structure Column 1	Device back	melodic sequence	A short melody repeated higher or lower than the original pitch
Structure Column 1	All Music	imitation	A rhythm or melody copied at a higher or lower level or by different instruments or voices.
Structure Column 1	Classical Music	canon	A number of melodic lines, exactly the same but following a staggered starting pattern similar to a round.
Structure Column 1	All Music	ostinato	A repeated rhythm or melody.
Structure Column 1	Pop Music	riff	Jazz term for an ostinato or repeated musical accompanying phrase.
Structure Column 1	Classical Music back	ground bass	A unifying feature of some Baroque music where the bass melody is repeated with changing melodic lines above it.
Structure Column 2	All Music	introduction	The starting section of a composition.
Structure Column 2	All Music	coda	The ending section of a composition.
Structure Column 2	All Music	binary	A composition with two sections.
Structure Column 2	All Music	ternary	A three part piece with an ABA structure.
Structure Column 2	All Music	strophic	This term usually refers to a song that is clearly structured. The musical phrases are often the same length and there is a clear verse, refrain structure.
Structure Column 2	Classical Music	ritornello	A musical form used for the Baroque orchestra. It is a section returning form where the ritornello theme returns often in different keys with a soloist group playing the sections in between.
Structure Column 2	Classical Music	rondo	A Classical musical form where the section of a composition (Section A) continues to return between different musical sections (Section B C and D) thus enabling a longer musical composition. Sections A B A C A D.
Structure Column 3	All Music	antiphonal	Sounds alternating from two parts of a large room.
Structure Column 3	All Music	call and response	Often one melody with one voice answered by another melody with many voices.
Structure Column 3	Classical Music	through composed	A term usually referring to a song which has no repeated elements in the structure but gains its form from the lyric.
Structure Column 3	Classical Music	aleatoric	A structure where random elements are available to the performer within a given structure. This can often apply to electronic music.
Structure Column 3	Classical Music	chorus / refrain	The repeating section of a song.
Structure Column 3	Classical Music	cadenza	The soloists technical demonstration at the start of the recapitulation of the first movement of a concerto.
Structure Column 3	types of music	aria	A song from an opera or oratorio with orchestral accompaniment
Structure Column 3	Classical Music back	recitative	The part of an opera or oratorio where the story is moved forward through one of the singers singing it often over a few sustained chords. In Baroque times, the harpsichord provided this accompaniment.
Structure Column 3	Classical Music back	air and variations	Often an eight or 16-bar song-like melody with accompaniments which is then followed by a number of further musical sections containing variations.
Structure Column 3	Classical Music	minuet and trio form / da capo	A classical form in three four time where the minuet then trio are repeated. After this the minuet is played one more time and then sometimes contains elaboration of the melody.
Structure Column 3	Classical Music	fugue	A highly structured Baroque musical form.
Structure Column 3	Pop Music back	middle 8/ bridge	Usually the third quarter of a pop song where the melody and the chord structure changes.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Classical periods	medieval music	Ancient music before 1500 where there is written notation.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Classical periods	renaissance	A Western Classical music style between 1500 and 1600.Characteristic instruments include the recorder and viol. Often the music has many vocal melodies at the same time. Melodies sometimes appear to clash as the vocal line was considered more important than the harmonic result. Melodies also sound unusual to modern western ears as they are based on modes and a different system of harmony. Main musical developments were in vocal music both religious and secular.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Classical periods back	baroque	A Western Classical music style between 1600 and 1750.Characteristic instruments include the harpsichord. Often the music has many instrumental melodies at the same time. The bass part usually has an important melody. There are often stepped dynamics with sharp changes between loud and soft between sections of the composition. Ornamentation of melodies is often used especially in slow compositions.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Classical periods	classical	Western Classical music between 1750 and 1820.Characteristic instruments include the piano. Trumpets and trombones are sometimes used for fanfares but very little melodic use Often the music has a melody with accompaniment and contains characteristic slurs and balanced musical phrases. There is often graduated dynamics.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Classical periods	romantic	A Western Classical style from about 1820 to 1900 where music was more dramatic than before and often based upon artistic ideas outside of music. Orchestras were larger with more brass and percussion instruments. Chords that are more exotic were used in many musical genres.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Classical periods	20th century	Unusual textures and timbres are used more often. Melody and harmony are less important for many composers. Dissonance and experimentation with many musical elements are often found. Some composers experiment with techniques from other musical idioms.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Classical periods back	impressionism	Late 19th century compositions mainly by Debussy, which have a drifting, vagueness in their sounds. These create momentarily glimpses rather than clear effects.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Classical periods	minimalism	A 20th century style developed by Steve Riche and others, which involves repeated or near repeated short musical phrases. It may contain several at the same time.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Pop styles	traditional jazz	A 'pop' style from the 1920s. It often uses the 12-bar blues chord sequence but slow and has lyrics about unhappy events. Typical instrumentation includes the piano and banjo as mainly chordal instruments and trumpet, clarinet and trombone as melodic lead instruments. The double bass and drum kit are also used. There are some differences in instrumentation where a marching or outdoor traditional jazz group are used.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Pop styles	blues	A slow jazz style, which is sung to sad lyrics and often has the 12-bar blues chord structure. It can be accompanied by a small jazz band or just the guitar.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Pop styles	swing	Typically 4/4 time 'pop' style from the 1930's involving a clearly recognisable drum kit pattern, dotted rhythm pattern on the high hat cymbal. The big band sound often associated with this rhythmic dance style has sections of saxophone, trumpet and trombone players
Period/ Style/ Genre	Pop styles	rhythm and blues	A "Pop/jazz" music style, which has jazz, blues elements and more modern rock elements.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Pop styles	rock	A "Pop" music style from the 1960s to the present day. Rhythms are usually strong and loud. Timbres involve mainly electronic instrument including electric guitars and synthesisers. There are often strong electronic effects, which distort the sounds of the instruments. Voices are usually amplified and contain reverb effects.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Western styles	fanfare	Often played by brass instruments as a call to attention at the start of a ceremony or composition. It also often consists of broken chord patterns following the natural harmonics of the brass instruments.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Western styles back	plainsong	A religious hymn like melody from medieval times (100 years old) sung in Latin, often by monks conveying a religious message. The monks usually sing in unison or at the fifth. The plainsong melody was often used by later composers as a basis for more elaborate religious compositions.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Western styles	chorale	A hymn of the Protestant church originating in the Renaissance and Baroque. The melody is often harmonised in parts when sung by the choir but with the melody simple enough for the congregation to sing.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Western styles	toccata	A virtuoso composition. This is most often Baroque and written for the organ.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Western styles	march	A military sounding work played by a military band or orchestra. It originated in the 19th Century. It usually has a brisk two or four beats in a bar time signature.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Western styles	waltz	A 19th century dance style in 3/4 time.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Western styles	folk song	Often unaccompanied songs sung with an untrained voice, often with a "local" accent, often on the subject of love, war or a local disaster. Where accompanied there is usually a folk guitar in the background.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Pop genres	reggae	Reggae is a 'pop' style from the Caribbean. It features electronic instruments and singers, usually with West Indian accents. It features off bat accents on the drum-kit and staccato chords on the rhythm guitar. The bass player has a 'walking bass' type of bass melody accompaniment.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Pop genres	ska	A modern type of Reggae. A pop style from the Caribbean.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Pop genres	spiritual	A song with religious words that is usually in a 'pop' style.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Pop genres	rap	A modern pop style where the vocals are spoken in rhythm usually over an electronic repetitive drum pattern and scratching noises on a record turn table.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Pop genres	gospel	A rock style containing religious lyrics with its roots in the southern states of the USA
Period/ Style/ Genre	Latin styles	salsa	A popular Latin style from south America.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Latin styles	samba	A popular Latin style from South America. It is very fast and exciting, usually containing exotic percussion instruments including the conga, cabasa and cowbells.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Latin styles	bossa nova	A south American lyrical dance style
Period/ Style/ Genre	Latin styles	tango	A South American dance style with a characteristic rhythm.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Latin styles	calypso	A Caribbean style dance with a characteristic rhythm. Percussion instruments involved usually include maracas, claves, cabasas and bongo drums. Often steel pans play the pitched parts.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Latin styles	rumba	A popular Latin style. It is very fast and exciting, usually containing exotic percussion instruments including the conga, cabasa and cowbells.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Classical instrumental genres back	symphony	An orchestral work usually in 4 movements. Joseph Haydn founded the modern symphony in the Classical era.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Classical instrumental genres	sonata	A work for a single instrument. Where this is a melodic instrument, it is often accompanied by the piano. It contains normally 4 movements.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Classical instrumental genres	solo concerto	A Classical composition for a soloist and an orchestra.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Classical instrumental genres	concerto grosso	A baroque orchestral work where there are two or more soloists.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Classical instrumental genres	overture	The instrumental piece played before the curtain opens for an opera, ballet or musical which usually contains many of the themes to be played during the course of the story.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Western vocal/dance	programme music	Music which has an extra-musical reference such as a story, picture, character or mood.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Classical vocal/dance back	opera	Professionally trained voices with an orchestra singing arias and recitatives, which together with acting and staging tell a story in a similar way to a musical but with Classical music.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Classical vocal/dance	operetta	A light, short opera.
Period/ Style/ Genre	We Classical vocal/dance back	ballet	A folk song, usually slow with a verse and refrain structure which tells a story. Usually accompanied with acoustic folk instruments.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Classical vocal/dance	Lied/ lieder	A 19th century Art song accompanied by the piano. The singer is usually highly trained. There is a great deal of word painting in both the piano part and vocal line.
Period/ Style/ Genre	We Classical vocal/dance	music theatre	A term clearly referring top music in the theatre.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Classical vocal/dance	musical	A mainly 20th century popular version of the opera and music hall tradition. The singers usually sing through microphones. Often the instruments are those used in 'pop' music.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Techniques	improvised	composition at the point of performance
Period/ Style/ Genre	Techniques	walking bass	A melodic bass line described as a Walking bass in jazz and some pop styles such as Reggae.
Period/ Style/ Genre	Techniques	vamp	A vague bass accompaniment usually applied to jazz music.

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