pitch
[noun]
the degree of highness or lowness of a tone that is determined by the frequency of waves producing it
Ex:
Music - Musical Elements
Here you will learn some English words related to musical elements such as "scale", "tonality", and "vibrato".
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scale
[noun]
an arrangement of a series of musical notes with specified intervals, in ascending or descending pitch order
Ex:
In this
composition
,
the
melody
moves
up and down
the
scale
,
creating
a
sense
of
tension
and
release
.
mode
[noun]
a specific arrangement of tones and semitones that create a distinctive scale pattern
Ex:
The
Phrygian
mode
imparts
a
distinctive
Spanish
flavor
to
flamenco
music
.
articulation
[noun]
in music refers to how notes or sounds are played, including factors like attack, duration, and release, which shape the expressiveness of a performance
texture
[noun]
in music refers to how different musical elements are combined to create the overall sound of a piece
dissonance
[noun]
a combination of notes or chords that sounds harsh or unstable
Ex:
The
sudden
dissonance
in
the
melody
surprised
the
audience
.
consonance
[noun]
a musical quality where tones or chords blend smoothly, producing a sense of stability or pleasantness
Ex:
The
duet
achieved
consonance
in
every
phrase
.
measure
[noun]
any of the short sections consisting of musical beats located between two consecutive lines
Ex:
The
composer
added
an
extra
measure
to
create
a
dramatic
pause
.
interval
[noun]
a dissimilarity in pitch between two notes
Ex:
To
identify
intervals
,
the
musician
listened
carefully
to
the
pitches
.
motif
[noun]
a short musical idea or pattern that is repeated or developed within a composition
Ex:
The
composer
developed
the
motif
into
a
complex
orchestral
passage
.
musical expression
[noun]
the use of dynamics, phrasing, tempo, articulation, and other interpretive elements by a performer to convey the emotional or artistic intent of a piece of music, adding depth, feeling, and individuality to the performance
harmony
[noun]
notes of music played or sung in a combination that produces a pleasing effect
Ex:
She
practiced
the
piano
piece
with
her
sister
,
focusing
on
achieving
perfect
harmony
between
their
parts
.
melody
[noun]
the arrangement or succession of single musical notes in a tune or piece of music
Ex:
The
composer
crafted
a
haunting
melody
that
evoked
deep
emotions
in
the
audience
.
rhythm
[noun]
a strong repeated pattern of musical notes or sounds
Ex:
The
rhythm
of
the
song
made
everyone
want
to
dance
.
timbre
[noun]
the unique quality of a sound that distinguishes it from others, even when pitch and loudness are the same, often described as tone color
Ex:
The
singer
's
timbre
made
the
performance
unforgettable
.
harmonic
[noun]
a component of a musical sound that is produced alongside the fundamental pitch, contributing to the overall richness and timbre of the sound
Ex:
stave
[noun]
a set of horizontal lines and spaces on which musical notes are written
Ex:
The
conductor
emphasized
the
importance
of
reading
the
notes
accurately
on
the
stave
during
rehearsals
.
pulse
[noun]
the rhythmic or metrical regularity and sense of timing that is created by a repeating pattern of beats
downbeat
[noun]
the first beat of a measure, typically emphasized in terms of accentuation and providing a sense of rhythmic stability
Ex:
The
downbeat
of
each
measure
serves
as
a
reference point
for
musicians
to
coordinate
their
playing
and
maintain
a
steady
tempo
.
tone
[noun]
a vocal or musical sound with a particular pitch, intensity, and quality
Ex:
She
spent
hours
practicing
to
perfect
the
tone
of
her
voice
,
ensuring
it
was
just right
for
the
important
audition
.
diatonic scale
[noun]
a seven-note scale with a specific pattern of whole and half steps
Ex:
In
solfege
,
the
diatonic scale
is
represented
by
the
syllables
do
,
re
,
mi
,
fa
,
sol
,
la
,
ti
,
do
.
discord
[noun]
an unusual combination of musical notes that sound strange when played
Ex:
A
moment
of
discord
disrupted
the
otherwise
harmonious
melody
.
unison
[noun]
the simultaneous performance of the same pitch or note by multiple musicians or instruments
Ex:
The
brass section
performed
a
fanfare
in
unison
,
commanding
attention
with
their
synchronized
playing
.
riff
[noun]
a short, repeated musical pattern found in both jazz and popular music, serving as a prominent and recognizable element within a song or composition
Ex:
The
DJ
sampled
a
famous
hip-hop
riff
in
their
remix
.
tonality
[noun]
the organization of pitches and chords around a central pitch, creating a sense of harmonic stability and establishing a key center
Ex:
The
shift
away
from
traditional
tonality
in
the
late
19th
and
early
20th
centuries
led
to
the
development
of
atonal
and
modal
music
styles
.
phrasing
[noun]
the organization and shaping of musical phrases or sections to convey expression, emotion, and musical coherence
Ex:
The
conductor
guided
the
orchestra
in
shaping
the
phrasing
of
the
melody
,
emphasizing
dynamics
and
articulation
.
phrase
[noun]
a musical unit or segment consisting of several notes played or sung together
Ex:
In
classical music
,
a
phrase
typically
ends
with
a
cadence
,
providing
a
sense
of
closure
to
the
musical
thought
.
tremolo
[noun]
a rapid repetition of a single musical note or alternation between two notes
Ex:
The
conductor
signaled
for
the
strings
to
play with
tremolo
,
creating
a
sense
of
tension
in
the
orchestral
passage
.
vibrato
[noun]
a slight, rapid variation in pitch and intensity of a note
Ex:
Jazz
saxophonists
often
employ
vibrato
to
infuse
their
solos
with
soulful
expression
.
form
[noun]
the overall structure or organization of a musical composition
Ex:
The
symphony
's
form
typically
includes
multiple
movements
,
each
with
its
own
distinct
structure
and
thematic
material
.