Glossary

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Example and Directions
Words (or words that have the same definition)	The definition is case sensitive	(Optional) Image to display with the definition [Not displayed in Glossary, only in pop-up on pages]	(Optional) Caption for Image	(Optional) External or Internal Link	(Optional) Source for Definition
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Glossary Entries
Word(s)	Definition	Link
Pitch	The element of music that is determined by the size and frequency of sound waves	1.1: Pitch Introduction
Rhythm	The pattern of sounds and silences	1.1: Pitch Introduction
Pitch Classes	The grouping of all pitches with the same letter name	1.1: Pitch Introduction
Solfège	A method of attaching syllables to notes	1.1: Pitch Introduction
Step	The distance from one note to the next closest letter name	1.1: Pitch Introduction
Skip	The distance from one note to another that skips a letter name	1.1: Pitch Introduction
Interval	The distance between notes	1.1: Pitch Introduction
Tonic	The first scale degree	1.1: Pitch Introduction
Leading tone	The seventh scale degree	1.1: Pitch Introduction
Meter	The pattern of strong and weak beats	2.1: Simple Meters Introduction
Duple meter	A pattern of strong and weak beats in which every other beat is a strong beat (1, 2; 1, 2)	2.1: Simple Meters Introduction
Downbeat	What we hear as the strong beat of the pattern	2.1: Simple Meters Introduction
Upbeat	The beat that comes just before the downbeat	2.1: Simple Meters Introduction
Triple meter	A pattern of strong and weak beats in which every third beat is a strong beat (1, 2, 3; 1, 2, 3)	2.1: Simple Meters Introduction
Quadruple meter	A pattern of strong and weak beats in which the strongest beat is on the first beat with three weaker beats that follow (1, 2, 3, 4)	2.1: Simple Meters Introduction
Compound meter	Meter where the beat can be divided into three parts	2.1: Simple Meters Introduction
Simple meter	Meter where the beat can be divided into two parts	2.1: Simple Meters Introduction
Time signature	The two vertically stacked numbers that appear at the beginning of a score	2.1: Simple Meters Introduction
Beat boxes	A method of listening for individual beats within a measure	3.1: Rhythmic Dictation Introduction
Syncopation	When a weak beat is emphasized in a rhythm	3.1: Rhythmic Dictation Introduction
Major	The tonality of the scale that is characterized by the presence of a major third, major sixth, and major seventh	5.1: Minor Keys Introduction
Minor	The tonality of the scale that is characterized by the presence of a minor third, a minor or major sixth, and a minor or major seventh	5.1: Minor Keys Introduction
Tonality	A hierarchy of pitches and chords within a given musical work	5.1: Minor Keys Introduction
Natural minor	The type of minor scale that is characterized by a lowered third scale degree, a lowered sixth scale degree, and a lowered seventh scale degree in relation to the parallel major	5.1: Minor Keys Introduction
Harmonic minor	The type of minor scale that is characterized by a lowered third scale degree, a lowered sixth scale degree, and a raised seventh scale degree	5.1: Minor Keys Introduction
Melodic minor	The type of minor scale that is characterized by a lowered third scale degree for the ascending scale, and a lowered seventh scale degree, a lowered sixth scale degree, and a lowered third scale degree for the descending scale	5.1: Minor Keys Introduction
Relative	When two major and minor scales share the same key signature (i.e. C major and A minor)	5.1: Minor Keys Introduction
Parallel	When two major and minor scales start on the same note name, but use different key signatures (i.e. C major and C minor)	5.1: Minor Keys Introduction
Compound duple meter	Meter that has two larger beats that are each subdivided into three parts	4.1: Compound Meter Introduction
Compound triple meter	Meter that has three larger beats that are each subdivided into three parts	4.1: Compound Meter Introduction
Compound quadruple meter	Meter that has four larger beats that are each subdivided into three parts	4.1: Compound Meter Introduction
Melodic interval	When two pitches sound separately with one following the other	6.1: Intervals Introduction
Harmonic interval	When two pitches sound at the same time	6.1: Intervals Introduction
Major interval	The interval that naturally happens between do and scale degrees 2, 3, 6, and 7 in a major scale	6.1: Intervals Introduction
Minor interval	The interval that naturally happens between do and scale degrees 3, 6, and 7 in a natural minor scale	6.1: Intervals Introduction
Perfect interval	The intervals of unison, 4, 5, and 8 in either a major or minor scale	6.1: Intervals Introduction
Triplet	Three eighth notes filling one beat in simple meter or three even sounds on a beat in simple meter	7.1: Beat Divisions Introduction
Triad	A chord made up of three pitches that are each separated by a third	8.1: Triads Introduction
Major triad	A triad made up of a major third and a minor third	8.1: Triads Introduction
Minor triad	A triad made up of a minor third and a major third	8.1: Triads Introduction
Augmented triad	A triad made up of a major third and a major third	8.1: Triads Introduction
Diminished triad	A triad made up of a minor third and a minor third	8.1: Triads Introduction
Cadence	The combination of triads at the end of a phrase that helps establish the tonal center of a piece or passage	9.1: Basic Cadences Introduction
Inconclusive cadence	A combination of triads that continues the musical momentum to the next phrase	9.1: Basic Cadences Introduction
Conclusive cadence	A combination of triads that conclude a musical phrase or idea	9.1: Basic Cadences Introduction
Perfect authentic cadence	A cadence made up of a dominant chord as the first chord and a tonic chord as the second chord. Both chords must be in root position and we must hear do in the top voice of the tonic chord	9.1: Basic Cadences Introduction
Imperfect authentic cadence	A cadence made up of a dominant chord as the first chord and a tonic chord as the second chord. Chords can be in any inversion and have any chord tone in the top voice	9.1: Basic Cadences Introduction
Half cadence	A cadence made up of any chord as the first chord and the dominant chord as the second chord	9.1: Basic Cadences Introduction
Seventh chord	A chord consisting of four pitches, each a third apart when stacked in root position	10.1: Seventh Chords Introduction
Major seventh chord	A chord consisting of a major triad and a major seventh	10.1: Seventh Chords Introduction
Minor seventh chord	A chord consisting of a minor triad and a minor seventh	10.1: Seventh Chords Introduction
Diminished seventh chord	A chord consisting of a diminished triad and a diminished seventh	10.1: Seventh Chords Introduction
Half-diminished seventh chord	A chord consisting of a diminished triad and a minor seventh	10.1: Seventh Chords Introduction
Scale	A stepwise series of pitches organized by distinct intervals	11.1: Modes Introduction
Dominant seventh chord	A chord consisting of a major triad and a minor seventh	10.1: Seventh Chords Introduction
Dotted note	A dot adds half of the duration of the note to the main note	12.1: Additional Time Signatures and Rhythmic Patterns Introduction
Tie	Connects two notes of the same pitch, and the durations of both note values are added together	12.1: Additional Time Signatures and Rhythmic Patterns Introduction
Non-chord tone	A note that does not normally belong to the overall sonority	13.1: Melodic Embellishments Introduction
Passing tone	A non-chord tone that passes between two chord tones	13.1: Melodic Embellishments Introduction
Neighbor tone	A non-chord tone that steps away from a chord tone and then returns to the same tone	13.1: Melodic Embellishments Introduction
Suspension	A note that belongs to the previous chord, but is held into the next chord where it does not belong	13.1: Melodic Embellishments Introduction
Appoggiatura	A non-chord tone that is the result of a leap and then resolved by a step	13.1: Melodic Embellishments Introduction
Escape tone	A non-chord tone that is the result of a step and then resolved by a leap	13.1: Melodic Embellishments Introduction
Neighbor group	An appoggiatura and escape tone combined	13.1: Melodic Embellishments Introduction
Anticipation	A tone that does not belong to the chord where it is first heard, but does belong to the following chord	13.1: Melodic Embellishments Introduction
Pedal point	A tone that begins as a chord tone, becomes a non-chord tone, and then returns to being a chord tone	13.1: Melodic Embellishments Introduction
Plagal cadence	A cadence made up of the subdominant (IV) as the first chord and tonic as the second chord. Do is present in both chords	14.1: Phrases, Cadences, and Form Introduction
Deceptive cadence	A cadence made up of the dominant chord as the first chord and a second chord that is not the tonic, but includes do	14.1: Phrases, Cadences, and Form Introduction
Motive	A small musical idea that forms the basis of the phrase	14.1: Phrases, Cadences, and Form Introduction
Phrase	A relatively independent musical idea that ends in a cadence	14.1: Phrases, Cadences, and Form Introduction
Period	The organization of phrases and cadences where the first phrase ends in a weak cadence and the second phrase ends in a strong cadence	14.1: Phrases, Cadences, and Form Introduction
Antecedent	The opening phrase, or the material that seems to be asking the question	14.1: Phrases, Cadences, and Form Introduction
Consequent	The concluding phrase, or the material that answers the question posed in the antecedent phrase	14.1: Phrases, Cadences, and Form Introduction
Repeated phrase	The exact repeat of the phrase	14.1: Phrases, Cadences, and Form Introduction
Parallel period	Phrases in a period structure where both phrases start with the same or similar material	14.1: Phrases, Cadences, and Form Introduction
Contrasting period	Phrases in a period structure where the phrases start with different material	14.1: Phrases, Cadences, and Form Introduction
Double period	Four phrases in two pairs when the first two phrases do not form a complete period due to the cadence structure	14.1: Phrases, Cadences, and Form Introduction
Beat-unit	The note value that receives one beat	15.1: Half Note Beat-Units Introduction
Cut-time	A shorthand symbol used as a time signature that indicates two beats per measure and the half note getting one beat	15.1: Half Note Beat-Units Introduction
Overtones	Additional pitches that resonate at the same time as the played pitch	16.1: Functional Harmony and Syncopation Introduction
Tendency tones	Tones within a key that have a strong tendency to resolve in a specific direction	16.1: Functional Harmony and Syncopation Introduction
Tonic triad	The triad built on the keynote of the scale	16.1: Functional Harmony and Syncopation Introduction
Supertonic triad	The triad built on the second note of the scale	16.1: Functional Harmony and Syncopation Introduction
Mediant triad	The triad built on the third note of the scale	16.1: Functional Harmony and Syncopation Introduction
Subdominant triad	The triad built on the fourth note of the scale	16.1: Functional Harmony and Syncopation Introduction
Dominant triad	The triad built on the fifth note of the scale	16.1: Functional Harmony and Syncopation Introduction
Submediant triad	The triad built on the sixth note of the scale	16.1: Functional Harmony and Syncopation Introduction
Subtonic triad	The triad built on the seventh note of the scale	16.1: Functional Harmony and Syncopation Introduction
Primary chords	The tonic, subdominant, and dominant chords in the key	16.1: Functional Harmony and Syncopation Introduction
Chord progression	A pattern of chords that make up the harmonic structure of the phrase	17.1: Harmonic Dictation Introduction
6/4 chord	A second inversion chord that extends harmonic ideas	18.1: 6/4 Chords Introduction
Compound triplet	Three even sounds covering two beats	20.1: Compound Triplets and Super Duplets Introduction
Super triplet	See "Compound triplet"	20.1: Compound Triplets and Super Duplets Introduction
Duplet	Two even sounds on a beat	20.1: Compound Triplets and Super Duplets Introduction
Super duplet	Two even sounds covering three beats in either simple or compound meter	20.1: Compound Triplets and Super Duplets Introduction
Compound duplet	See "Super duplet"	20.1: Compound Triplets and Super Duplets Introduction
Secondary dominant	A chord that briefly tonicizes a chord other than the tonic	22.1: Secondary Dominants Introduction
Tonicize	To treat a chord as if it were the tonic without a key change	22.1: Secondary Dominants Introduction

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