Music Elements

Smooth, connected melody that moves principally in stepwise motion.

Term which refers to the vertical structure of a composition. How the parts interact.

A form that consists of an exposition, followed by a development and a recapitulation.

Gradual slowing of the tempo, or to gradually delay the tempo.

Proceding in the order of the octave or key

A style of composition that presents a theme and develops that theme in successive statements.

Any music or chord not belonging to the diatonic scale. Music which proceeds in half steps.

The grouping of beats into regular patterns.

ABABA or ABACABA form

The art of combining two or more melodies to be performed simultaneously and musically.

The secondary theme of a fugue, heard against the subject.

Playing the notes of a chord consecutively instead of simultaneously.

The specific quality of a sound that gives it a sense of being high or low.

Song structure in which every verse of the text is sung to the same musical tune.

A composition in which a subject is introduced by one voice & is imitated by other voices.

The speed of the rhythm of a composition measured in beats per minute.

The structure of a composition; based upon repetition, contrast, and variation.

the shape of the melody and how it moves

A directive to perform the indicated passage of a composition very quickly.

All the voices and accompaniments move rhythmically together.

A fast tempo marking between allegretto and vivace.

A tune or succession of tones.

Upsetting of the pulse by shifting the accent to an off-beat. An accent in an unexpected place.

The quality of a sound; that component of a tone that causes instruments to sound different.

Three part form, generally ABA

A directive to perform the indicated passage of a composition in a moderate tempo.

The combination of notes sounded simultaneously. Can be consonant or dissonant.

a short tune or musical figure that characterizes and unifies a composition.

The sounding of two or more notes (usually at least three) simultaneously.

A directive to a performer to smoothly decrease the volume.

The musical basis upon which a composition is built.

a piece of a melody.

A stress or special emphasis on a beat

The speed of a composition in beats per minute (BPM)

Two or more notes sounded together that require resolution.

A stylized close in music which divides the music into periods or brings it to conclusion.

Strict counterpoint in which each voice exactly imitates the previous voice at a fixed distance

Any note performed throughout a composition as a sustaining bass note.

A tempo marking between largo and moderato. Typically between 76 and 108 beats per minute.

The controlled movement of music in time. The division of music into regular metric portions

A directive to a performer to smoothly increase the volume of a particular phrase or passage.

A canon which starts off with a single voice & other voices enter & perform exactly the same

The melody upon which a fugue is based; a melody, motive, or theme.

Music that is written for only one voice or part.

Pleasing, sweet, harmonious. An accord of sounds sweet and pleasing to the ear.

An interval spanning 7 diatonic degrees. From C to C.

A melodic line that moves by leaps and skips rather than in steps.

Two-part (A - B) structure of music; usually each part is repeated.

Gradually accelerating or getting faster.

Music composed for many parts or voices, each with its own melody.