Explanation of common musical terms

1: Tone

Is a physical phenomenon. When an object vibrates, it produces sound waves, which travel through the air to the eardrum and are reflected by the brain and are perceived as sound. The sound that people can hear vibrates about 16-2000 times per second, and the sounds used in music (excluding sounds) are generally limited to the range of 27-4100 vibrations per second. The pitch, strength, length, and timbre of a sound depend on the vibration of the object.

2: Tone-color

Refers to the sensory characteristics of sound. The vibration of the sound body is composed of a variety of harmonics, including fundamental tones and overtones. The timbre is determined by the number of overtones and the relative intensity between the overtones. People's ability to distinguish timbre is innate. The color of music is divided into vocal timbre and instrumental timbre. The vocal timbres are divided into high, medium and bass, and are divided into male and female; the instrumental timbres are mainly divided into string instruments and wind instruments, and the timbres of various percussion instruments are different.

3: Resonance

Resonance refers to a kind of vibration. When a sound-producing body vibrates, it causes other objects to vibrate and emit sound, producing a buzzing sound.

4: Fundamental tone

The lowest frequency sound emitted by an object when it vibrates is the fundamental tone, and the rest are overtones. The fundamental note determines the pitch.

5: Harmonic overtone

Except for the lowest sound produced by the overall vibration of the sound body, which is the fundamental tone, the fundamental tone is used as the standard, and the remaining 1/2, 1/3, 1/ 4 and other parts also vibrate at the same time, which is overtones. The combination of overtones determines a specific timbre and allows people to clearly feel the loudness of the fundamental tone. Musical instruments and all sounds in nature have overtones.

6: Pitch

Pitch is expressed by the number of vibrations in one second. The higher the frequency, the higher the pitch; the lower frequency, the lower the pitch. The current internationally accepted standard sound "a" is a sound that vibrates 440 times per second.

7: Pitch name (Pitch name)

Pitch name refers to the name that represents a fixed pitch in the Western music system. These names are not unified and vary from country to country. The most widely used ones are: C D E F G A B.

8: Syllable names

Syllable names refer to the names of the notes on the scale. Usually 1do, 2re, 3mi, 4fa, 5sol, 6la, 7si are used. The tonic in a major key is 1do, and the tonic in a minor key is 6la.

9: Sound range (Compass)

The range between the lowest and highest notes that a human voice or musical instrument can achieve is called the sound range. The vocal range can be divided into the total vocal range and individual vocal ranges, as well as the vocal and musical instrument ranges.

10: Tonality

Tonality refers to the mode category and tonic height. In music, the tonic is the core of melody and harmony, and other sounds are subordinate to it and finally end up on the tonic. Such music is tonal music.

11: Scale (Scale)

Refers to each note in the mode, starting from a certain pitch, that is, starting from the tonic, and proceeding from low to high in order of pitch. Arrangement, such a sequence of sounds is called a scale. The scale from low to high is called ascending, and the scale from high to low is called descending. The scales we are talking about today are mainly based on the most common major scale (major key) and minor scale (minor key).

12: Pentatonic scale

A scale composed of five tones. A mode mostly used in folk music. Such as: do, re, mi, sol, la, (do). 13: Major mode

A type of mode. In the seven-tone scale, the distance between adjacent two tones is divided into two types: whole steps and semitones. Except for the semitone between the third and fourth tones and the semitone between the seventh and eighth tones, the rest of the scale is a whole tone. The colors in major keys are brighter.

13: Minor mode

A type of mode. The seven-note scale includes "natural minor", "harmonic minor", "melodic minor" and "modern minor scale". "Four forms. The colors of minor keys are generally darker than those of major keys, and are often used to express sadness and melancholy.

The intervals between the second and third notes and the fifth and sixth notes of the natural minor (minor scale) are semitones.

14: Just intonation

It is different from the twelve equal laws. The relationship between each note and the tonic in the scale is a pure interval. Since the semitones formed in this way cannot be divided into equal parts, they cannot be modulated casually and have been eliminated by history.

15: Key-note

The first note in the modal scale. A type of Temperament. Divide an octave into twelve semitones, and the intervals of the semitones are all equal. Pianos, harps and other musical instruments are all tuned according to this temperament.

16: Semi tone, whole tone (Semi tone, Whole tone)

Divide an octave into twelve equal parts, each part is a semitone, and two semitones are equivalent to a whole tone. A semitone is equivalent to a minor second, and a whole tone is equivalent to a major second.

17: Consonant and dissonant intervals (Consonant, Dissonance)

According to the degree of consonance, it can be divided into fully consonant intervals (pure 1, 4, 5, 8 degrees) and non-consonant intervals. Complete consonance intervals (major and minor 3rd and 6th degrees). Other than that it's all dissonance.

18: Interval

Refers to the distance between two notes. The unit used to calculate musical intervals is called "degree", and the number of syllables between two sounds is called "degree". Intervals with the same degree can be differentiated into pure, major, minor, increased, or decreased due to the different numbers of semitones and whole tones they contain.

19: Twelve-tone system (tweleve-tone system, tweleve-note system)

One of the modern composition techniques. It was founded in 1921 by Austrian composer Schoenberg. The composer abandoned the traditional mode, tonality and harmony system, arbitrarily arranged the twelve tones in the chromatic scale into a one-year sequence, and then processed them with techniques such as inversion and retrograde. Unless all the tones have appeared, otherwise No sound may be repeated.

20: Pentatonic scale

There are five tones in the octave, which is called the "pentatonic scale".

21: Diationic scale

If there are seven tones in an octave, it is called a "seven-note scale".

22: Dynamics

Dynamics refers to the intensity of the sound when playing and singing music. Expressed by velocity symbols, such as f (strong), p (weak), < (crescendo), > (decrescendo), etc.

23: Indefinite pitch (indeterminate pitch)

The sound used in the music without a clear pitch is called indefinite pitch. It is actually noise and does not belong to the scope of the music. Modern composers often use sounds such as the sound of sawing wood, folding paper, typing, sweeping, knocking, hissing, whistling, etc.

24: Asymmetric rhythm

Also known as "polyrhythm". In the same phrase or section, the rhythm of each part is inconsistent; or in the same section, the duration of each beat is inconsistent. Broadly speaking, polyphonic music belongs to strange rhythms. The strange rhythm used by modern composers is a highly complex rhythm.

25: syncopation (synopation)

A rhythm that changes the position of strong and weak beats in a measure. The format is as follows:

(1), the weak beat sound continues to the strong beat position;

(2), the resting strong beat position;

( 3) Change the weak beat sound to a strong beat sound.

26: Atonality

It means that the composition of the music does not have a certain tonal basis.

27: Parallel fifths (parallel fifths)

The two parts of the music proceed in parallel separated by a perfect fifth. Since the fifteenth century, parallel fifths have been stipulated in counterpoint and harmony.

28: Parallel diminished seventh (parallel diminished seventh)

One of the chord progression methods.

The diminished seventh chord is composed of four consecutive minor thirds superimposed, and its characteristic is that it has no clear tendency. Diminished seventh chords appearing continuously without resolution are called "parallel diminished seventh chords".

29: Rhythm

The basic factors that constitute music include the height of the music, the duration of the movement (including rest), and the strength of the music. Expressed in terms of duration and intensity, that is, the regular priority of musical sounds, it is called rhythm.

30: Beat

A rhythmic sequence that appears periodically in a piece of music.

31: Tonic keynote

The center note of the mode is called the "tonic keynote".

32: Homophony

The symmetry of polyphonic music and monotonic music. A type of polyphonic music. One part is used as the melody (melody), and the other parts serve as a harmonious background.

33: Chromatic scale

The distance between adjacent two tones is a "semitone", which is called a "chromatic scale".

34: Whole-tone scale (whole-tone sacale)

The distance between two adjacent tones is a whole tone, which is called the "whole-tone scale".

35: cadenza

A brilliant improvisational passage inserted at the end of the piece. Improvisational demonstration of playing skills by the soloist. Composers and performers often write cadenzas for other people's works.

36: Part (voice)

Refers to the simultaneous melody lines in duet, chorus, ensemble, and ensemble music. For example, a string quartet has four parts: first violin, second violin, viola, and cello; a mixed chorus has four parts: soprano, alto, tenor, and bass.

37: Modulation

The music changes key as it progresses. Modulation is one of the important composition techniques. Simple modulations often occur between close relations.

38: Beat

The unit duration of the measure. The time signature of a measure is expressed in time signature.

39: Harmony

Musical tones of different heights sound at the same time, which is called harmony. The research objects of harmony are: the structure of chords, the continuity rules of chords, the functional attributes of chords in music, and harmony is an important part of composition techniques.

40: Chord

The structural unit of harmony. In the harmonic system of the diatonic scale, chords are formed by superimposing three consecutive tones on the scale. The superposition of three tones forms a triad, consisting of the three tones C, E, and G; it is a seventh chord, consisting of the four tones G, B, D, and F.

41: Altered chord (Chromaytic chord)

There are sounds that are not homologous in the component sounds of the chord, which is called an altered chord. Chord changes are often used as preparation for transposing.

42: [Monophony]

Music with a single melody. Symmetry of polyphonic and tonic music. That is, it does not come with any counterpoint parts, foil sentences, accompaniments, etc., only a simple melody line. Ancient music and most folk songs are monotonous music.

43: Polyphony

The symmetry of monotonic music and tonic music. Music composed of two or more parts that are independent and proceed simultaneously according to the laws of harmony. Its nature is basically the same as "counterpoint music".

44: Compound counterpoint

Any part of counterpoint music that can be shifted up and down is collectively called compound counterpoint. Complex counterpoint can be divided into double counterpoint, triple counterpoint, quadruple counterpoint, etc. according to the number of parts.

45: Sound range (compass)

The range of pitches produced by human voices or musical instruments is often expressed by its high and low tones. Various sound ranges have different sound quality in each part. This part is called a register, and in the case of human voices, it is called a register.

46: interval (intreval)

The pitch difference between two musical tones.

The interval is usually measured by the number of pitches between two tones of the diatonic scale (including the edge poles).

47: Pitch (pitch)

The absolute height of the musical sound on the scale. Such as C sound, D sound, etc. Physically, the pitch is determined by the vibration frequency of the sounding body. Psychologically, the pitch is also slightly affected by the loudness of the sound.

48: Tone (idiom)

The unique musical style of a certain era, nation, region, genre, and composer. For example, the tone of a folk song of a certain ethnic group or a certain country.

49: Scale

The sounds used in music are arranged in high and low order within the octave according to certain rules, which is called a scale. Every nation and region in the world has its own unique musical scale.

50: Bel Canto

One of the vocal performance styles. Popular in Italy in the 18th century. Singers pursue the beauty and naturalness of sound quality and the magnificence and brilliance of singing performance, but ignore the expression of word meaning and emotion. Composers famous for their use of bel canto include Bellini, Donizetti, Rossini and others. Their operas are often called "bel canto operas".

51: Orchestration

One of the components of composition. Refers to the coordination of various instruments in an instrumental ensemble. The main points of its content are the performance of various musical instruments, the timbre contrast and matching effects of various musical instruments, and the unified effect of the original sound of the music. In addition to being used in initial writing, orchestration is also often used to orchestrate ready-made music, such as adapting piano music, ensemble music, etc. into orchestral music.

52: mode

The basic tone sequence that forms the music. One of the sounds is the central sound, and the other sounds are dependent on the central sound. The center tone of the mode is called the "main tone". The mode is represented by the pitch of the main tuning, which is called "tonality". The composition of music without a certain tonal basis is called "atonality"; the composition based on two tones at the same time is called "multiple tonality".

53: Melody

The sounds of different pitches and durations are connected one after another to form a melody. The first element of melody is pitch and the second is rhythm. More primitive music shares a melody or even just a rhythm. Some modern music only seeks novel effects such as harmony and orchestration while ignoring melody.

54: The basic means of expression of music

The basic means of expression of music are:

(1). Melody, rhythm, beat and speed;

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(2). Key and harmony;

(3) Dynamics;

55: Classification of music

(1) Music According to the parts and the status of the parts, it can be divided into: monophonic music, polyphonic music, and main-key music.

56: Classification of music

(2) Music can be divided according to its nature: pure music, title music, light music, and jazz music.

57: Musical sound system

The sum of the sounds with fixed pitches used in music is called the musical sound system.

58: Key signature

If the change mark is used in the entire piece of music, so that every specified note in the piece of music will rise or fall, then this change will occur at this time. The notation is called the key signature.

59: Beat

Even alternation of strong and weak beats. There are many different combinations of beats, called "beats". The normal rhythm is based on a certain beat.

60: Melody

Also known as tune, it is The sound lines formed according to a certain relationship of height, length and strength are the most important means of shaping the music image and are the soul of music.