Glossary

Used after tempo alterations, such as ritardando or accelerando. Indicates a return to the original tempo.

A stress or emphasis on a note.

As a "C" clef, the baritone clef shows that C₄ is the middle line of the staff by centering on it.

The lowest part (or "voice") of a composition.

A common embellishment of the cadential V chord, in which the fifth of the V chord (re, 2̂) is replaced with the sixth (mi/me, 3̂) and the third (ti, 7̂) is replaced with the fourth (do, 1̂). The sixth and fourth form a 6/4 chord, hence its label. The cadential 6/4 resembles a I6/4 in its pitch content.

Literally meaning “fixed voice," this is a pre-existing melodic line that serves as the basis for a new counterpoint exercise or other composition.

A system of naming chords that specifies the note name of the root, chord quality, and any alterations.

Some basic symbols are given below as a quick reference.

chord quality chord symbol (for a chord with a root of C)
major triad C
minor triad Cmi, Cm, C-
diminished triad Co, Cdim
augmented triad C+, Caug
dominant seventh chord C7
major seventh chord Cma7, C∆7, Cmaj7
minor seventh chord Cmi7, C-7, Cm7
half-diminished seventh chord Cø7, Cm7♭5, C-7♭5
diminished seventh chord Co7

A symbol placed on the left side of a staff that indicates which notes are assigned to different lines and spaces.

When two voices move melodically in opposite directions—that is, one voice moves up and the other moves down.

A general term for music that involves multiple simultaneous and independent melodic lines. The term comes from the idea that each note (point) has another note against (counter to) it. This term can also refer specifically to a musical line added to a cantus firmus.

Da capo el Coda means to go back to the beginning of the work, play or sing to the "to Coda" sign, then jump to the coda.

Da capo al fine means to go back to the beginning of the work and play or sing until the Fine.

Dal segno al coda means to go back to the sign, play or sing to the "to coda" sign, then go to the coda.

Dal segno al fine means to go back to the sign and play or sing to the Fine.

Another name for a fully diminished seventh chord, a seventh chord with a diminished triad and a diminished seventh.

Similar motion into a fifth or octave. Also called hidden fifths or octaves.

Increases a note or rest value by half.

As a "G" clef, the double treble clef designates the second-lowest line of a staff as G₃ by curling around it.

A meter with two beats per measure.

A relationship between notes, intervals, or chords that sound the same but are spelled differently.

Arabic numerals and symbols that indicate intervals above a bass note. These are realized into chords and non-chord tones by musicians.

Arabic numerals and symbols that indicate intervals above a bass note. These are realized into chords and non-chord tones by musicians.

tertian (chords that can be stacked in thirds) harmony with the third of the chord in the bass.

Acoustically, how often a sound wave repeats; the pitch of a sound.

A seventh chord whose triad is diminished and whose seventh is diminished.

One-twelfth of an octave; generally considered to be the smallest interval in Western musical notation.

Thirds or sixths with major or minor quality.

A term that indicates the exact number of half steps between two pitches in an interval (compare with interval size, which indicates only the number of letters between two pitches). Common interval qualities are major, minor, perfect, augmented, and diminished.

Changing the bass note of a harmony so that, for example, the third is in the bass instead of the root.

a leap is an interval greater than a third.

A seventh chord with a major triad and a major seventh.

A seventh chord with a major triad and a major seventh. Also known as a major seventh chord.

A seventh chord with a major triad and a minor seventh. Also known as a dominant seventh chord.

As a "C" clef, the mezzo-soprano clef shows that C₄ is the middle line of the staff by centering on it.

A seventh chord with a minor triad and a minor seventh. Also known as a minor seventh chord.

A five-note species counterpoint embellishment that may occur in one of two different forms:

1) Down by step, down by third, up by step, up by step
2) Up by step, up by third, down by step, down by step

When one voice moves melodically while another voice remains on the same pitch.

As a "G" clef, the octave treble clef designates the second-lowest line of a staff as G by curling around it. An octave treble clef sounds one octave below or above a treble clef. This is designated with an "8" below or above the treble clef.

Notes of a chord are spaced out beyond their closest possible position.

When two voices move melodically in the same direction and by the same interval—for example, both voices move upward by a melodic second. (Note: the quality of the interval may vary, and it still counts as parallel motion.) By definition, two voices moving in parallel motion will also maintain the same harmonic interval between them.

Perfect octaves (twelve semitones), perfect unisons (zero semitones), and perfect fifths (seven semitones). Perfect fourths (five semitones) are sometimes considered a perfect consonance, sometimes a dissonance; this depends on the context.

A discrete tone with an individual frequency.

A term that summarizes the quality of the third, fifth, and seventh (if applicable) above the root of the chord. Common chord qualities are major, minor, diminished, half-diminished, dominant, and augmented.

The span of notes a voice or instrument can produce.

The process of turning figured bass symbols into chords.

Symbols (𝄆 and 𝄇) indicating that a section of music is repeated.

Labeling chords with Roman numerals (and sometimes figured bass figures).

Numerals I, II, III, IV, V, VI, and VII for 1–7, respectively. In the analysis of harmony, Roman numerals represent triads built on the corresponding scale degree (for example, a V chord is a triad built on 5̂).

tertian (chords that can be stacked in thirds) harmony with the fifth of the chord in the bass.

A methodology for analyzing pitch in atonal music. Pitch classes are given an integer name (0–11, where C is 0, C♯ is 1, etc.). Groups of pitches are considered together as "sets." Sets may be related by inversion or transposition.

Refers to the seventh above the root of a chord. For example, V⁷ in the key of C is spelled G-B-D-F; F is the chordal seventh.

A triad with an additional third above the fifth, creating a seventh between that top note and the bass and totaling four notes.

When two voices move melodically in the same direction (either upward or downward).

A meter that divides the beat into two parts.

A meter with three beats, each of which divides into two. The top number of a simple triple meter will always be "3". 3/4 is the most common compound triple meter.

As a "C" clef, the soprano clef shows that C₄ is the middle line of the staff by centering on it.

An acoustic wave (energy vibration) that is perceived as sound.

The intervals between voices. For chords in strict SATB style, there should be no more than an octave between upper voices (soprano and alto, alto and tenor), and no more than a twelfth between the tenor and bass.

A traditional approach to composition pedagogy focused on counterpoint as a way of learning to think of music horizontally (melodically) and vertically (harmonically) simultaneously. Consists of five “species,” each of which focuses on a single compositional element.

notes that don't move

Vertical lines that originate at the notehead, used to indicate rhythm and voicing.

Occurs when a potential cadence point is declined by the material that follows it. A common strategy is for a composer to write music that proposes a cadence, but then to "back up" in the phrase and try the cadence again. See also the "one-more-time" technique in the chapter on phrase expansion.

As a "C" clef, the tenor clef shows that the second-highest line of the staff is C₄ by centering on that line.

A type of articulation marking used to indicate smooth, connected playing, indicated by small horizontal lines above or below the notes.

tertian (chords that can be stacked in thirds) harmony with the seventh of the chord in the bass.

An augmented fourth or diminished fifth. The name reflects that the two notes of a tritone are three (tri-) whole steps (tones) apart.

The distance between two peaks of a sound wave.