Music Glossary
Chapter navigation:
- Introduction
- Music Assessment Opportunities
- Music Glossary
- Listening and Responding to Music
- Listening Log
There is a music glossary for teachers on the Ministry of Education website Arts Online
Music glossary
Musical Elements
Beat (The steady pulse)
Rhythm (Long and short sound patterns)
Dynamics (Loud/soft),
Pitch (high/low),
Tempo (fast/slow)
Tone colour / timbre (quality of sound),
Structural Devices
Texture - layering of sounds. Thin - one voice or instrument. Thick - several layers of sounds.
Motif - a brief identifiable musical idea that may be repeated or developed throughout a work
Ostinato - repeated accompaniment pattern
Chord - 2 or more notes sounding together
Sequence - repetition of a musical phrase at a higher or lower pitch
Variation - a recurring musical idea which is developed by altering one or more of its musical elements e.g. rhythm, pitch, tone colour, tempo
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