Basic Elements of Music Theory
what is music
These two properties of a sound wave determine volume and pitch.
What are amplitude and frequency
The pattern of intervals in a major scale follows this sequence.
What is whole–whole–half–whole–whole–whole–half?
This city is described as “The Cradle of Jazz.”
What is New Orleans
James P. Johnson’s “The Charleston” came from this Broadway show.
What is Runnin’ Wild?
The distance between two adjacent keys on the piano is called what?
What is a half step (or semitone)
According to Sachs and Hornbostel, violins and guitars belong to this instrument category.
what are chordophones
The interval spanning four half steps from C to E is called this.
What is a major third
The blues singer known as “The Empress of the Blues” recorded “Lost Your Head Blues.”
Who is Bessie Smith
This 1925 musical featured the song “Tea for Two.”
What is No, No, Nanette?
In a major scale, this scale degree is known as the “resting tone.”
what is the tonic
Instruments such as flutes and trumpets are classified as this type because they feature a vibrating column of air.
What are aerophones
These two scales share the same pitches but have different tonics.
Joe “King” Oliver recorded this 1923 blues piece featured as Listening Companion 2.
What is “Dippermouth Blues”?
This landmark musical included “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man.”
What is the Show Boat
this tuning system divides the octave into twelve equal parts and became dominant after about 1750.
what is equal temperament
this early electronic instrument is played by disturbing electrical fields with the hands.
what is the theremin
This minor scale raises both the sixth and seventh scale degrees ascending but lowers them descending.
What is the melodic minor scale
This jazz substyle, foreshadowed in early recordings, came to dominate the U.S. by the late 1930s.
This composer wrote Rhapsody in Blue, performed at Carnegie Hall and featured as Listening Companion 11.
Who is George Gershwin?
In the key of C major, this pitch functions as the dominant and acts as a secondary gravitational center.
What is G
This French term describes early tape-based electronic music involving looping and splicing.
What is musique concrète?
A melody that moves mostly by steps rather than leaps is described with this term.
What is conjunct
After the closing of Storyville, many musicians relocated to this city where jazz thrived.
What is Chicago
This French composer incorporated jazz into ballet with La création du monde (1922–23).
Who is Darius Milhaud?