Pitch
What is pitch?
The highness or lowness of a sound
Q: What is tempo?
A: The speed of the music.
Q: What is structure in music?
A: How a piece of music is organised.
Q: What is texture?
A: The number and relationship of musical layers.
Q: What are dynamics?
A: The volume of music (loud or soft).
What is the difference between melody and harmony?
A: Melody is a single line of notes; harmony is supporting notes played/sung together.
Q: What is rhythm?
A: The pattern of long and short sounds.
Q: What is binary form?
A: A two-section structure (AB).
Q: What is tone colour (timbre)?
A: The quality or character of a sound.
Q: What is a crescendo?
A: Gradually getting louder.
Q: What is an interval?
A: The distance between two pitches.
Q: What is a time signature?
A: It tells how many beats are in each bar and what note value gets the beat.
Q: What is ternary form?
A: A three-part structure (ABA).
Q: What is the difference between monophonic and polyphonic texture?
A: Monophonic = one line; polyphonic = multiple independent lines.
Q: What is articulation?
A: How notes are played (e.g. staccato, legato).
What is tonality?
A: The system of music based around a key centre (e.g. major or minor).
Q: What is syncopation?
A: Accenting off-beats or weak beats.
Q: What is a motif?
A: A short musical idea that is developed throughout a piece.
Q: How does instrumentation affect tone colour?
A: Different instruments produce different sound qualities, changing the character of the music.
Q: What is rubato?
A: Flexible tempo used expressively.
How can dissonance and consonance be used expressively?
A: Dissonance creates tension/instability; consonance creates resolution/stability.
Q: How can rhythmic contrast be used to create interest?
A: By varying note lengths, patterns, and accents to avoid repetition and build complexity.
Q: How does repetition and contrast shape structure?
A: Repetition creates familiarity; contrast creates interest and development.
Q: How can composers manipulate texture and tone colour to create contrast?
A: By changing layers, instrumentation, and combinations of sounds to shift mood and intensity.
Q: How do dynamics and expressive techniques shape musical meaning?
A: They influence mood, tension, and emotional impact.