Need for Speed
Volume & Dynamics
Style & Expression
Structure & Embellishment
Scales & Meter
100

This term means "very slow."

What is "Adagio?" (also "Grave" or "Largo" or "Lento")

100

To start soft, then gradually increase volume, you would use this dynamic marking.

What is "Crescendo" (cresc.)?

100

This term means "sweetly."

What is "Dolce"?

100

A repeated chord progression or rhythmic figure, usually associated with Jazz

What is "Vamp"?

100

A scale consisting of only 5 notes.

What is a "Pentatonic Scale"?

200

This tempo marking means "gradually increase tempo."

What is "Accelerando" (accel.)?

200

"Very loud" is indicated by this dynamic.

What is "Fortissimo"?

200

This term means "song-like."

What is "Cantabile"?

200

An extra note added as an embellishment and not essential to the harmony or melody.

What is "Grace Note"?

200

This scale consists entirely of half steps.

What is a "Chromatic "Scale?

300

This term is a tempo slightly faster than andante but slower than moderato.

What is "Andantino"?

300

To play loudly, then immediately softly, you would see this marking.

What is "Forte-Piano"?

300

This style of jazz emphasizes the off-beat and became popular in the 1930s.

What is "Swing"?

300

This ornament consists of a rapid alternation between two adjacent notes.

What is "Trill"?

300

An accompanying melody playing against the principal melody.

What is "Countermelody"?

400

This tempo is slower than andante but not as slow as largo.

What is "Larghetto"?

400

This dynamic marking indicates "very quiet."

What is "Pianissimo" (pp)?

400

This term means "little by little."

What is "Poco a Poco"?

400

A linear succession of musical tones that the listener perceives as a single entity.

What is "Melody"?

400

This is the time signature of "alla breve".

What is 2/2 time (or cut time)?

500

This Italian term indicates a very fast tempo.

What is "Vivace"?

500

Both decrescendo and this term mean "gradually decrease volume."

What is "Diminuendo" (dim.)?

500

To play in a military-like, or march-like style

What is "Marziale"?

500

To change a melody's ascending intervals to descending ones and vice versa is called this.

What is "Melodic Inversion"?

500

A meter with an irregular pulse, often with a top number like 5, 7, or 11.

What is "Asymmetrical Meter"?