Y11 Revision pack
GLOSSARY (classical strand)
Genre: a category of music
Concerto – a piece for solo instrument and orchestra in 3 movements (fastslow-fast)
Concerto grosso – an orchestral piece in 3 movements (fast-slow-fast)
where the main orchestra (ripieno) divides from the group of soloists
(concertino)
Orchestral Suite – a collection of short pieces, mostly dances.
Sonata - a work for solo instrument and piano, usually in 3 or 4
movements.
Opera – a staged drama, similar to a musical, but sung in a classical style
with lots of vibrato and accompanied by an orchestra.
Leider - a Romantic era song for solo voice & piano, where a German poem
is set to dramatic music. Often set in song cycles.
Style: music with similar features, usually from the same era
Baroque – 1600-1750 ornate melody lines, contrapuntal textures. P – f
terraced dynamics.
Classical – 1750 – 1810 elegant triadic melodies, simple harmonies,
regular phrasing & cadences, homophonic textures. Crescendo &
diminuendo. Related key modulations
Romantic – 1810 – 1900 dramatic, emotional music with chromatic
melodies, complex harmonies, lots of unexpected key changes, wide
range of dynamics, pitch, texture etc.
Other Important key words
Cadenza – an unaccompanied, virtuosic passage played by the soloist
Vibrato - the wobbly sound made by opera singers – think of the word
vibrate
Falsetto – a man singing in a high pitch (sounds like a girl!)
A cappella - unaccompanied voices
Word painting - the music illustrates what the lyrics say
Strophic - music is repeated for each verse
Through composed is different music for verses
Syllabic - one note per syllable
Melisma - 2 + notes per syllable, used to decorate important words
Sonata form –a form used in a movement of a symphony, sonata or
concerto, consisting of 3 main sections. Exposition of 1st & 2nd subject,
development, recapitulation.
Rubato – ‘robbed time’, emotion is added by speeding up and slowing down
within a bar/phrase
Ostinato – repeated pattern
Ornament – a trill/turn/mordent/acciaccatura – a short, decorative,
‘twiddly bit’
GLOSSARY (pop)
Genre: a category of music
Pop – popular music – any NON CLASSICAL – often ‘not taught’ or ‘not
written down’. Includes Jazz, Blues, Reggae, Country, Rock, Disco, Punk,
Drum ‘n’ Bass, Heavy Metal and many many more….
Syncopation – off beat rhythm
Riff/Loop – a repeated pattern (ostinato) often in the bass
Blue note – a flattened 3rd/5th/7th which clashes with the chord to give
dissonance.
7th chord- a normal chord (CEG) with an extra note (Bflat) – the most
common, simplest chromatically altered chord – sounds more interesting.
melody & accompaniment texture – the main tune is clear (usually vocals),
other instruments provide backing
Strong pulse –a clear steady beat to tap your foot to. Can come from the
drums or any other instrument!
Backbeat - accent on beat 2 & 4, used in reggae and some other pop
styles.
Verse-chorus form – the usual structure in pop. Repeated sections (verse
changes lyrics, chorus is exactly the same music & lyrics). Doesn’t tell you
how many choruses or which other sections to expect –bridge, middle 8,
intro/outro etc.
intro (often instrumental)- the beginning music
bridge (contrasting section) - can be a one off in the middle or a link from
verse to chorus OR the B section in an AABA verse.
outro (ending) – often similar to the intro
Reverb – the effect added especially to guitars to make the sound fuller.
Upbeat/pick up/anacrusis – a phrase which starts on another beat EXCEPT
beat 1.
Phrase- a musical sentence
Lick – a short decorative bit which comes after the main phrase.
Power chord – a bare 5th or open 5th chord often used in Rock, which misses
out the middle note (3rd) of the chord (eg C chord should have CEG but a C
power chord is just CG)
Cadenza – an unaccompanied, virtuosic passage played by the soloist
Vibrato - the wobbly sound made by opera singers – think of the word
vibrate
Falsetto – a man singing in a high pitch to sound like a girl
A cappella - unaccompanied voices
Syllabic - one note per syllable
Melisma - 2 + notes per syllable, used to decorate important words
GLOSSARY (World music)
Syncopation – off beat rhythms
Ostinato/ cycle- repeated pattern (loop/riff)
Improvised- made up during performance
A cappella - unaccompanied voices
Call & Response- a phrase is followed by another from a different
instrument/voice – like a conversation/argument (antiphonal texture)
Raga- Indian scale or a melody based on it
Drone- harmony consisting of a long or repeated note
Tala- Indian name for a rhythmic pattern
Tintal- a common Indian Tala
Glissando- a slide up/down
Vadi- Indian most important note – King note
Samvadi- Indian 2nd most important note – Queen note
Alap- 1st section of a Raga - Indian introduction – no clear pulse
Gat- 2nd Section of a Raga - more rhythmic
Jhala- 3rd section of a Raga – faster, decorated
Chaal- syncopated rhythm used as the base for Bhangra (like a swung
rhythm in Jazz)
Vibrato - the wobbly sound made by opera singers – think of the word
vibrate
Falsetto – a man singing in a high pitch to sound like a girl
Melisma - 2 + notes per syllable, used to decorate important words
Backbeat - accent on beat 2 & 4
Polyrhythmic – 2 or more rhythms played at the same time
Cross-rhythms – polyrhythms that don’t fit easily together (eg triplets vs
quavers)
GCSE listening AOS Vocabulary
Dr Smith
D
Dynamics
R
Rhythm (& Metre)
S
Structure (& Form)
M
Melody
I
Instruments (Timbre)
T
Texture
H
Harmony (& Tonality)
Dynamics
Double = veryissimo !
What is f loud
What is ff very loud
What is p quiet
What is pp very quiet
ff = fortissimo very loud
pp = pianissimo very quiet
Moderately/Medium – m Mezzo
Eg mezzo forte = mf moderately loud
Mp= moderately quiet
Gradual changes in Dynamics
crescendo (cresc.)
‘Hairpins’ – change gradually louder or quieter.
Think of a mouth – will more sound
come out from it wide or closed?
diminuendo (dim.)
Metre
A bar is a measure of distance in music.
A bar has a number of beats in it
Time signature (metre) tells you how many
Top number tells you how many to count
(4 is most Common)
Bottom number tells you what sort of beats
(4=crotchets the most Common)
4/4 is also known as Common-time C
4/4 is normal pop, lots of classical
3/4 is waltz-time, lots of other dances
6/8 is a jig
4 at the bottom = simple time (the beat divides into 2)
8 at the bottom =compound time (the beat divides into 3) eg 6/8, 9/8, 12/8
Duple (2)
Triple (3)
Quadruple (4)
Simple triple = 3/4
Compound duple= 6/8
Rhythm
Regular pulse – steady, even beat
Syncopation – off beat rhythm
Poly-rhythm – many rhythm simultaneously
Cross-rhythms – poly rhythms that don’t fit
Augmentation – double the length
Diminution – halve the length
Crotchet (1 beat)
Quaver (1/2 beat)
Semi-quaver (1/4 beat)
Minim (2 beats)
Semibreve (4 beats)
Dotted – adds half the value of the note
Eg
Dotted Crotchet (1 1/2 beats)
Dotted minim (3 beats)
Triplet – a beat divides into 3 even notes
Accent – emphasis, louder. Usually on first beat of bar, 1 & 3 in 4/4
This accent on beat 1 helps you find beat 1, and so find the metre – just keep counting till you get to
the next accent (1 again)!
Irregular – there are some time signatures (metres) which have odd numbers, irregular beats eg 5/4 or
7/8
Structure (& Form)
Sections given letters – look out for repetition!
AB – 2 sections – Binary (prefix Bi means 2 –think of other bi words you know…)
ABA – 3 sections – ternary
ABACADA – Rondo form is contrasts layered with the repeated A section
Call & Response = a musical conversation (antiphonal)
Pop music – intro, verse, chorus, bridge, middle 8, outro
Verse-chorus form is any adaptation of this!
Songs are either strophic or through composed
Strophic = repeated music for each verse (verse-chorus form)
Through composed = different music for each verse
Melody
Step
Leap
Repetition
Up (ascending)
Down (descending)
Intervals (2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th,
8ve = octave)
Triadic
Scalic
Chromatic
Diatonic
Passing note
Ornaments:
Acciaccatura
Appoggiatura
Turn
Mordent (upper & lower)
Trill
Timbre
Instrument names & Families:
Woodwind (piccolo, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, cor anglais, bass clarinet)
Brass (trumpet, french horn, trombone, tuba)(cornet, flugelhorn, euphonium, bass)
Strings (violin, viola, cello, double bass) (guitar, bass guitar, banjo, sitar) (piano, harpsichord)
Percussion (drums, maracas, cowbell, cymbal, xylophone, tubular bells, metallophone etc)
Timbre - Ensemble names
Orchestra
String quartet (violin x 2, viola, cello)
Wind band (brass & woodwind)
Brass band
Rock band
Vocal – a cappella (unaccompanied)
Timbre - Performance techniques
Con sordini (with mutes – brass, strings)
Pizzicato (plucked – strings)
Con arco (with bow – strings)
Glissando (slide – trombone)
(electric guitar effects)
Texture
Melody & accompaniment (homophonic)
Polyphonic
Contrapuntal (counterpoint)
Antiphonal (call & response)
Unison
Doubled (at 3rd, 6th, 8ve)
Monophonic (single melody line)
Layered
Canonic
Imitation
Sequence
Tonality
Tonal – has a key
Atonal – no key
Major – sounds ‘normal’ or ‘happy’
Minor – sounds ‘sad’ or mysterious
Modal – medieval, ethnic or celtic sounding
Modulates – changes key
Closest related keys (relative major/minor, dominant (V) subdominant (IV)
Pentatonic – based on 5 notes (eg Blues)
Harmony
Chords
Broken chords (arpeggio, alberti bass etc)
Chord progression (patterns) eg 12 bar blues
Cadences (perfect, imperfect, plagal, interrupted)
Pedal notes
Ostinato/riff
Chromatic (7th chords, E9 etc)
POP STRAND
BLUES
top 5 features
Call & response phrasing
Flattened ‘Blue notes’
Syncopated
12 bar blues structure (3 x 4bar phrases)
12 bar blues chord progression
I
I
I
I
IV
IV
I
I
V
IV
I
I
AOS 1 rhythm & metre
4/4
Syncopation
swung rhythm
triplets
Free
AOS 2 Harmony & Tonality
12 bar blues chord progression
I I I I IV IV I I V IV I I
Tonal - Major or minor
Blue notes
V7
AOS3 Texture & Melody
Melody & Accompaniment (homophonic)
improvised
4 Bar phrases
Repetitive
blues scale
AOS 4 Timbre (& dynamics)
Voice, banjo, guitar, piano, double bass, harmonica
drum kit, saxophone, trumpet, trombone
rough, raucous timbres
Blues AOS 5 Structure (& Form)
12 bar blues (verse)
instrumental solo
AAB
licks
call & response
riffs
1960s pop
1960s pop was influenced by Rock ‘n’ Roll of the 50’s which was influenced by Blues!
1960s pop was quite different in USA and Britain:
British bands ●Beatles ●Rolling Stones ●The Who
America – Soul (black music! – label Motown)
Late 1960s pop – psychedelic rock – influenced by new technologies
AOS 1 rhythm & metre
4/4
Strong pulse
Syncopation
Backbeats (2 & 4)
AOS 2 Harmony & Tonality
Tonal
diatonic
7th
AOS 3 Texture
melody & accompaniment
rhythmic backing
bass line
chords
solos, countermelodies
AOS 3 Melody
catchy
Repetitive
4 bar phrases
AOS 4 Timbre & dynamics
Voice, backing singers (bvox), guitar, bass, drum kit, horn section, Hammond organ
late 60s effects distortion, chorus, reverb
Compression
AOS 5 structure & form
•Verse-chorus form
Intro, verse, chorus, Bridge, Outro
Motown
Horn section
Warm sound
Catchy vocals,
soul style ornamentation, melisma
Trumpets licks
60s British pop band eg The Who
Male vocals
Blue notes
Call & response
Virtuoso drum solos
Backbeats
Rock
AOS 1 Rhythm & Metre
4/4 heavy emphasis on ALL 4 beats
Driving rhythm
AOS 2 Harmony & Tonality
chords I, V, IV (primary chords)
Power chords
dissonance in metal (eg tritones)
AOS 3 Melody
Catchy, repetitive
virtuosic runs, pitch bends, tapping
repetitive, narrow range (Status Quo) virtuosic (Queen)
AOS 3 Texture
Melody & accompaniment
counter melodies, solos, chords
bass line
AOS 4 Timbre & dynamics
Aggressive
effects inc distortion
rough/gruff male vocals
Very loud (ff)
AOS 5 structure & form
Verse-chorus form
solo, bridge
R ‘n’ B
AOS 1 Rhythm & Metre
4/4, Relaxed tempo
sequencer tight rhythmic backing
Syncopated
AOS 2 Harmony & Tonality
Tonal
diatonic
Overdubbed
AOS 3 Texture & melody
simple & catchy
ornaments & melismas
melody & accompaniment (homophonic)
AOS 4 Timbre & dynamics
Soul, smooth, female vocals
rap is added
backing synthesised, sampled
Overdubbed vocals
Drum machine
AOS 5 Structure & Form
verse-chorus
Hip hop
AOS 1 Rhythm & metre
4/4 quick, syncopated,
cross rhythms
Repetitive, complicated layered
Breakbeat rhythms
AOS 2 Harmony & tonality
Tonal
Little harmony
Repetitive – some only 1 chord!
looped chords
AOS 3 Texture & Melody
repetitive
layers of loops
drop outs
riffs
AOS 4 Timbre & dynamics
synthesised loops & samples, effects rap usually male voice
samples or sung chorus (female)
Bvox
Scratching
AOS 5 Structure & Form
Verse-chorus form
OR layers (collage)
Musical theatre
AOS 1 Rhythm & Metre
4/4, 3/4, 6/8
Syncopation
Rubato
AOS 2 Harmony & Tonality
diatonic
chromatic chords
Key changes tone for last chorus
Modulations
AOS 3 Texture & Melody
Repetition
Catchy
Melody & accompaniment
Orchestra
Counter melodies, polyphonic
AOS 4 Timbre & Dynamics
Style Jazz, Classical, Rock
Orchestra/band
Vocal timbres ‘theatrical’
Accents
Wide variety of dynamics
AOS 5 Structure & Form
32 bar song form (AABA)
through composed
extended song and dialogue
Film Music
Create every type of emotion
individual to the story, characters etc
chromatic or diatonic
Huge range of dynamics, pitch, instruments
computer effects
Ostinato
Glissando
Pedal notes
Dissonance – cluster chords, tritones, semitones
Character cues
GENERAL POP MUSIC top 5
4/4 METRE WITH SYNCOPATION
CATCHY, REPETITIVE MELODIES
TONAL, SIMPLE HARMONIES
MELODY & ACCOMPANIMENT
VERSE-CHORUS FORM
WORLD STRAND
African Music
AOS 1 Rhythm & Metre
Repetitive patterns (cycles)
Syncopation
Complex rhythms
Polyrhythms
Lively tempo
Strong rhythmic drive
Ostinatos
Cross rhythms
AOS 2 Harmony & Tonality
Modal for instrumental
Major for vocal
Modulation is very rare
Simple repeated harmonies
A few primary chords
Kora – lydian mode
Mbira - Mixolydian mode
AOS 3 Melody & Texture
Melodies repetitive, short patterns
Sound improvised
Pentatonic (5) or hexatonic (6)
Texture – call & response (soloist, group)
Melody & accompaniment
OR instrumental polyphonic
AOS 5 Structure & Form
Instrumentals based on ostinato
Songs often verse-chorus structure
Often improvised section before main melody
North African Features Arabic flavour
modal tonality
narrow range
ornaments
melismas
Timbres
Zurna (nasal sound - oboe)
Oud (lute)
Doumbek (drum)
Rai – Algerian pop
African, Arabic & European influences
African – drums & untuned percussion
Arabic vocals - narrow range, melismas & ornaments
European – bass guitar & drum kit
West African features
Kora (21 string harp/lute)
Balafon (large xylophone)
Mbira (thumb piano – metal keys)
Djembe, Dun-Dun, Donno (drums)
East & West Africa
Traditional call & response songs
Complex layered percussion
Pop music (European elements)
South Africa
African music influenced by Christian missionaries – gospel music
A cappella songs (voices only)
Eg Zulu style Ladysmith Black Mambazo (beans advert!)
Soloist & chorus call & response, simple harmonies, repetitive melody
African timbres
Kuge – cowbell
Shekere – shaker
Indian Raga
Sitar
Tambura (Tanpura)
Tabla (drum)
Sarod (fretless sitar – glissando)
Sarangi (violin)
Bansuri (bamboo flute)
Sitar plays the Raga (melody)
Tambura plays the Drone (harmony)
Tabla plays the Tala (rhythm)
AOS 1 Rhythm & Metre
Based on cycle of beats called a Tala
Tintal is most common (16 beats)
Lots of other traditional talas
Tabla player improvises rhythms around tala, getting more complex
AOS 2 Harmony & Tonality
Tonality sounds strange, modal
Harmony is just a drone – using 1 or 2 most important notes from the raga
AOS 3 Melody & Texture
Melody first explores the raga notes, improvising, rhythmically free
Melody gets more complex – ornaments, pitch bends, glissando, rapid scales
Sitar imitates tabla – call & response
AOS 4 Timbre & dynamics
Shimmery timbre created by sitar
Waily, nasal voices
Pitch bends and mind (glissando)
Drone is like bagpipes!
Louder in gat/jhalla
AOS 5 structure & form
3 main sections:
Alap (introduction)
Gat (tabla starts)
Jhalla (faster, more rhythmic)
A rag is a scale.
Each has a different mood/purpose
Pieces just use notes from one Rag
Rag (scales) have different notes
going up and down.
Bhangra
Originally folk music from Punjab Harvest celebration
dhol (double headed drum)
Modern Bhangra – traditional Indian melody & rhythms, Western instruments
Chaal - repetitive swung quaver rhythm.
Melodies feature interval minor 3rd
Western styles- hip-hop, disco, rap
pop instruments- e guitar, bass, synth
Technology – Samples, Remixes, Drum machines
Scratching
Used for Dancing, Celebrating, Clubs
Caribbean music
Ska, Reggae, Rock steady, Punta, Soca, Calypso, Son, Merengue, Salsa
English or Spanish language
Syncopated
Repetitive
Major keys
Simple diatonic harmonies
Call & Response
Parallel movement
laid back feel or
up tempo for dancing
Latin American Instruments
Claves
Conga
Bongos
Cabassa
Guiro
Tambourin
Agogo
Guitar – Spanish guitar
Cuban guitar called tres (used in son)
Trumpet, violin, piano
Steel pans
Calypso
From Trinidad, for Carnival
Origins in African culture (slaves)
Funny lyrics mocking local politics
Major tonality
simple diatonic harmony
2/4 or 4/4 metre
Syncopated bass with octave leaps
Syncopated melody
Repetitive melody, narrow range
Simple verse-chorus structure
Brass instruments (parallel 3rds)
Often played on steel pans
Son – from Cuba
Popular in 20s-40s, before Salsa
Structure – AB slow-fast
Latin-American percussion
4/4 metre
parallel 3rds in trumpets
Slow harmonic rhythm
Repetitive bass riff
Call & response (solo-group)
Improvised solos (jazz)
Buena Vista Social Club famous band
Merengue Dominican Republic
for DANCING
Fast tempo
Syncopation
2/4 metre
Call & response (solo/group)
Latin American percussion
Trumpets in parallel 3rds
Salsa – Latin American & Jazz
‘Son’ – rhythm claves, 2/3 or 3/2
Dances have different rhythms – rumba
Jazz influence- rhythm section =piano, guitar, bass, drum kit, front line = sax, trumpet
Vocals – soneros (1 or 2 leads)
choro (chorus)
Jazz chords – added 7ths, 9ths
Riffs, walking bass, comping
sonero leads call & response
Maracas, bongos add syncopated or cross-rhythms
Chords (harmony) I,V, IV
Close harmony singing- 3rds, 6ths
•Traditional Son band (from Cuba) is a sexteto (guitar, string bass, bongos, maracas, claves & tres –
like a guitar)
•Modern salsa band (big band influences):
•Horns (2 trumpets/saxophones)
•Vocals – 1 or 2 soneros & choro
•Rhythm section – piano, guitar, bass, congas, bongos, maracas, guiro, timbales
Salsa Structure
Verse – main tune (sonero or instrument)
Montuno – chorus with call & response between sonero & choro
Mambo – bridge often played by horn section, different melody or harmony.
Intro, ending, rhythm section ‘break’
Latin Instruments
bongos, maracas, congas, claves, agogo, guiro, Spanish guitar