St Benedict’s High School
Understanding Music
NATIONAL 5
Revision Booklet
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Contents:
Page
1
National 5 Concept Dictionary
2
Concept Groupings:
2
 Tempos & Dynamics
5
 Instruments & How they are played
6
 Styles & Ensembles
7
 Scottish & Vocal
8
 Tonality, Structure, Texture, Periods,
Effects, Scales & Word Setting
9
3
Literacy
10
4
National 3 & 4 Concepts
12
5
Exam Paper Layout & Questions
14
1. NATIONAL 5 CONCEPT DICTIONARY
Category Concept
Atonal
Melody /
Harmony
Chord Progression
Chords
Chromatic
Cluster
Contrary Motion
Countermelody
Descant
Flat
Glissando
Grace Note
Imperfect Cadence
Inverted Pedal
Key signatures
Melismatic
Modulation
Natural
Perfect Cadence
Pitch bend
Semitone
Sharp
Syllabic
Tone
Trill
Whole tone scale
Definition
Music which has no feeling of key, major or minor. It is very dissonant and
lacks a ‘nice’ melody and accompaniment.
(I, IV, V, VI) A series of related chords. At N5 level, these chords are built on
the 1st, 4th, 5th and 6th notes of a major or minor scale.
C Major (CEG), G Major (GBD), F Major (FAC) & A Minor (ACE)
Notes which ascend or descend consecutively in intervals of semitones.
A group of notes which clash when played together.
Two parts which move in opposite directions, e.g. as one part ascends the
other descends.
A second melody played alongside the main melody, with the two of them
fitting together with different tunes.
A countermelody which accompanies and is sung above the main melody,
often during hymns.
An accidental which lowers the note by a semitone e.g. A to Ab.
Sliding from one note to another, taking in all the notes in between, where
possible.
A type of ornament, played as a quick, crushed note before the main note of
a melody.
Two chords at the end of a phrase, the last being chord V (the dominant),
making it sound unfinished.
A note which is held on or repeated continuously at a high pitch, while other
music goes on underneath.
C Major & A Minor (no #/b), G Major (1 - f#), F Major (1 – Bb)
A type of ‘word setting’ where several notes sung to one syllable.
When the music changes key.
An accidental which removes any other accidental by raising or lowering a
note by a semitone e.g. F# lowers a semitone to F natural, Gb raises a
semitone to G natural.
Two chords at the end of a phrase, specifically the dominant to tonic chords
(chord V – chord I), making the phrase sound finished.
Changing the pitch of a note slightly, e.g. by plucking a string on a guitar then
pulling the pressed fretboard string downwards or upwards.
A distance of half a tone, e.g. B to Bb or F to G on a keyboard, or from one fret
to the next on guitar.
An accidental which raises the note by a semitone e.g. C to C#.
A type of ‘word setting’ in vocal music where each syllable is given one note
only.
A distance of two semitones between two notes, e.g. from B to A or F to F# on
a keyboard, or two frets on a guitar.
Moving quickly and repeatedly between two notes which are a step apart.
A scale built entirely on whole tones. It uses no semitones, e.g. C, D, E, F#, G#,
A# (Bb), C.
Category Concept
st
Rhythm /
Tempo
nd
1 & 2 time bars
Compound time
Cross rhythms
Dotted crotchet
Dotted quaver
Dotted rhythms
Moderato
Ritardando
Rubato
Scotch Snap
Category Concept
Alberti bass
Texture /
Structure
/ Form
Binary – AB
Coda
Contrapuntal
Episode
Ground bass
Homophonic
Polyphonic
Rondo – ABACA
Strophic
Walking bass
Category Concept
Aria
Styles
Bothy Ballad
Celtic Rock
Chorus
Classical
Gaelic Psalm
Gospel
Indian
Minimalist
Pibroch
Symphony
Waulking Song
Definition
Directions to the performer to repeat a phrase with an alternative ending.
The beat is divided into groups of three, e.g. 6/8, 9/8, 12/8.
Contrasting rhythms played at the same time or played with unusual
emphasis on notes.
A note lasting 1½ beats: .
A note lasting ¾ of a beat: .
A rhythm made up of dotted notes. For example, a scotch snap.
A medium tempo (speed).
The music slows down.
A rhythmic feature, known as ‘robbed time’. The tempo is flexible to allow the
music to speed up and slow down in order to provide more expression.
Romantic music often uses rubato.
A very short accented note before a longer note, e.g. semiquaver followed by
a dotted quaver.
Definition
Broken chords played on piano by the left hand, outlining harmonies, whilst
the right hand plays the melody.
A form in which the music is made up of two different sections, called A and B.
A passage at the end of a piece of music which effectively brings it to a finish.
Texture with two or more parts, each of which has an interesting and
independent melodic line. It is similar in meaning to polyphonic.
A passage of music linking two musical themes, such as in Rondo Form
Often used in the Baroque period, a theme in the bass which is repeated
many times, while the upper parts vary.
A texture where all the parts play or sing a similar rhythm at the same time.
Texture where two or more melodic lines, possibly of equal importance,
weave independently to each other.
A form in which the first section (A) keeps returning in between different
sections (B, C etc.)
A form in which a song has the same music in verses/choruses. Most songs
are in strophic form.
A bass line (low notes), often featured in a variety of jazz styles. It is regular in
rhythm and moves up and down a pattern of notes and is often played on a
double bass or bass guitar.
Definition
A solo song sung in an operatic style, in an opera, oratorio or cantata, with
orchestral accompaniment.
A folk song from North-East Scotland, sung with the local dialect and usually
with many verses (strophic).
A style of music that mixes Celtic folk with rock music.
Music sung by a group of singers or the refrain between verses of a song.
Music composed during the years 1750-1810 approximately; the era of
Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven.
Unaccompanied psalms (hymns) sung in Gaelic. One singer usually begins,
with the congregation joining in afterwards.
Songs written with religious lyrics, often in praise or thanksgiving to God.
Music from India which uses instruments such as the sitar and tabla.
A style created in the second half of the 20th century, based on simple
rhythmic and melodic figures which are constantly repeated with very slight
changes each time.
Music for solo bagpipes, in theme and variation form and with grace notes.
A large work for orchestra, usually in four movements.
A traditional rhythmic song, sung in Gaelic by the women in the Western Isles
of Scotland while they waulked woollen cloth to soften and shrink it.
Category Concept
Timbre /
Dynamics
A capella
Arco
Baritone
Con sordino
Flutter tonguing
Fortissimo (ff)
Mezzo Soprano
Pianissimo (pp)
Pizzicato
Reverb
Rolls
Sfortzando
(French) Horn
Bassoon
Bodhran
Bongo Drums
Castanets
Clarsach
Cymbals
Hi-hat
Oboe
Piccolo
Sitar
Tabla
Tuba
Viola
Definition
Unaccompanied singing.
Instruction given to string players to use a bow.
A male voice whose range lies between that of bass and tenor.
Muted – using a device to muffle and change the sound normally produced on
an instrument.
An effect created by rolling your ‘r’s’ whilst playing a brass or woodwind
instrument.
A dynamic volume instructing the performer to play very loudly.
A female singer whose voice range lies between that of a soprano and an alto.
A dynamic volume instructing the performer to play very quietly.
An instruction given to string players to pluck the strings instead of using the
bow. It is abbreviated as pizz.
An electronic effect which can give the impression of different hall acoustics.
Some electric guitar amplifiers include a reverb effect.
A very fast repetition of a note on a percussion instrument, e.g. on a snare
drum or timpani.
A dynamic volume instructing the performer to suddenly play very loudly.
A brass instrument which has four metres of curled metal tubing and a bellshaped opening for the sound to exit. To produce a sound, a player blows air
through the mouthpiece while vibrating their lips.
A low-sounding woodwind instrument which has a double reed.
An Irish wooden drum which is held in one hand and played with a wooden
beater.
A percussion instrument which has two fairly high-pitched drums joined in a
pair and usually played with the fingers and palms of the hands.
A wooden or plastic untuned percussion instrument, popular in Spanish
music.
A small Scottish harp, used in folk music. ‘Clarsach’ is Gaelic for ‘harp’.
Used as part of a drum kit, two cymbals (one upside-down) that can be hit
with a stick or brush and/or opened/closed with a foot pedal.
A woodwind instrument with a double reed. A sound is produced when air
vibrates between the two reeds.
A woodwind instrument which looks like a half-sized flute. It is played in the
same way and sounds an octave higher than a standard flute.
A plucked Indian guitar.
Indian drums, often used to accompany the sitar.
The largest sized and lowest sounding brass instrument. To produce a sound,
a player blows air through the mouthpiece while vibrating their lips.
A string instrument which looks very similar but is slightly bigger in size and
lower in pitch than the violin. It can be played with a bow or by plucking the
strings.
2. CONCEPT GROUPINGS
 TEMPOS – SPEEDS
Tempo
Meaning
Allegro
Fast
Moderato
Moderate tempo
Andante
Walking Pace
Adagio
Slow
Accelerando
Gradually getting faster
Rallentando /
Ritardando
Gradually getting slower
Rubato
Robbed or borrowed time – speeding up or slowing
down to suit the mood of the piece.
A tempo
To return to the original tempo.
 DYNAMICS – LOUDS & QUIETS
Dynamic
Italian
English meaning
pp
Pianissimo
Very quiet
p
Piano
Quiet
mp
Mezzo-piano
Moderately quiet
mf
Mezzo-forte
Moderately loud
f
Forte
Loudly
ff
Fortissimo
Very loudly
cresc.
Crescendo
Gradually getting louder
dim.
Diminuendo
Gradually getting softer
sfz.
Sforzando
Suddenly getting loud
 INSTRUMENTS & HOW THEY ARE PLAYED
Instruments
Playing Technique
Strings
Violin
Viola
Cello
Double Bass
Acoustic Guitar
Electric Guitar
Bass Guitar
Harp
Arco – Bowed
Pizzicato – Plucked
Strumming – Drawing fingers or a
plectrum across the strings
Clarinet
Bassoon
Saxophone
Recorder
Blown - Air is blown through
instrument to produce sound
Flutter Tonguing - Rolling an ‘R’ while
blowing a note.
Trombone
Tuba
Con Sordino - Muted - creating a quieter
and softer sound than normal
Woodwind
Piccolo
Flute
Oboe
Panpipes
Brass
Trumpet
French Horn
Percussion
Untuned Percussion:
Snare Drum
Bongo Drums
Bass Drum
Tambourine
Bodhran Drum kit Striking - Hitting - sound produced by
Guiro
Cymbals
hitting the instrument
Castanets Triangle Rolls - very fast repetition of a note.
Hi-hat cymbal
Tuned Percussion:
Xylophone (wooden)
Glockenspiel (metal)
Timpani (Kettle Drum)
Keyboard:
Scottish:
Piano
Organ
Harpsichord
Fiddle
Clarsach
Indian:
Bagpipes
Accordion
Sitar
Tabla
 MUSICAL ENSEMBLES
Orchestra
Brass Band
Wind Band
Folk Group
-
Scottish Dance Band
Steel Band
-
 MUSICAL
Celtic Rock
Reggae
Minimalist
Ragtime
Blue
-
Strings, Brass, Woodwind & Percussion.
Brass & Percussion.
Brass, Woodwind & Percussion.
Fiddle, Guitar, Vocals, Accordion
Whistle, Bass, Flute, Drum kit, Bodhran.
Fiddle, Accordion, Piano, Drums.
Steel drums (pans).
STYLES
Swing
Jazz
Rock
-
Pop
Rock ‘n’ roll
Musical
Scottish
Latin American
Rapping
African music
-
Opera
-
Romantic
Baroque
Indian
-
Classical
Gospel
-
Pibroch
-
Mixes Scottish folk music with rock music.
Off beat guitar, vocals, drums, organ, bass.
Simple and repetitive ostinatos.
Piano: Syncopated melody & vamp accompaniment.
Jazz style, developed from black American
folk songs. Tells a story. Flattened notes.
A jazz style performed by a big band.
American music from in the early 20th century.
Music with a heavy, driving beat. Features
electric guitar, bass guitar and drum kit.
Popular music (chart music)
1950’s style music, think Elvis Presley.
A vocal work, like a modern opera.
Music traditionally from Scotland.
Dance music from South America.
Rhyming lyrics that are spoken.
Much African music features voices and/or
African drums.
A drama set to music with soloists, chorus,
acting, and orchestral accompaniment
1810-1900; big orchestras and thick texture.
1600-1750; harpsichord and ornaments
Music from India which uses instruments such
as the sitar and tabla.
1750-1810; piano
A song with religious lyrics, often in praise or
thanksgiving to God
Solo bagpipe; grace notes, theme & variation
 SCOTTISH MUSIC
Dance
Speed
Beats
Other features
Waltz
Medium
3
I LOVE YOU: Only 3 beat dance
Jig
Fast
2 – 6/8 time STRAWBERRY: Compound time
Reel
Strathspey
March
Fast
4
Medium
4 porridge
Marching speed 2 or 4
COCA COLA: Simple time, flowing
PORRIDGE: Jumpy, Scotch Snap
MARCHING: Steady, strong pulse.
Accomp?
Other?
Waulking Song Women At work
No
‘Thud’ Beating sound
Bothy Ballad
Men
Farm work
Usually no
Tells story
Gaelic Psalm
Both
Church North
Scotland
No
In Gaelic, Call &
Response, eerie/echo
Mouth Music
Both
Nonsense made Maybe
up Gaelic words
Imitating melody of
bagpipes
Scots Ballad
Both
Telling story
Lots of verses and
chorus, Strophic
Song
Who?
Where/About?
Maybe
 VOCAL
Voices – Highest to lowest
Voice
Soprano
Mezzo Soprano
FEMALE
Alto
Lead Vocal
Backing Vocal
Choir
Tenor
Baritone
Bass
Vocal concepts
MALE
Chorus
Aria
Melismatic
Strophic
Syllabic
 TONALITY
MAJOR
MINOR
ATONAL
 STRUCTURE
BINARY FORM
TERNARY FORM
THEME & VARIATION
STROPHIC
RONDO FORM
 TEXTURE
HOMOPHONIC
POLYPHONIC/CONRAPUNTAL
 PERIODS OF MUSIC
BAROQUE
CLASSICAL
MODERN
 EFFECTS
DISTORTION
REVERB
 SCALES
MAJOR
MINOR
PENTATONIC
CHROMATIC
BLUES
 WORD SETTING
MELISMATIC
SYLLABIC
WHOLE TONE
3. LITERACY
Symbol
.
.
Name
Length (beats)
Semibreve
4
Dotted Minim
3
Minim
2
Dotted Crotchet
1½
Crotchet
1
Dotted Quaver
¾
Quaver
½
Semiquaver
¼
Paired Quavers
1
Grouped Semiquavers
1
Scotch Snap
1
Accidentals:
Sharp:
Flat:
Natural:
Intervals:
Tone:
Semitone:
KEY SIGNATURES
C Major = 0 sharps or flats
A Minor = 0 sharps or flats BUT watch out for G#s
in the music!
F Major = 1 flat b
(Bb)
G Major = 1 Sharp #
(G#)
Lines
Spaces
Every Good Boy
Deserves Football
Notes below the stave
FACE
Notes above the stave
Repeat Signs
Start
End
1st & 2nd time bars
Time Signatures – go right at the beginning of the first line,
between the treble clef and key signature.
= 2 crotchet beats per bar
Simple time
= 3 crotchet beats per bar
Simple time
= 4 crotchet beats per bar
Simple time
= 6 quavers per bar (splits
into 2 beats) Compound time
4. NATIONAL 3 & 4 CONCETPS
You also need to know all of the National 3 and National 4 concepts.
NATIONAL 3 CONCEPTS
Melody/Harmony Rhythm/Tempo Texture/Structure/Form Timbre/Dynamics
Style
Ascending
Accent/accented
Accompanied
Accordion
Blues
Chord
Adagio
Harmony/chord
Acoustic guitar
Jazz
Chord change
Allegro
Ostinato/riff
Bagpipes
Descending
Round
Blowing
Discord
Bar; 2, 3 or 4 beats
in a bar
Latin
American
Solo
Bowing
Musical
Improvisation
Beat/pulse
Unaccompanied
Brass
Pop
Leap (leaping)
Drum fill
Unison/octave
Choir
Rock
Question & answer
Faster
Drum kit
Repetition
March
Electric guitar
Rock ‘n’
Roll
Sequence
On the beat/off
the beat
Fiddle
Scottish
Folk group
Pause
Orchestra
Reel
Organ
Repetition
Slower
Percussion
(tuned/untuned)
Waltz
Piano
Step (stepwise)
Plucking
Scottish dance band
Staccato/legato
Steel band
Striking (hitting)
Strings
Strumming
Voice
Woodwind
NATIONAL 4 CONCEPTS
Melody/Harmony
Rhythm/Tempo
Texture/Structure/
Form
Timbre/Dynamics
Style
Arpeggio
A tempo
Cadenza
Backing vocals
Broken chord
Accelerando
Canon
Bass guitar
African
music
Change of key
Anacrusis
Chorus
Brass band
Baroque
Chord progression (I,
IV, V)
Andante
Imitation
Concerto
Compound time
Middle 8
Brass (trumpet,
trombone)
Drone
Dotted rhythms
Ternary (ABA)
Distortion
Mouth
music
Major
Jig
Theme & variation
Harpsichord
Opera
Minor
Rallentando
Verse
Muted
Ragtime
Octave
Scotch snap
Pan pipes
Rapping
Ornament
Simple time
Wind band
Reggae
Pedal
(2/4, 3/4, 4/4)
Pentatonic scale
Strathspey
Scale
Syncopation
Scat singing
Vamp
Romantic
Percussion (timpani,
snare drum, side
drum, bass drum,
cymbals, triangle,
tambourine, guiro,
xylophone,
glockenspiel)
Strings (violin, cello,
double bass, harp)
Voices (soprano, alto,
tenor, bass)
Woodwind (flute,
clarinet, saxophone,
recorder)
Literacy:
Literacy:
Literacy:
Treble clef stave C-A’
Semiquaver
mf, mezzo-forte
Sequences
Grouped
semiquavers
f, forte
Paired quavers
Repeat signs
Scots ballad
Swing
5. EXAM PAPER LAYOUT & QUESTIONS
Question 1a-f: Multiple Choice - 6 Marks with a few “write
the word” questions.
Question 2: Box question (musical map) - 4 Marks
4 numbered boxes. Voice says the number over the music & you must
answer the question in the related box when the number is said.
Question 3: Literacy Question – 6 Marks
Eg. Name the key of this piece, insert the time signature, insert missing
notes, insert repeat sign, identify octave leaps, write dynamics, write
tempo marks.
Question 4: Multiple Choice – 8 Marks
Question 5: - 4 Marks
Tick one box from
each section.
Question 6: Fill in the missing words – 3 Marks
Question 7: - 4 Marks - Reason Question: Multiple choice
plus write reason for answer.
Question 8: - 5 Marks Write about the prominent features you
hear in the music.
Fill out this box then transfer it to the lines on the next page.
Rhythm/tempo
Melody/harmony
Instruments/voices
Dynamics (Italian terms)
Melody
Harmony
Rhythm
Tempo
Instruments and
how they are used
Dynamics
Broken Chords
Chords/ Discords
Glissando
Homophonic/
Polyphonic
Imitation
Legato /Staccato
Major/Minor
Melismatic/
Syllabic
Modulation
Pedal
Question & Answer
Repetition
Sequence
Suspensions
Unison/Harmony
Beats in a bar /
Time Signature:
2/4, 3/4, 4/4, Simple
Time
6/8 – Compound Time
Brass – Trumpet, French Horn,
Trombone, Tuba
Woodwind – Piccolo, Flute, Oboe,
Clarinet, Bassoon, Saxophone, Recorder
Strings – Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass,
Harp
Percussion – Xylophone, Glockenspiel,
Timpani, Triangle, Snare Drum, Drumkit,
Bass Drum, Tambourine, Castanets
Keyboard – Piano, Synthesizer,
Harpsichord, Organ, Celeste
Guitars – Electric, Acoustic, Bass, Banjo
Solo, Melody, Countermelody
Accompaniment, Chords, Broken Chords
Glissando, Arpeggios
Arco – bowed, Grace notes, ornaments
Muted, Pizzicato - plucked
Col Legno – wood of bow, Double
Stopping
Female Voices: Soprano, Mezzo Soprano,
Alto
Male Voices: Tenor, Baritone, Bass
Countertenor – high like a woman.
Solo; Accompaniment; Melody;
Countermelody
pp – pianissimo – very quiet
p – piano – quiet
mp – mezzo piano – moderately
quiet
mf – mezzo forte – moderately
loud
f – forte – loud
ff – fortissimo – very loud
Ornaments: trill,
grace notes
Speed:
Allegro – Fast
Adagio – Slow
Andante – walking pace
Moderato – moderate
Speed Changes:
Accelerando – faster
Rallentando – slower
Ritardando – slower
Rubato – with freedom
Anacrusis
Dotted Rhythms
Ostinato
Scales:
Repetition
Major/Minor scale, Scotch Snap
Chromatic scale,
Syncopation
Pentatonic scale
Changes of dynamic:
Cres. – Crescendo – getting
louder
Dim. – diminuendo – getting
quieter.