Click on the underlined elements to find out more and see/hear examples.

imitation

sequence

canon eg round

fugue

riff / ostinato / loop

repetition

minimalism

ground bass

drone

pedal

improvisation

break

cadenza

hook

fill

call & response

Duration:

basic note lengths

straight (equal length quavers)

swing (long-short unequal quavers)

dotted rhythms

tempo

time signatures : simple time = 2/4, 3/4 or 4/4, compound time = 3/8 or 6/8 etc

syncopation / cross rhythms / polyrhythms

accent

Dynamics (loud/quiet)

Pitch (note letter):

notation - treble / bass

intervals

sharps (#) and flats (b) on the piano

scales - major / minor / pentatonic / chromatic / whole tone

major key signatures

relative minors

graphic scores

ornaments - grace note / acciaccatura / appoggiatura / trill / mordant

Music Eras - these dates are approximate as many styles overlapped by a few decades!

[Medieval (500s-1400s) not required for GCSE]

[Renaissance (1400s-1600s) not required for GCSE]

Baroque (1600s approx)

Vocal Styles: Opera / Mass

Instrumental Styles: Concerto Grosso / Fugues /

Sonata

Composers: JSBach / Handel / Vivaldi

Classical (1700s approx)

Composers: Haydn / Mozart / Beethoven

Romantic (1800s approx)

20th Century onwards / Modern (1900 - present day)

Blues

Jazz including:

New Orleans / Chicago / Big Bands

Be-Bop / Cool Jazz

Film & TV

Musical Theatre

Pop (1950s onwards)

Soul (1960s onwards)

Minimalism (1960s onwards)

Rock

Hip-Hop (1970 onwards)

1980s R 'n' B (please note: this is not the same as 1940s R&B!)

Sampling

Forms (structures)

strophic (verses)

verse & chorus

binary (AB)

ternary (ABA)

rondo (ABACA etc)

theme & variation (A A1 A2 A3 etc)

through-composed (no repetition)

cyclic

ritornello

development

12 bar Blues

introduction / intro

coda / outro

middle 8

bridge

Texture (number of parts)

monophonic - one part only

a capella - voice(s) with no instruments

unison - all play/sing the same part

homophonic - parts move together in harmony/chords

polyphonic - parts moving differently

contrapuntal / counterpoint -

melody & accompaniment

Timbre

Voice - Soprano (high female)

- Alto / Contralto) (low female)

- Tenor (high adult male)

- Bass (low adult male)

Instruments - Brass : cornet / trumpet / trombone / tuba

- Keyboard : harpsichord / organ / piano / electric keyboard

- Percussion : drum kit / cybals / bass drum / snare drum / triangle

- Tunes Percussion : glockenspiel / xylophone / marimba / timpani

- Strings (usually bowed) : violin / viola / cello / double bass

- Strings (usually plucked) : harp / guitar / bass guitar

- Woodwind : piccolo / flute / oboe / clarinet / saxophone / bassoon

Ensembles / Groups

orchestra

choir

duet

trio

string quartet

woodwind quintet

military band

brass band

rock band

Venue

theatre

bandstand

military event

jazz club

pub / night club

stadium / arena / festival

concert hall

church / religious setting

wedding

funeral

competition

TV talent show