- A cappella: Vocal music performed without instrumental accompaniment.
- ABA form: A musical structure where a section is presented, followed by a contrasting section, and then returns to the first section (Statement-Contrast-Return).
- Absolute Music: Instrumental music without programmatic associations or narrative elements.
- Accent: An emphasis placed on a particular note or beat in music.
- Acoustic: (1) Pertaining to sound or the properties of sound. (2) Instruments that produce sound without electronic amplification.
- Aeolian: The natural minor scale; the sixth mode.
- Amplification: The process of increasing the amplitude of a sound signal, typically through electronic means.
- Arpeggio: A technique where the notes of a chord are played in succession rather than simultaneously.
- Arrangement: The adaptation or reworking of a musical composition for specific instruments or voices in a new style or genre.
- Attack: (1) The initial phase of a sound. (2) In electronic music, the first stage of an ADSR envelope controlling how quickly a sound reaches full volume.
- Audio Interface: Electronic device that connects instruments and microphones to a computer for recording and playback.
- BPM: Beats Per Minute, indicating the tempo or speed of a piece of music.
- Bar: A segment of time in music defined by a given number of beats, also known as a measure.
- Bass: (1) The lowest vocal range in male voices. (2) The lowest-pitched member of an instrument family. (3) In electronic music, the low-frequency components of a sound, typically below 250 Hz.
- Beat: Regular, recurrent pulsation that divides music into equal units of time.
- Body: The main resonating chamber of an instrument that influences its sound quality.
- Bridge: A contrasting section in a song that provides a departure from the main themes.
- Cadence: A sequence of chords that brings an end or pause to a musical phrase.
- Call and Response: A musical pattern where a phrase is presented by one voice/instrument and answered by another.
- Chord Progression: A sequence of chords that establishes the harmony for a section of music.
- Chord: Multiple notes played simultaneously to create harmony.
- Chorus: (1) The repeated section of a song containing the main theme. (2) An audio effect that creates a fuller sound by layering slightly detuned copies of a signal.
- Chromatic scale: A musical scale with twelve pitches, each a half step apart.
- Common Time: A time signature indicating four beats per measure, typically represented by a C symbol.
- Comping: A rhythmically improvised accompaniment on piano or guitar, commonly used in jazz and modern pop.
- Compression: An audio effect that reduces the dynamic range between the loudest and quietest parts of an audio signal.
- Consonance: A combination of notes producing a harmonious, pleasing sound.
- Counter melody: A secondary melody that complements the primary melody.
- Counterpoint: The art of combining independent melodies to form harmonically interdependent lines.
- Cut time: A time signature indicating two primary beats per measure, creating a driving rhythmic feel.
- DAW: Digital Audio Workstation - software used for recording, editing, and producing audio files.
- Decay: The rate at which a sound fades after the initial attack.
- Delay: An audio effect that creates a repeated echo of the original sound.
- Detune: The act of slightly adjusting the pitch of a sound away from standard tuning.
- Diatonic: Pertaining to the notes of a major or minor scale without chromatic alterations.
- Dissonance: A combination of tones that creates tension or clash.
- Distortion: An audio effect that adds harmonic content by deliberately pushing a signal past its normal operating range.
- Dorian: The second mode of the diatonic scale, resembling a natural minor with a raised sixth.
- Dotted note: A note marked with a dot that increases its duration by half its original value.
- Dotted rhythm: A rhythmic pattern prominently featuring dotted notes.
- Double-reed woodwinds: Instruments (e.g., oboe, bassoon) that produce sound using two reeds.
- Drone: A continuous, sustained sound serving as a harmonic foundation.
- Dubbing: Adding or overlaying additional recorded audio onto an existing track.
- Duple meter: A meter that groups beats in twos.
- Dynamics: The variation in loudness or intensity of sound.
- EQ (Equalization): The process of adjusting the balance between frequency components within an audio signal.
- Effects: Audio processing tools that modify the sound of an instrument or recording.
- Embellishments: Ornamental or grace notes that decorate a melody.
- Enharmonic: Describing pitches that sound identical but are written differently (e.g., C♯ and D♭).
- Ensemble: A group of musicians performing together, often enhancing collaborative practice.
- Fade: A gradual increase (fade-in) or decrease (fade-out) in the volume of a sound.
- Fifth: An interval spanning five scale degrees.
- Filter: A device or process that removes or enhances certain frequencies in an audio signal.
- Flat sign: A symbol that lowers a note’s pitch by a half step.
- Form: The overall structure or arrangement of sections within a musical composition.
- Fourth chord: A chord built from intervals of fourths rather than thirds.
- Frequency: The number of vibrations per second of a sound wave, measured in Hertz (Hz).
- Fretboard: The front surface of a string instrument's neck where notes are played.
- Gain: The amount of amplification applied to an audio signal.
- Gate: An audio effect that silences signals below a certain threshold.
- Glissando: A continuous slide from one pitch to another, passing through all intermediate tones.
- Grid: A visual representation in digital audio workstations of beats and measures for precise editing.
- Groove: The overall feel and rhythmic drive that makes music compelling and danceable.
- Ground bass: Also known as basso ostinato; a repeating bass line forming the harmonic foundation.
- Guitar Pickup: A transducer that captures string vibrations in an electric guitar.
- Half note: A note lasting half the duration of a whole note.
- Harmonics: Overtones produced when a string or column of air vibrates in multiple modes.
- Harmony: (1) The vertical aspect of music dealing with the combining of pitches simultaneously. (2) The study of chord progressions and relationships.
- Head voice: The upper register of a singing voice.
- Hemiola: A rhythmic device where two bars in triple time are perceived as three bars in duple time.
- Hi-Hat: A pair of cymbals mounted on a stand and played with a foot pedal, crucial for keeping time.
- Hook: A memorable musical idea or phrase designed to catch the listener's attention.
- Improvisation: The spontaneous creation or variation of melody or rhythm during performance.
- Input: The point where an audio signal enters a system or device.
- Interval: The distance in pitch between two notes.
- Ionian: The major scale; the first mode.
- Jam Session: An informal gathering where musicians improvise and experiment collectively.
- Key: A group of pitches, or scale, that forms the basis of a music composition.
- Kick Drum: The low-pitched, heavy beat provided by the bass drum in a drum kit.
- Latency: The delay between an input signal and its output in digital audio systems.
- Leading tone: The seventh scale degree that naturally resolves to the tonic.
- Level: The amplitude or volume of an audio signal.
- Locrian: The seventh mode, featuring a diminished fifth.
- Loop: A section of audio that repeats seamlessly, commonly used in electronic and popular music.
- Lydian: The fourth mode, similar to a major scale with a raised fourth.
- MIDI: Musical Instrument Digital Interface - a protocol that allows electronic instruments and devices to communicate.
- Major scale: A sequence of notes following the pattern whole-whole-half-whole-whole-whole-half steps.
- Melisma: The singing of a single syllable over multiple notes.
- Melody: A sequence of single notes that forms the main theme of a piece.
- Meter: The organization of beats into regular groups, indicated by time signature.
- Minor scale: A sequence of notes following the pattern whole-half-whole-whole-half-whole-whole steps.
- Mix: The balance of various audio elements in a recording.
- Mixolydian: The fifth mode, like a major scale with a flattened seventh.
- Modulation: (1) The process of changing from one key to another. (2) In synthesis, varying a parameter of sound over time.
- Monitor: Speakers or headphones used to accurately assess audio during recording or mixing.
- Motif: A recurring figure or fragment in a piece, serving as a unifying element.
- Noise Gate: An audio processor that removes unwanted noise below a certain volume threshold.
- Note: A single sound of definite pitch and duration.
- Nut: A small component at the top of the fretboard guiding the strings and affecting intonation.
- Octave: The interval between one musical pitch and another with double its frequency.
- Oscillator: An electronic circuit or software component that generates waveforms, fundamental to synthesizers.
- Ostinato: A repeated musical pattern that persists throughout a section of a song.
- Output: The point where an audio signal exits a system or device.
- Overdub: The process of recording additional parts while listening to previously recorded tracks.
- Overtones: Higher frequency sounds occurring naturally above a fundamental tone.
- Pan: The distribution of an audio signal across the stereo field (left to right).
- Patch: A particular configuration of settings on a synthesizer or audio processor.
- Pentatonic: A scale consisting of five notes per octave.
- Phase: The timing relationship between two similar audio signals.
- Phrygian: The third mode of the diatonic scale, noted for its flattened second.
- Pitch: The perceived frequency of a sound, from low to high.
- Polyphony: (1) Multiple independent melody lines played simultaneously. (2) The number of notes a synthesizer can play at once.
- Polyrhythm: The simultaneous use of two or more conflicting rhythmic patterns.
- Quantization: The process of aligning recorded musical notes to a precise rhythmic grid.
- Quarter note: A note lasting one-quarter the duration of a whole note.
- Range: The span between the lowest and highest notes an instrument or voice can produce.
- Refrain: A repeated line or phrase in a song.
- Register: The range of pitches available to a particular voice or instrument.
- Relative major: The major key that shares its key signature with a minor key.
- Release: How quickly a note fades to silence after being released.
- Resonance: An emphasis of certain frequencies when sound waves reinforce each other.
- Reverb: An effect that simulates the natural reflections of sound in a space.
- Rhythm: The pattern of durations of notes and rests in music.
- Riff: A short, repeated rhythmic or melodic phrase that forms a harmonic or rhythmic foundation.
- Root note: The fundamental note upon which a chord is built.
- Sample: (1) A digital recording of a sound that can be played back. (2) A portion of a sound wave measured at a specific point in time.
- Scale: A series of notes arranged in ascending or descending order according to specific intervals.
- Sequence: A repeating pattern of musical phrases at different pitch levels.
- Sequencer: Hardware or software that records, edits, and plays back MIDI data.
- Sharp sign: A symbol that raises a note’s pitch by a half step.
- Signal Chain: The path an audio signal takes through various processing devices.
- Snare: A drum known for its sharp sound produced by metal wires (snares) stretched across its bottom.
- Song structure: The arrangement of sections (e.g., verse, chorus, bridge) in a song.
- Subdominant: The fourth scale degree and its chord, often leading to the dominant.
- Syncopation: Rhythmic emphasis on usually weak beats or offbeats to create unexpected accents.
- Synthesis: The creation of sound using electronic means, typically through oscillators and filters.
- Tempo: The speed at which a piece of music is played, usually measured in beats per minute (BPM).
- Texture: The way melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic elements combine in a composition.
- Timbre: The characteristic quality of a sound that distinguishes one instrument or voice from another.
- Time Signature: Numbers at the beginning of a piece indicating the number of beats per measure and which note value represents one beat.
- Track: An individual layer of audio or MIDI in a recording.
- Transient: A short-duration spike in amplitude at the beginning of a sound.
- Treble: The higher range of pitches, typically notated on the treble clef.
- Triad: A three-note chord typically consisting of a root, third, and fifth.
- Trill: A rapid alternation between two adjacent notes.
- Triplet: A group of three notes played in the time normally occupied by two.
- Turnaround: A chord progression that leads back to the beginning of a section.
- Umbra: A term used figuratively in musical contexts to denote a “shadow” element.
- Unison: (1) Multiple voices or instruments performing the same pitch simultaneously. (2) In synthesis, multiple oscillators tuned to nearly the same frequency.
- Upbeat: The weaker beat preceding the first strong beat of a measure.
- Vamp: A short, repeating musical figure used as an accompaniment.
- Variation: An altered version of a theme or melody.
- Velocity: In MIDI, the force with which a note is played, usually corresponding to volume and/or timbre.
- Vibrato: A slight, rapid fluctuation in pitch for expressive effect.
- Volume: The perceived loudness of a sound.
- Waveform: The visual representation of an audio signal over time.
- Wet/Dry: The ratio between processed (wet) and unprocessed (dry) signal in an audio effect.
- Xenharmonic: Pertaining to tuning systems or intervals that differ from standard Western tuning.
