Grand Vocabulary List
IB MusicMusical Elements
tone color
The tonal landscape of a work, including instrumentation and performance technique.
melody
The primary tune of a musical work.
harmony
The vertical relationship between different pitches.
rhythm
How music is organized across time.
structure
How different sections of a piece are arranged.
context
Not a musical element, but all historical, biographical, and programmatic information about a piece of music.
Tonality
diatonic
The standard Western twelve-tone system.
major
W-W-S-W-W-S-W
natural minor
The Aeolian mode, W-S-W-W-W-S-W
harmonic minor
Natural minor with a raised leading tone: W-S-W-W-S-aug2-S
melodic minor
Natural minor with a raised leading tone and 6: W-S-W-W-W-W-S
anhemitonic pentatonic
A five-tone scale with no semitones: W-W-min3-W-min3
hemitonic pentatonic
A five-tone scale with semitones: W-S-maj3-S-maj3
octatonic
Alternating whole tones and semitones across an octave.
whole tone
A scale consisting entirely of whole tones.
modal
Scales beginning of different tones of the diatonic scale. The modes include Ionian (major), Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian (natural minor), and Locrian.
Scale Tones
tonic
Scale degree 1, the primary tone of a scale.
supertonic
Scale degree 2, the tone above the tonic.
mediant
Scale degree 3, the tone between the tonic and dominant.
subdominant
Scale degree 4, the tone a fifth below the tonic.
dominant
Scale degree 5, the tone a fifth above the tonic.
submediant
Scale degree 6, the tone between the tonic and sub-dominant.
subtonic
Scale degree 7, the tone below the tonic.
leading tone
If scale degree 7 is a semitone below the tonic, it is called a leading tone.
Meter
simple
The beat subdivides into two.
compound
The beat subdivides into three.
duple
Beats group together in twos.
triple
Beats group together in threes.
compound/complex
Irregular patterns of simple and compound.
mixed
Irregular patterns of duple and triple.
Intervals
perfect unison
Two of the same pitch.
minor second
A single semitone.
major second
One whole tone / two semitones.
minor third
Three semitones.
major third
Two whole tones.
perfect fourth
Five semitones.
tritone
Six semitones, the most dissonant interval.
perfect fifth
Seven semitones, the most consonant interval.
minor sixth
One semitone above a perfect fifth.
major sixth
One whole tone above a perfect fifth.
minor seventh
One whole tone below an octave.
major seventh
One semitone below an octave.
perfect octave
The same note in the next register, double the frequency.
Tempo
grave
Extremely slow, ♩ = 40 BPM or less
largo
Slow and broad, ♩ = 40-66 BPM
adagio
Slow and expressive, ♩ = 44-66 BPM
andante
Walking pace, ♩ = 56 - 108 BPM
moderato
Moderate tempo, ♩ = 108 - 120 BPM
allegro
Fast and bright, ♩ = 120 - 156 BPM
vivace
Fast and lively, ♩ = 156 - 176 BPM
presto
Very fast, ♩ = 168 - 200 BPM