Questions tagged [terminology]
For questions about musical terms. Questions about symbols should use the "notation" tag.
606
questions
2
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2answers
1k views
Is anything that doesn't have a pitch considered noise?
If we take drums for example like snare, kick, cymbals, etc. They don't have a pitch I was wondering if they're in the "noise family" like pink, white, brown noise. Generally, is anything that doesn't ...
4
votes
2answers
67 views
Third resonant frequency when two notes are played
I have noticed that when two notes - relatively spaced apart, more than a tone and less than an octave - are played, there is a third frequency that can be heard, and this frequency lies between the ...
2
votes
1answer
52 views
How to pronounce “sul G”?
This is an instruction that you might see in violin music. I normally pronounce Italian musical terms as accurately as my linguistic skills allow. For example, I would pronounce the "c" in "sul ...
4
votes
2answers
58 views
What is the difference between the Romantic and post-romantic periods?
This question came about when I was reading Blair Allen Johnston’s dissertation, ‘Harmony and Climax in the late works of Sergei Rachmanioff’
He loosely groups the post romantic period within 1890-...
-1
votes
2answers
54 views
Is a midi track in a DAW called a sequencer?
Say we create a midi track in a DAW like Logic or Ableton and we record some notes to it via some midi controller. I'm wondering if that track is now considered to be a sequencer? And if we created ...
2
votes
1answer
67 views
Are all plugins VST plugins?
Whenever someone mentions a plugin for a daw like Logic, Ableton, etc. Is it always a VST plugin? so 'VST plugin' and 'plugin' is synonymous?
6
votes
2answers
117 views
Jazz, and the adjectives “nasty/disgusting” in context of a good performance
I want to preface this by saying that this is a really dumb question, but here goes.
When describing some praised jazz performance, an adjective that sometimes pops up is "nasty or disgusting" (or ...
5
votes
2answers
80 views
What is the term for a rapid succession of chords in alternating hands?
In piano music there's the technique called blind octaves where you create a rumbling melody over three octaves by playing the melody itself with the thumbs of your left and right hands alternatively, ...
3
votes
2answers
64 views
What is this octotonic scale? [duplicate]
Another post of scale idientification: What scale has these notes : C D Eb F Gb Ab A B? It is a octotonic 8-note ascending scale .
3
votes
2answers
62 views
Implied Meaning of “Original Arrangement”
What is the implied meaning of "Original Arrangement" in the context of, say, a YouTube video – would the reader think that this is
(1) the arrangement of the piece of music when it was first ...
3
votes
4answers
364 views
What would you call this scale?
Its basically a Dorian Scale with #4
F G A♭ B C D E♭ F
Don't know what to call it
2
votes
1answer
43 views
How to state the range of a song
My professor wants us to explain the range of a song by stating, for example, "range of an octave plus a 4th" rather than "the range is D to G"... because it may be different if transposed.
My ...
0
votes
2answers
31 views
What is it called when there is a lyrical transition to the chorus/hook?
There are many songs that do this, the latest one I've identified is:
A$AP Mob - Yamborghini High (Official Music Video) ft. Juicy J (youtube,genius)
Specifically this line here:
She make no ...
1
vote
2answers
70 views
What are Upbeats and Downbeats in a 16 Step Sequencer?
I'm trying to figure out the terminology of upbeats and downbeats in regards to a step sequencer. In this image of a 16 step sequencer, each box represents 1/16 of a measure:
Is it correct to say ...
2
votes
3answers
69 views
To what exactly does the Note Value refer?
I'm starting to learn Music Theory and I don't really understand time signatures.
Let's say we have time sig 3/4, so one beat is 1/4, means one 1/4 note is a beat, or a 128th of a Minute at 128 BPM.
...
14
votes
7answers
3k views
Exactly what does “diatonic” mean?
Is the meaning very context dependent, or can it be defined in general terms? Does the meaning change by author or period?
Sometimes it's used to refer to anything that stays within a specific tonal ...
6
votes
4answers
193 views
What is the term for skipping notes in a familiar melody, so that the listener imagines them?
There is a technique in composition where certain notes in a familiar melody are entirely skipped, so that they are not played but are still imagined. This usually happens (or is noticeable) in the ...
3
votes
1answer
47 views
What is an MC/Producer in Hip-Hop/Rap?
I saw this terminology used in an article I was reading and was wondering what an MC/Producer was. I am not that familiar with rap or hip-hop terminology so was curious what it meant. Thanks.
-1
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1answer
59 views
What does the term “ex tempore” mean?
I was going to give an answer and in this quotation about Werckmeister I encountered the term ex tempore.
enter link description here
I first thought this means memorizing and playing by heart.
A ...
1
vote
2answers
55 views
What is it called when the “one” of a phrase, or 8-count is accented?
The verses of the song Whatchugot by Caro Emerald have a very obvious bop every 8 beats.
I'd like to find other pop songs that highlight the 1 of each 8 count, or even better the 1 of each 32-count ...
4
votes
5answers
220 views
What is the technical term for the note names C, D, E, F, G, A, and H?
I'm trying to find out whether my knowledge of the theory is correct, so this question might look a bit silly.
There's the term pitch. Pitch allows objectively tell whether two sounds are equal, and ...
3
votes
1answer
83 views
What Does This Pushing Technique Do?
I have watched a number of guitarists do a certain technique before where they push on the upper body of the guitar near where they strum. I have seen it done on both on acoustic and on electric ...
3
votes
2answers
229 views
Difference between appoggiatura, acciaccatura and grace note
I seem to get easily confused between the 3 terms. Is an appoggiatura a grace note? How can I distinguish each of them in a music score?
1
vote
3answers
88 views
Shell voices - what does it mean?
I’ve tried to answer a question about voicings in Jazz. I was not sure if it was concerning a 4 part or unlimited part voicing.
Now I’ve seen that I’ve overlooked in the title of the question the ...
4
votes
1answer
241 views
What is the “Trio” in a march?
During a band rehearsal the bandmaster may ask when playing a march: Let’s start from the trio!
a) What is meant by this term?
b) where does it come from?
4
votes
2answers
56 views
bumpers and sounders: the same meaning as stinger or different?
Trying to find an answer about searching for the last accentuated note of e.g. a March there have been several answers mentioning stinger.
I wonder where sounders and bumpers are identical? When I ...
24
votes
4answers
5k views
What's the short and accented note at the very end of a song called?
In some songs, there is a short and accented note at the very end, usually as the last note. Is there a special term for this note besides calling it the "last note"?
Examples:
"Hamilton" from ...
7
votes
2answers
706 views
“Push chord”. What's that?
I came across this post the other day that referenced a "push chord". What does "push chord" mean in that context? Is that a term specific to Bossa Nova (a latin jazz genre), or is it just a term I ...
3
votes
3answers
113 views
Who has brought up the English term **figured bass** for thorough bass?
I wonder when and by whom figured bass has been introduced as synonym for thorough bass in the basso continuo. In my view this must be somehow an error or a misunderstanding of figurierter bass in ...
2
votes
2answers
96 views
Varied bass line and varied tune: What is the term used for this style?
I‘ve been looking for the term in English for this kind of gestures or ornamentations:
Figuration is understood in the music playing a melody in small note values, in contrast to an ornament. The ...
2
votes
1answer
55 views
singing without lyrics
I was recently listening to some music while working on a book I'm writing and an orchestral piece came on. There was a woman singing over this instrumental but it wasn't lyrical words, more just ...
24
votes
1answer
4k views
“inuendo” in a piano score
I have a question about music notation:
- - - in - - - u - - - - en - - - - - do - -
It appears in a music book edited by Willard A. Palmer, Bach, Prelude in C Minor, BWV 999, measure 26 to 29.
Can ...
7
votes
4answers
2k views
What is the name for a fluid transition between two tones? When did it first appear?
With instruments such as violins or trombones, it is possible to shift from one tone to another fluidly. What is this practice called? When has it first appeared in [Western] music?
3
votes
1answer
146 views
Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring: What term is appropriate for the instrumental ornaments in Bachs Choral arrangements?
a related question asks if there is a specific term for the voicing in Bach's Chorals:
What is the term for the sung voice found especially in Bach's chorale music (eg. Jesu Joy of Man's ...
6
votes
4answers
1k views
What's the global, general word that stands for “center tone of a song”?
There are many words which means "center tone of a song", but each word seems to have its own limitation of usage.
Tonal Center
Key Center
I heard (and was told) that these are the terms for tonal ...
0
votes
3answers
53 views
Modulation in synthesis versus music theory
To modulate in regular music theory means to change key. But in synthesizer programming it means to change a value over time. So for example you'd say that an ADSR envelope can modulate an instrument'...
2
votes
2answers
102 views
Diatonic and heptatonic scales, and degrees
I have been working on listing all the possible diatonic scales in order of degrees, the number of accidentals in the scale.
The first is the ionian ( major ), since there are zero accidentals. The ...
1
vote
3answers
84 views
Violin - basics 101 [closed]
I have recently purchased a violin and I am beginning to practice it. I am new to music and I do not understand the language and nomenclature of it. I am looking to answer some questions before moving ...
5
votes
1answer
112 views
Is there a name for a beat/tempo that can be interpreted as being in two different times
I am not a musician, I don't read music and I don't actually play any instruments. However (and sorry if this sounds stupid) I'm a very good dancer and believe I have a good ear and feeling for tempo ...
3
votes
3answers
114 views
Smaller notes notation in Chopin's Polonaise Op. 53
I encountered a notation in the Chopin's Polonaise, Op. 53 that I have not seen before: smaller font notes not explicitly following the time signature.
While it is pretty obvious how it is played (...
2
votes
0answers
76 views
Repeat-modify-mix technique for developing a musical theme
The level of my musical education leaves much to be desired, so I apologize in advance for maybe amateurish question.
Several times I've encountered a situation when a composer repeats some piece in a ...
13
votes
2answers
2k views
Unknown indication below upper stave
The number 2, quite large and in italics, appears twice below the notes on the upper stave.
There are some fingering indicators but one quarter the size.
The time signature is 6/8
0
votes
3answers
156 views
Why's the “Dance of the Girls” bichord better termed “sonority”, not “harmony”?
Great Music of the Twentieth Century (2018), by Robert Greenberg B.A. in music (magna cum laude) from Princeton, Ph.D. in music composition from the University of California, Berkeley.
p. 34 of the ...
2
votes
6answers
255 views
Is a bass line the same as a bass progression?
In alot of songs there's a chord progression. Say we have a 4 chord progression. Each chord can correspond to a note the bass plays. So now the bass is playing a 4 note progression. Is that called a ...
0
votes
2answers
96 views
How do certain chords get such prominent names?
A musician friend just mentioned that "F major is my favourite chord (or tonality)". Regardless whether it makes sense to have a "favourite" chord, this got me thinking.
There must be many, many ...
5
votes
5answers
442 views
Why would you need merely the term “collection” for pitches, but not “scale”?
In his lecture Understanding the Fundamentals of Music from 2006, Robert Greenberg says (on p. 119 of the transcript) this quote. Scan of that page is at the bottom.
Despite its overwhelmingly ...
0
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3answers
218 views
Why is it incorrect to say “I'm going to play a note on the piano”, when any pitch played on a piano by a human must have “given duration”? [closed]
In his lecture Understanding the Fundamentals of Music from 2006, Robert Greenberg introduces these two definitions (on pages 114-115 in this transcript):
Pitch
A pitch is a discrete sound, ...
2
votes
0answers
31 views
What are these kinds of rhythms called? [duplicate]
I've noticed that these kinds of rhythms seem to be extremely common in popular music:
X: 1
M: 4/4
L: 1/16
K: C
c3c3c2 c3c3c2|c3c3c3c3c2c2|
The example in the first bar appears to be a 2 over 3 ...
9
votes
1answer
631 views
What is this particular type of chord progression, common in classical music, called?
I don't know anything about music theory but I am a fanatic when it comes to listening to classical music. For a while I have been curious about a type of chord progression which is very common in ...
9
votes
1answer
181 views
Difference between One-Step and Two-Step Rags
I would like to know the actual difference between one-step and two-step rags.
So far I thought that a one-step is a rag, where the melody is mostly written in quarter and eighth notes, so there are ...
