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1. Staves, Clefs & Pitch Notation
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The Grand Staff
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Naming the Notes
- note sign
- note
- notation
- solfa
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B & H
- In almost all European countries, except those whose main language is English or a Romance language, the 'German' system is used. This also uses the letters A to G of the Roman alphabet, but reserves B for the note called B flat in the 'English' system, and uses H for the note that is B natural (or just B) in the 'English' system.
- pitch class
- octave equivalency
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Staff or Stave
- staff or stave
- numbering of lines/spaces
- systemic barline
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diastematic
- Describing a musical notation in which the pitch of a note is represented by its vertical position on the page
- ledger lines
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The Clef Sign
- clef, clef sign, clef signature
- Great Staff, Grand Staff, Great Stave or Grand Stave
- treble clef
- bass clef
- alto clef
- middle C
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The Treble Clef
- treble clef
- G clef
- violin clef
- E G B D F
- F A C E
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The Bass Clef
- bass clef
- F clef
- G B D F A
- A C E G
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The Alto Clef
- alto clef
- viola clef
- counter-tenor clef
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Other Clefs
- soprano clef
- mezzo-soprano clef
- tenor clef
- baritone clef
- subbass clef
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French violin clef
- In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, a special clef was used for violin music, particularly that published in France. For this reason it is known as the French violin clef, French clef or G1 clef, although it was more commonly used for flute music. Being a G clef rather than a C clef, it sets the position of the G above middle C - in this case, on the bottom line of the five line stave.
- indefinite pitch clef
- The Score
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Why Middle C?
- The naming of the notes and position of middle C arise from the way we set out our great staff. Guido d'Arezzo (c.995-1050) called the first line on the lower staff by the Greek letter gamma. The lowest note in the scale was called ut and was placed on gamma. This first note was soon called gamma ut, which contracted to gamut. At some point, French musicians began referring to the whole scale (by then an octave) as the gamut, a typical example of metonymy, the rhetorical or metaphorical substitution of a one thing for another based on their association or proximity. The term was next extended to refer to the musical range of an instrument or voice. By the seventeenth century gamut was further generalized to mean an entire range of any kind.
- Guido d'Arezzo
- gamut
- solmization
- Ut Queant Laxis
- ut re mi fa sol la
- hexachord
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Scientific Pitch Notation
- distinguishing octaves
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2. Notes and Rests
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Duration
- duration
- time value
- proportional or mensural notation
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The Anatomy of a Note Sign
- notehead
- flag
- stem
- placement of stem and flag
- Chart of Note and Rest Signs
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Dotting and Double Dotting
- augmentation dot
- dot
- double-dotting
- triple-dotting
- Beams and Beaming
- Ties
- Origin of Music Notation
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Measures and Bars
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Measure and Bar Lines
- bar
- measure
- time signature
- bar line
- double bar line
- final bar line
- bar number
- rehearsal letter
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3. Time Signatures and Meters
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Time Signature and Meter
- Time Signature
- meter
- beat
- pulse
- simple time
- compound time
- compound meter
- divisive rhythm
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Unusual Time Signatures and Hypermeasure
- odd meter
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hypermeasure
- A hypermeasure, large-scale or high-level measure, or measure-group is a metric unit in which, generally, each regular measure is one beat (actually hyperbeat) of a larger meter. Thus a beat is to a measure as a measure/hyperbeat is to a hypermeasure. Hypermeasures must be larger than a notated bar, perceived as a unit, consist of a pattern of strong and weak beats, and along with adjacent hypermeasures, which must be of the same length, create a sense of hypermeter. The term was coined by Edward T. Cone in Musical Form and Musical Performance (New York: Norton, 1968).
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Mensuration
- mensuration
- modus
- tempus
- prolatio
- major
- minor
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Common Time & Alla Breve/Cut Time
- common time
- modus
- tempus perfectum
- tempus imperfectum
- alla breve
- alla capella time
- cut time
- Changing Time Signatures
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The Whole Bar Rest
- whole bar rest
- multiple bar rest
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Incomplete Bars
- imcomplete bar
- incomplete measure
- anacrusis
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Ametric Music
- augmented rhythms
- diminished rhythms
- retrograde rhythms
- polyrhythm/cross-rhythm
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4. Tempo
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Tempo Markings
- metronome
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tempo markings
- grave
- larghissimo
- adagissimo
- largo
- larghetto
- largamente
- adagio
- adagietto
- lento
- lentamente
- andantino
- andante
- con moto
- moderato
- vivace
- allegro
- allegramente
- allegrissimo
- vivacissimo
- prestissimo
- veloce
- BPM
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changing the tempo
- doppio movimento
- accelerando, accel.
- stringendo
- affrettndo
- incalzando
- meno mosso
- ritardando, rit., ritard.
- rallentando, rall.
- strascinando
- allargando, allarg.
- calando
- mancando
- morendo
- smorzando
- ritenuto, rit., riten.
- piu mosso
- piu moto
- ritenuto
- meno moto
- a tempo
- lunga pausa
- rubato
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fermata, fetura, caesura
- fermata
- hold
- bird's eye
- fetura
- caesura
- railroad tracks
- cut-off
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Dance Tempi
- Aleman
- Bouree
- Bransle
- Chaconne
- Coranto/Courante
- Galliard
- Gavotte
- Gigue
- Giga
- Ground
- Menuet
- Passacaglia
- Pavanne
- Rigaudon
- Sarabande
- Metronome Marks
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5. The Keyboard
- keyboard
- scale
- chromatic scale
- flat
- sharp
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6. Small Intervals
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The Tone and Semitone
- keyboard
- tone
- semitone
- whole step
- half step
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The Octave
- octave
- natural
- double flat
- flat
- sharp
- double sharp
- The Chromatic Scale
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Microtones
- microtone
- microtonal
- quarter tone
- eighth tone
- comma
- cent
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7. Major Scales
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The Major Scale
- major scale
- chromatic scale
- key note
- degree
- Roman Numerals
- W W H W W W H
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The Tetrachord
- tetrachord
- combined by disjunction
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The Twelve Major Scales
- major scales
- sharp key
- flat key
- natural key
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Deriving Major Scales
- building major scales
- key signature
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8. Key Signatures and Accidentals
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The Key Signature
- key signature
- music ficta
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The Circle of Fifths
- circle of fifths
- key signature
- tetrachord
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The Order of Sharps and Flats
- relative major
- relative minor
- Enharmonics
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Using Accidentals
- accidental
- precautionary mark
- courtesy accidental
- accidentals and ornamentation
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Changing Key
- key change
- cautionary sign
- inflection
- compound signs
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9. Minor Scales
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The Natural Minor Scale
- ancient minor scale
- natural minor scale
- Double Sharps and Flats
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Harmonic Minor
- haronic minor
- seventh degree
- leading tone
- tonic
- dominant chord
- dominant 7th chord
- tritone
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Melodic Minor
- melodic minor scale
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Relative & Parallel Major & Minor
- key note
- key signature
- relative major
- parallel major
- relative minor
- parallel minor
- rule of 7
- rule of 12
- key name
- tonic major
- tonic minor
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10. Chromatic Scales
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The Diatonic Scale
- diatonic
- chromatic
- The Chromatic Scale
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The Harmonic Chromatic Scale
- naming rules
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The Melodic Chromatic Scale
- naming rules
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11. Intervals
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Degrees of the Scale
- tonic
- supertonic
- mediant
- subdominant
- dominant
- submediant
- subtonic
- leading tone
- degree
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Melodic & Harmonic Intervals
- melodic interval
- harmonic interval
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Unisons and Octave
- dyad
- unison
- octave
- perfect unison
- perfect prime
- augmented unison
- augmented prime
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diminished unison
- Some theorists do not allow the diminished unison because the C flat lies below the C natural and this breaks the rule that all dyadic intervals are named from the lower note.
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Diatonic Intervals
- perfect intervals
- major intervals
- minor intervals
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Chromatic Intervals
- doubly diminished
- diminished
- augmented doubly
- augmented
- quality of intervals
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The Tritone
- tritone
- diabolus in musica
- consonance by circumstance
- Compound Intervals
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Inversion of Intervals
- inversion
- rule of 9
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12. Note Groupings
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Simple & Compound Time/Meter
- simple time
- simple meter
- compound time
- compound meter
- Uneven/Asymmetrical Time/Meter
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Triplets
- irrational rhythm
- triplet
- Duplets
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Other-lets
- irregular divisions
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Grouping Notes and Rests
- beaming
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13. Triads & Chords
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Concord and Discord
- music
- noise
- concordant
- discordant
- consonance
- dissonance
- form
- function
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perfect consonances
- unison
- P5
- octave
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imperfect consonances
- M3
- m3
- m6
- M6
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dissonances
- 2nds
- 7ths
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Triads
- triad
- Roman Numerals
- primary triad
- secondary triad
- major triad
- minor triad
- augmented triad
- diminished triad
- close position
- open position
- Diatonic Triads
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Chords
- chords
- seventh chord
- dominant chord
- Chords in Jazz
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Broken & Spread Chords
- broken chord
- spread chord
- arpeggio
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14. Chords in Detail
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Chords: Structure vs. Function
- structural
- functional
- naming seventh chords
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Seventh Chords
- major seventh chords
- minor seventh chords
- dominant seventh chords
- minor seventh flat five chord
- fully diminished seventh
- half diminished seventh
- augmented major seventh
- augmented minor seventh
- minor major seventh
- Dominant Seventh Chord
- Naming Seventh Chords
- Inverted Chords
- Slash Chords
- Extended Chords (9th, 11th, 13th)
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Special Chords
- power chords
- sus2 chords
- sus4 chords
- add2 chords
- add9 chords
- aug 5th & dim 5th chords
- augmented sixth chords
- Italian 'augmented' sixth chord
- French 'augmented' sixth chord
- German 'augmented' sixth chord
- six/nine chords
- polychords
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15. Figured Bass
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Figured Bass
- thorough bass
- realization
- basso continuo
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Figured Bass Notation
- 5 3
- 6 3 or 6
- 6 4
- accidental under note
- line through number
- accidental under number
- accidental beside single 6
- accidental beside number
- horizontal line after number
- 7 or 8 or 9
- 6 5
- 4 3
- 4 2
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Naming Chords With Roman Numerals
- Roman numeral figuring
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16. Transposition
- Transposition at the Octave
- Transposition into another Key
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What key Is My Instrument In?
- key of
- instrument
- concert pitch
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Transposing Instruments
- transposing instrument
- concert pitch
- written pitch
- sounding pitch
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17. Rhythmic Variety
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Rhyrhmic Modes
- iamb
- anapest
- trochee
- dactyl
- amphibrach
- pyrrh
- tribrach
- spondee
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Anacrusis
- anacrusis
- pick-up
- up-beat
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Syncopation
- syncopation
- off the beat
- Dotting & Double Dotting
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Hemiola
- hemiola
- cross-rhythm
- Swing
- Rhythmic Syllables
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18. Phrasing & Articulation
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Slur & Phrase
- rhythmic structure
- strong beat
- medium beat
- weak beat
- phrase
- slur
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Tenuto & Staccato
- tenuto
- staccato
- mezzo-staccato
- staccatissimo
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Slurs & Staccato
- slurred staccato
- portato
- articulated legato
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Variety of Accents
- staccato accents
- staccatissimo accents
- normal accents
- strong accents
- legato accents
- Articulation on Wind Instruments
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Articulation on Stringed Instruments
- bowing terms
- Articulation & Phrasing on Percussion Instruments
- Piano Pedalling
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Dynamic Markings
- fortissimo
- forte
- mezzo forte
- mezzo piano
- piano
- pianissimo
- ffff, fff, ppp, pppp
- forte piano
- crescendo
- decrescendo
- diminuendo
- marcato
- sforzando
- sforzandano piano
- forzando
- rinforzando
- calando
- incalzando
- con sordino
- dolcissimo
- leggiero
- pacato
- mancando, morendo
- martellato
- mezza voce, sotto voce
- senza sordino
- tacet
- tutta forza
- una corda
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General Musical Markings
- a
- a capella
- a capriccio
- accelerando
- ad libitum
- affettuoso
- agitato
- alla
- alla breve
- allargando
- amabile
- amoroso
- ancora
- animato
- a piacere
- appassionato
- arioso
- arpeggio
- assai
- ben, bene
- brillante
- cadenza
- calando
- cambiare
- cantabile
- chiuso
- col, colla
- come
- comodo
- con
- con brio
- con dolore
- con forza
- con fuoco
- con giusto
- con passione
- con spirito
- crescendo
- dal
- decrescendo
- decisivo
- delicato
- diminuendo
- dolce
- dolente
- doppio movimento
- e, ed
- e poi
- espressivo
- facilmente
- feroce
- fine
- furioso
- giocoso
- grandioso
- grazioso
- il, la
- impetuoso
- lacrimoso
- lamentoso
- largamente
- legato
- leggiero
- lusingando
- ma
- maestoso
- mancando
- marcato
- mertellato
- marziale
- meno
- meno mosso
- mesto
- mezzo
- misterioso
- molto
- morendo
- nobilmente
- non
- ossia
- parlando
- parlante
- pateticamente
- perdendosi
- pesante
- piacevole
- piangevole
- piu
- pizzicato
- placidamente
- pochetto
- poco
- poco a poco
- poi
- pomposo
- quasi
- rallentando
- religioso
- replica
- risoluto
- ritmico
- rubato
- scherzando
- secco
- sempre
- semplice
- senza
- serioso
- simili
- sino al
- slargando
- slentando
- smorzando
- soave
- solennemente
- sonore
- sordino
- sostenuto
- sotto voce
- spiccato
- spiritoso
- stentando
- strepitoso
- stringendo
- subito
- sul
- suono
- tanto
- tempo primo
- tempo rubato
- teneramente
- tenuto
- tessitura
- tosto
- tranquillo
- tremolo
- troppo
- tutti
- un poco
- vibrato
- vigoroso
- vivo
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19. Chords & Cadences
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cadences
- harmonic cadence
- turnaround
- melodic cadence
- rhythmic cadence
- textural cadence
- form & cadence
- Perfect Cadence
- Plagal Cadence
- Imperfect Cadence
- Interrupted/Deceptive Cadence
- The 'Six-Four' Cadence
- Feminine Endings
- Antecedent & Consequence
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20. Ornamentation
- Ornamentation
- Interpretation
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Grace Notes
- grace note
- appoggiatura
- acciaccatura
- Turns
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Trills
- trill
- preparation
- prefix
- shake
- termination
- unprepared
- prepared
- vocal trill
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Mordents
- mordent
- inverted mordent
- upper modent
- lower mordent
- long mordent
- double mordent
- Vibrato
- Arpeggiation
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21. Repeats
- Repeated Notes
- Repeated Groups
- Repeated Bars
- Repeated Whole Bar Rests
- Repeated Sections
- Da Capo
- Minuet & Trio
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22. Notes, Harmonies & Scales
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Origin of Diatonic and Chromatic Scales
- monochord
- Pythagoras
- interval
- lyre
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Modes
- Dorian
- Phyrgian
- Lydian
- Mixolydian
- Aeolian
- Locrian
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Ionian
- our major scale
- Jazz Scale
- Blues
- Bebop Scales
- Pentatonic Scales
- The 'Minor Key' Problem
- Altered Chords
- Neapolitan Sixth
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Symmetrical Scales
- whole tone scale
- diminished scale
- dominant diminished scale
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Non-Harmonic Tones
- passing tones
- neighboring tones
- appoggiatura
- escape note
- suspension
- retardation
- anticipation
- pedal note
- auxiliary note
- neighbor group
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23. Harmonic Functions
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What are Harmonic Functions?
- The Tonic
- The Dominant and Subdominant
- The II and VII Degrees
- The III and VI Degrees
- Harmonic Functions in Minor Keys
- Harmonic Analysis
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Nonharmonic Tones
- Passing Tone
- Neighbor Note
- Suspension
- Anticipation
- Appoggiatura
- Secondary Dominants
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Modulation
- The Dominant Chord
- The Pivot Chord
- Modulation to Distantly Related Keys
- Augmented Sixths
- Neapolitan Sixth
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24. Score Formats
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Instrumental Ensembles
- orchestral layout
- brass quintet layout
- band layout
- woodwind quintet layout
- Solos & Parts
- Keyboards
- Percussion
- How to Write Parts for Transposing Instruments
- Sounding Range & Clefs of Orchestral Instruments
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25. Pitch, Temperament & Timbre
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Pitch
- History of Musical Pitch
- A Brief History of Musical Tuning
- Physics of Musical Instruments - A Brief History
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Harmonic or Overtone Series
- harmonics
- fundamental
- overtones
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Inharmonicity
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inharmonicity
- The degree to which the frequencies of overtones (known as partial tones or harmonics) depart from whole multiples of the fundamental frequency.
- harmonic overtones
- inharmonic overtones
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Pythagorean Series
- tuning
- temperament
- Pythagoras
- Meantone Scale
- Equal Temperament
- Just Intonation
- Anatomy of An Octave
- Naming Intervals
- Beats and Tuning
- Timbre/Tone Color
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26. Key Centers
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The Nature of Tonality
- tonality
- What makes music tonal?
- Major Keys
- Minor Keys
- Triad Progressions
- Combining Major and Minor Keys
- Using Dominants
- Diminished Seventh Chords
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Reharmonization
- melodic substitution
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Modulation
- parallel key modulation
- relative key modulation
- enharmonic modulation
- direct modulation
- pivot chord modulation
- transient modulation
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27. Musical Forms
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Binary
- The Minuet
- Ternary
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Compound Ternary
- The Minuets
- Rondo
- Sonata
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Phrases, Periods and Motives
- What is a phrase?
- What is a period?
- Parallel Period
- Contrasting Period
- Double Period
- Other Periods
- What is a motive?
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28. Counterpoint
- opening and closing patterns
- Analysis of note-against-note counterpoint
- 1:1
- 2:1
- 4:1
- Voice Leading
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Aural Skills/Sight Singing
- Meter Recognition
- Interval Comparison
- Rhythm Dictation
- Scale Identification
- Melodic Dictation
- Interval Recognition
- Chord Comparison
- Chord Recognition
- Form/Structure
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Composition
- Original Rhythmic Composition
- Transpose Clefs
- Original Melodies
- Species 1 Counterpoint
- Root Position 4-Part Chorale