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Key Terms
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Accidental  A symbol that raises or lowers a pitch by a half or whole step.
Augmented  When a perfect or a major interval is made a half step larger without changing the numerical name.
Bass  The lowest voice.
Circle of Fifths  A diagram like the face of a clock that aids in the memorization of key signatures.
Clef  Must appear at the beginning of the staff in order to indicate which pitches are to be associated with which lines and spaces.
Compound Intervals  Intervals larger than and including 8ve.
Consonant  Pleasing to the ear.
Diminished  When a perfect or minor interval is made a half step smaller without changing its numerical name.
Dissonant  Not pleasing to the ear.
Enharmonic  Notes that are spelled differently but sound the same.
Grand Staff  A combination of two staves joined by a brace, with the top and bottom staves using treble and bass clefs, respectively.
Half Step  The distance from a key on the piano to the very next key, white or black.
Harmonic Interval  Separates pitches that are sounded simultaneously.
Harmonic Minor Scale  A minor scale type which can be thought of as a major with lowered 3 and 6.
Interval  The measurement of the distance in pitch between two notes.
Interval Inversion  When one puts the lower note above the upper one (or the reverse).
Key  Identifies the first degree of a scale.
Key of G Major  Refers to the major scale that begins on G.
Key Signature  A pattern of sharps or flats that appears at the beginning of a staff and indicates that certain notes are to consistently raised or lowered.
Ledger Lines  Used to extend the staff.
Major Scale  A specific pattern of small steps (called half steps) and larger ones (called whole steps) encompassing an octave.
Melodic Interval  Separates pitches that are sounded in succession.
Melodic Minor Scale  A minor scale type which has an ascending form and a descending form. It lowers scale degree 3 when ascending and scale degrees 3, 6, and 7 when descending.
Natural Minor Scale  A minor scale formation, similar to a major scale with lowered 3, 6 and 7.
Octave  In discussing intervals, the term used instead of 8.
Octave  From one letter up or down to its next occurrence.
Octave Register  The space from any C up to the next B.
Parallels  Major and minor keys that share the same starting note.
Perfect  A modifier used only in connection with unisons, 4ths, 5ths, 8ves, and their compounds (11ths, and so on).
Pitch  The highness or lowness of sound.
Relatives  Major and minor keys that share the same key signature.
Simple Intervals  Intervals smaller than an 8ve.
Staff  Indicates the precise pitch desired. An arrangement of five lines and four spaces that can be extended through the use of ledger lines.
Tetrachord  A four-note scalar pattern.
Transpose  To write or play music in some key other than the original.
Tritone  The term used for the +4 or its enharmonic equivalent, the (5.
Unison  In discussing intervals, the term used instead of 1.
Whole Step  Skips the very next key on the piano keyboard and goes instead to the following one.







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