Descriptionary

sixteenth note a note equal in time value to V\6 of a whole note.

sixteenth rest a rest or pause equal in time value to a sixteenth note.

sol-fa syllables the syllables do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti.

sonata an instrumental composition in three to four movements with each differing in key, mood, and tempo.

sonatina a sonata with shorter or fewer movements.

soul style of 1960s music derivative of blues and gospel and often characterized by lyrics with black themes.

spiritual a type of religious song with complex rhythms, developed by black Americans in the 1800s.

staff the set of horizontal lines upon which notes are written and designated a pitch.

stanza in sings with a poetic text, a verse or set of verses. Also, the introductory passage of a song, fol­lowed by the chorus.

steel band an ensemble of musicians playing steel drums.

stereophonic recorded with two or more micro­phones with the intention of playing it back through two or more speakers.

suite an instrumental composition consisting of sev­eral movements usually involving dance music, and each in the same key; a popular form from 1600 to 1750.

symphonic poem program music, or music that depicts a scene or story or emotion, usually performed in one extended movement.

symphony a long orchestral composition in four movements, similar to a sonata but performed by the entire orchestra.

syncopation changing time signatures suddenly, accenting the weak beat instead of the strong; off- time rhythms and beats, used widely in jazz, blues, ragtime, and jazz-rock fusion.

time signature at the opening of a composition, a sign consisting of two numbers, one over the other, the top designating beats per measure, the bottom the time value of the note receiving the beat.

toccata a highly elaborate and difficult keyboard composition featuring arpeggios, scales, ornaments, and other techniques.

tonguing the placement and action of the tongue to produce different pitches and effects in a wind instrument.

tonguing, flutter silently pronouncing the letter r repeatedly to produce a tremolo effect in the flute.

transcription see arrangement.

transpose to change the key of a composition in writing and in performance.

treble a high-pitched instrument.

tremolo a shaking or trembling effect produced by quick changes in volume, as in flutter tonguing on the flute.

trill a commonly used musical ornament produced by very quick alternation of a note with another note one-half or one full tone above it.

troubadour a poet-musician of the 12th to 13th century.

vamp to improvise an accompaniment when another musician is playing a solo, especially in a jazz composition.

vaudeville comic songs of the early 18th century French opera. Also, in the 20th-century United States, a variety show.

virtuoso an exceptionally skilled musician.

whole note note with the longest time value.

whole rest a rest or pause with a time value equal to one whole note.

percussion instruments

bass drum the largest, deepest-sounding drum. On a drum set, the floor drum that is kicked by a pedal.

bell lyre a portable glockenspiel.

bongos small Cuban drums played with the fingers, thumbs, and heels of the hands.

campanella a small bell.

carillon a set of tuned bells or chimes originating in the 13th century, usually hung in a church tower and played either automatically or by means of a key­board and pedals.

castanets small, wooden clappers clicked together rhythmically in the hands, used in Spanish dances.

Chinese crash cymbal a crash cymbal with its edge turned up, providing a distinctive crashing sound when struck.

Chinese wood block a 7- to 8-inch block of slot­ted wood, making a distinctive "tock" sound when struck by a drumstick, popular with jazz drummers. Also known as a clog box.

choke cymbals two cymbals fixed face-to-face on a pedal and rod device and clapped together or struck with drumsticks to keep time or to add flourishes to the beat. More popularly known as a high-hat.

claves wooden stick approximately 8 to 10 inches long and clacked together to add percussion accom­paniment in Latin music.

cowbell an actual cowbell with the clapper removed, used in percussive accompaniment.

crescent a Turkish instrument consisting of an inverted crescent hung with small bells.

cymbal, crash a cymbal designed to be struck pow­erfully to produce a loud crash.

cymbal, finger a pair of tiny, 2-inch cymbals placed on finger and thumb and rung together, of ancient origin but still in use in Greece and Turkey.

cymbal, ride a pop music cymbal that is played lightly to help keep the rhythm or beat.