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===== ADSR =====
===== Attack =====
===== Augmented =====
===== Bass/Strum Pattern =====
===== Beat =====
===== Chord =====
===== Decay =====
===== Delay =====
===== Diatonic =====
===== Diminished =====
===== Dominant =====
===== Dotted Note =====
===== Eighth Note =====
===== Enharmonic =====
===== Equal Temperament =====
===== Flat =====
===== Half Note =====
===== Harmonic Minor Scale =====
===== Harmony =====
===== Interval =====
===== Intonation =====
===== Just Intonation =====
===== Leading Tone =====
===== Major Chord =====
===== Major Scale =====
===== Melodic Minor Scale =====
===== Melody =====
===== Minor Chord =====
===== Minor Scale (Natural Minor) =====
===== Note =====
===== Predominant =====
===== Quarter Note =====
===== Release =====
===== Rhythm =====
===== Sharp =====
===== Sixteenth Note =====
===== Subdominant =====
===== Sustain =====
===== Tempo =====
===== Timbre =====
===== Time Signature =====
===== Tonic =====
===== Triplet =====
===== Tuplet =====
===== Whole Note =====
no edit summary
Acronym for Attack, Decay, Sustain, and Release. Commonly grouped together in an envelope filter.
The initial portion of a note's sound, where the volume goes from its minimum to its maximum. On guitar, this is almost instantaneous when picking the strings; however, it can be stretched longer through the use of volume pedals or knobs, feedback inducers, or other effects.
In reference to intervals, the augmented 4th or augmented 5th is one half-step higher or larger than the perfect 4th/5th. For example, C-F is a perfect 4th, but C-F# is an augmented 4th. A chord is considered augmented if it contains a major 3rd and augmented 5th above its root. See [[1st and 2nd Strings - Intervals]] and [[Harmonic Minor and Augmented Chords]].
A bass/strum pattern is a way to play chords where the first beat contains only the bass note and the next beat strums the rest of (or entire) chord. This creates a "folk" feel, especially with an alternating bass note. See [[G Major Chord]].
The most basic unit of time for music. Tempo is often listed in terms of beats per minute, and time signatures are listed in terms of beats per measure. In 4/4 time, each measure has 4 beats and each quarter note has a duration of 1 beat. A metronome often is set to click once per beat.
A set of 3 or more notes, played simultaneously or in sequence. See [[C Major Chord]].
Refers in general to a steady reduction of volume until a note is inaudible.
In terms of ADSR, refers to the length of time it takes for the signal to reach its sustaining volume from its maximum volume.
An effect that delays an input signal by an amount of time before outputting it, often with a decaying feedback loop, simulating an echo.
Can also refer to an actual echo or any other delayed signal.
Diatonic intervals or chords are those that consist of only notes from a common scale. For a major scale, there are 3 major, 3 minor, and 1 diminished diatonic chords.
In reference to intervals, the diminished 4th or diminished 5th is one half-step lower or smaller than the perfect 4th/5th. For example, C-G is a perfect 5th, but C-Gb is an diminished 5th. A chord is considered diminished if it contains a minor 3rd and diminished 5th above its root. See [[1st and 2nd Strings - Intervals]] and [[B Diminished]].
Can refer to the [[G Major Chord|Dominant Chord]] (the major chord built on the 5th note of the scale) or the harmonic function of many chords that seeks to resolve to tonic-function chords. See [[Music Theory - Diatonic Chord Progressions]].
A dotted note indicates that its duration should be 1.5x its indicated length. For example, a dotted half note lasts as long as a half note + a quarter note.
A note whose duration is 1/8 of a whole note. The actual duration in terms of beats is determined by the time signature, and its duration in terms of seconds is determined by the tempo.
Two notes with different spellings are enharmonic if their pitches are identical. For example, F{{s}} and G{{b}} are the same pitch and thus enharmonic. Similarly, keys, chords, intervals, etc can also be enharmonic if they refer to identical pitches.
Simply because 2 notes are enharmonic does not mean they can be substituted in notation and retain the same meaning. For example, G is the V chord of the C Major scale, but A{{b}}{{b}} is not, even though G and A{{b}}{{b}} are enharmonic. This has no impact on how they actually sound, only how one would analyze the piece.
Equal Temperament is a means of tuning the notes of an instrument, so that all notes are evenly spaced apart. This makes every key equally in-tune, although all intervals will be slightly off from their Just Intonation counterparts, which are more harmonic.
One meaning is used to describe a pitch that is lower than it should be. Ex. her performance sounded bad because she sang a little flat.
Another meaning is an indicator ("{{f}}") that means to lower a note by one half-step. Ex. A{{f}} is a half-step lower than A. Multiple flat symbols can be used to indicate pitches even lower. Ex. C{{f}} is the same pitch as B, while C{{f}}{{f}}{{f}} is the same pitch as A.
A note whose duration is 1/2 of a whole note. The actual duration in terms of beats is determined by the time signature, and its duration in terms of seconds is determined by the tempo.
A heptatonic (7 note) scale that consists of a tonic note and the notes above tonic with the following intervals: M2, m3, P4, P5, m6, M7. This creates the following whole/half pattern: w h w w h w+h h. A Harmonic Minor has the following notes: A B C D E F G#.
The result of combining multiple pitches simultaneously (or giving the same effect when playing them in sequence). This expands into the study of sequences or progressions of multiple pitches, often using roman numeral analysis, with diatonic chords falling into specific harmonic functions. See [[Music Theory Basics]].
A set of 2 notes, played simultaneously or in sequence. See [[1st and 2nd Strings - Intervals]].
The pitch accuracy of an instrument. Guitar intonation is affected by action, fret spacing, fret leveling, bridge height, nut height, string length, neck curvature, string gauge, and type of strings used.
A tuning system in which the relationship between different notes is represented by ratios of small whole numbers. In other words, the intervals in just intonation are as consonant or harmonic as possible. Because the pitches of these intervals will vary from key to key, an instrument can only feature just intonation in one key at a time. The further away from the just intonated key on the circle of fifths one goes, the more dissonant the instrument will sound.
For example, a M7 interval in just intonation is a 15:8 ratio of the two notes. So the just intonation A-G interval where A is 110 HZ means G is 206.25 HZ. The A-C minor third is 6:5, which means C is 132 HZ. C-G should be a P5 interval, which is 3:2. But 3:2 x 132 HZ is 198 HZ, not 206.25 HZ.
In a Major Scale, the 7th note is the leading tone (B in the key of C Major). It is called this because it tends to sound very tense, wanting to resolve to the tonic note. See [[Music Theory Basics]].
A major chord contains a root note and the notes a major 3rd and a perfect fifth above it. See [[C Major Chord]].
A heptatonic (7 note) scale that consists of a tonic note and the notes above tonic with the following intervals: M2, M3, P4, P5, M6, M7. This creates the following whole/half pattern: w w h w w w h. C Major has the following notes: C D E F G A B. See [[Music Theory Basics]].
A heptatonic (7 note) scale that consists of different notes when played ascending vs. descending, based on the Natural Minor scale. Descending the scale is identical to natural minor, but ascending uses a sharped 6 and sharped 7th note. This gives the following whole/half pattern: w h w w w w h. A Melodic Minor ascending contains the notes: A B C D E F# G#.
A series of notes expressing a musical idea. See [[Music Theory Basics]].
A minor chord contains a root note and the notes a minor 3rd and a perfect fifth above it. See [[E Minor, D Minor, and A Minor Chords]].
A heptatonic (7 note) scale that consists of a tonic note and the notes above tonic with the following intervals: M2, m3, P4, P5, m6, m7. This creates the following whole/half pattern: w h w w h w w. A (Natural) Minor has the following notes: A B C D E F G.
see also [[#Harmonic Minor Scale]] and [[#Melodic Minor Scale]]
The most basic "unit" of music. A note is comprised of a fundamental pitch and a time duration. Pitch is described in terms of letters (A, B, C, D, E, F, G) and sharps/flats ({{s}}/{{f}}). Duration is described in terms of how much of a measure the note lasts - in 4/4 time where a measure is 4 beats, a note that lasts 4 beats is a whole note, 2 beats a half note, 1 beat a quarter note, and 1/2 beat an eighth note. See [[Music Theory Basics]].
The harmonic function of a chord that serves to move towards dominant-function chords. See [[Music Theory - Diatonic Chord Progressions]].
A note whose duration is 1/4 of a whole note. The actual duration in terms of beats is determined by the time signature, and its duration in terms of seconds is determined by the tempo. This is the most common note duration, with 4 quarter notes per measure in 4/4 time.
In terms of harmony and harmonic progression, refers to the feeling of finality and completeness that occurs from moving from a dominant or tense harmony to the tonic (tension and release). In terms of ADSR, refers to the length of time it takes for the signal to become inaudible after the note is released.
The pattern of sound over time, incorporating Tempo, Time Signatures, Beats, Feels, Accents, Rests. See [[Music Theory Basics]].
One meaning is used to describe a pitch that is higher than it should be. Ex. her performance sounded bad because she sang a little sharp.
''* There is actually a double-sharp symbol that looks similar to an "x" but I don't have a good representation.''
A note whose duration is 1/16 of a whole note. The actual duration in terms of beats is determined by the time signature, and its duration in terms of seconds is determined by the tempo.
The formal name for the 4th chord in a diatonic scale. Usually serves a predominant function. See [[F Major Chord]].
In general, refers to the length of time a note endures before becoming inaudible. In terms of instruments, it can refer to the instrument's ability to sustain a note. For example, "This guitar has great sustain." In terms of ADSR, refers to the volume level of a sustained note.
The speed of a piece, describing the number of beats per minute. Usually indicated at the beginning of musical notation but can change throughout a piece. See [[Music Theory Basics]].
Describes the quality of sound from an instrument. See [[Music Theory Basics]].
Uses a fraction of whole numbers to describe a logical grouping of beats into measures and assigning how many beats each note type endures. The top number is the number of beats per measure, while the bottom number indicates what type of note lasts one beat. 4/4 time has 4 beats per measure with 1 beat = 1 quarter note. 5/4 time has 4 beats per measure with 1 beat = 1 quarter note.
For example, if a song had musical ideas that tend to last 3 beats and occasionally repeat, it would make sense to use a time signature of 3/n, so each measure contains one musical idea. See [[Music Theory Basics]].
Can refer to the 1st note of a scale, the [[C Major Chord|Tonic Chord]] (the major chord built on the 1st note of the scale), or the harmonic function of many chords that bring release to tension. See [[Music Theory - Diatonic Chord Progressions]].
The most common form of tuplet, dividing a beat (or multiple beats or subdivisions of beats by a multiple of 2) into thirds. In 4/4 time, an eighth note triplet contains 3 notes of equal duration that collectively last 1 beat.
A tuplet is a rhythm that divides the beat into equal subdivisions that cannot be represented otherwise. The number of subdivisions is given by a number (3) or ratio (5:4) over a group of beamed or bracketed notes. If a single number is used, the ratio is implied over 2 ("3" = 3:2). The denominator indicates the length of time in term of normal duration for the note used, while the numerator indicates how many subdivisions that length should be sliced into. For example, 5:4 over eighth notes means that 5 eighth notes in this tuplet should consume the same duration as 4 eighth notes normally would. 3 (or 3:2) on quarter notes means the 3 quarter note tuplet should last 2 quarter notes' length.
The most common tuplet is the triplet. For example in 4/4 time, a quarter note gets 1 beat. To divide the beat into equal halves, one can simply use 2 eighth notes. To divide the beat into equal thirds, no note duration will fit. This is where a tuplet is used, in this case a triplet. 2 eighth notes equal 1 beat. A 3 eighth note triplet fits 3 notes into the same time normally consumed by 2 eighth notes. 4 notes in one beat can be represented with sixteenth notes. 5 notes in one beat can be represented by a 5:4 sixteenth note tuplet.
A note duration. The actual duration in terms of beats is determined by the time signature, and its duration in terms of seconds is determined by the tempo. In 4/4 time, a whole note lasts a ''whole'' measure, hence ''whole'' note.
[[Category: Glossary]]