Quiz Bowl Music Theory
Scales
C# D# F# G# A#
C D E F G A B
How to do scale problems quickly:
Write down the twelve tones, which can be remembered from the piano keyboard. To not have to think, just write
down the letters A through G twice each, except B and E only once each, and sharp the second of each repeat.
A A# B C C# D D# E F F# G G#
If the question requires flats instead of sharps, write down the letters A through G twice each, except C and F
only once each, and flat the first of each repeat.
Ab A Bb B C Db D Eb E F Gb G
Each step from one to the next is a semitone step.
Memorize the patterns of the scales, where W = whole step (move two semitones), H = half step (move one
semitone), A = augmented second (move three semitones):
Major: WWHWWWH
Natural Minor: WHWWHWW
Harmonic Minor: WHWWHAH
Ascending Melodic Minor: WHWWWWH
Descending Melodic Minor: WWHWWHW
Chromatic: HHHHHHHHHHHH
Pentatonic: WWAWA
Whole-Tone: WWWWWWW
Examples of Scales
starting on C, C#, Ab, E:
Major:
C D E F G A B C
C#
D# F F# G# A# C C#
Ab Bb C Db Eb F G Ab
E F# G# A B C# D# E
Natural Minor:
C D D# F G G# A# C
C# D# E F# G# A B C#
Ab Bb B Db Eb E Gb Ab
E F# G A B C D E
Harmonic Minor:
C D D# F G G# B C
C# D# E F# G# A C C#
Ab Bb B Db Eb E G Ab
E F# G A B C D# E
Melodic Minor (ascending and descending):
C D D# F G A B C C A# G# G F D# D C
C# D# E F# G# A# C C# C# B A G# F# E D# C#
Ab Bb B Db Eb F G Ab Ab Gb E Eb Db B Bb Ab
E F# G A B C# D# E E D C B A G Gb E
Chromatic:
C C# D D# E F F# G G# A A# B C
C#
D D# E F F# G G# A A# B C C#
Ab A Bb B C Db D Eb E F Gb G Ab
E F F# G G# A A# B C C# D D# E
Pentatonic:
C D E G A C
C# D# F G# A# C#
Ab Bb C Eb F Ab
E Gb Ab B Db E
Whole-Tone:
C D E F# G# A# C
C# D# F G A B C#
Ab Bb C D E Gb Ab (equivalent to first)
E F# G# A# C D E (equivalent to first)
Frequency Ratios of the Intervals
second (e.g. C to D) - 1 1/8
third (e.g. C to E) - 1 1/4
fourth (e.g. C to F) - 1 1/3
fifth (e.g. C to G) - 1 1/2
sixth (e.g. C to next A) - 1 2/3
seventh (e.g. C to next B) - 1 7/8
eighth (octave) (e.g. C to next C) - 2
Intervals and Chords
An interval can be called major or minor. For example, C to E is a major third because there are two whole steps
between C and E. E to G is a minor third because there is a whole step and a half step between E and G.
The basic triad is a fifth interval, formed by superimposing two conjunct thirds, one major and one minor. For
example, C-E-G is a fifth, made of C-E (a major third) and E-G (a minor third). A third third can be added to make
a seventh, which will be a major or minor chord depending on the type of the third third. C-E-G-B would be a
major seventh; C-E-G-Bb would be a minor seventh. Ninth chords are also often used.
Musical Sound
Pitch
pitch - frequency of vibration of the sound wave
concert pitch - defines middle A (the A above middle C) as 440 Hz, sounded by oboe as orchestra tunes up
international pitch - defines middle A as 435 Hz, used in some pianos to reduce strain
philharmonic pitch - defines middle A as 438 or 439 Hz, often used for chamber music
equal temperament - tuning system in which small variations in the frequency ratios of the intervals are
eliminated by dividing the octave into twelve equal semitones, allowing keyboard instruments to play
scales in any key; an early advocate of this system was Bach
Rhythm
rhythm - the placement of sounds in time
tempo - the speed at which notes are played
time - the tempo and/or beat pattern
meter - rhythmic pattern constituted by the grouping of basic temporal units called beats into regular units
called bars
metronome - an adjustable timekeeping device designed to beat from 40 to 208 times per minute, to help
play the correct tempo; invented by Johann Maelzel; M.M. b = 96 would mean to play quarter notes at
the rate of 96 per minute
syncopation - an accent that works against the prevailing meter, such as stressing a beat that would be weak
according to the metrical pattern
rubato - ("robbed") a slight deviation from the standard tempo of a piece of music
Timbre
tone quality or tone color or timbre - the total complement of simultaneous motions enacted by any medium
during its vibration; the distinctive quality of a sound characteristic of its source (i.e., how you can tell
apart a flute and a violin regardless of what pitch they are playing); caused mainly by the source's
characteristic overtones, which is the partial vibrations of the vibrating body at frequency ratios to the
fundamental frequency vibration
Composition
chord - the vertical (on the staff) collection of tones sounded simultaneously
harmony - the use of chords in music
melody - the horizontal (on the staff) succession of tones that constitutes a "tune"
counterpoint - the interplay of multiple melodies in music
polyphony - a style of musical composition in which two or more independent melodies are juxtaposed in
harmony
tonic - the fundamental note of the key in which a piece of music is played; it can be reinforced with
chords having the tonic base; the first note of the scale
dominant - the fifth tone of a scale, or a chord built on the fifth tone
triad - a chord of three tones consisting of the root, a third, and a fifth; may be major, minor, diminished, or
augmented in form
motive - the shortest melodic idea that forms a relatively complete musical unit
phrase - one or more repeated or varied motives; a larger time unit with a more defnitie sense of ending,
corresponding roughly to a sentence in language
subject - a melodic phrase on which a composition or a part of a composition is based
leitmotifs - "leading motives" that represent people, objects, concepts, etc.
cadence - a musical chord sequence moving to a harmonic close or point of rest and giving the sense of
harmonic completion
coda - a concluding passage that brings the composition to a proper ending
arpeggio - a chord, the tones of which are played successively in a quick and regular manner
modulation - the transition from one key to another within a composition
Musical Notation
chromatic symbols - sharp (half tone above written note), flat (half tone below written note), and cancel (to
play note as written when it is on a line or space marked by a sharp or flat)
clefs - treble (or G clef, since curl starts on G), bass (or F clef, since curl starts on F), C clef
leger lines - lines that prolong the staff, such as the line for middle C
measure - units of notes on the staff, separated by bars, which contain a complete beat pattern; there is one
principle accent per measure
neumes - in early music (c. 9th to 11th century), symbols placed above syllables of words to indicate pitch
and rhythm
notes - whole (open circle), half (open circle with stem), quarter (filled circle with stem), eighth (filled
circle with stem with one flag), sixteenth (two flags), thirty-second (three flags), sixty-fourth (four flags);
a dot after a note extends its length by one-half (150% of non-dotted value)
rests - whole (bar below line), half (bar above line), quarter (two interlocking flags), eighth (stem with one
flag), sixteenth (two flags), thirty-second (three flags), sixty-fourth (four flags)
slur - a curved line (longer than a tie) placed over groups of notes to indicated phrasing (i.e., a breath group
for singing)
staff - the five horizontal parallel lines that, with a clef, indicate the pitches of notes; bottom line of a
treble-cleff staff is E, bottom line of a bass-cleff staff is G
tie - a curved line connected two identical notes, which represents a prolonged value for the note
time signature - bottom number indicates what note gets a beat; top number indicates how many beats per
measure; for a waltz, 3/4 time means there are three quarter-notes (or some rhythmic equivalent) per
measure; for a foxtrot, 4/4 time means there are four quarter-notes (or some rhythmic equivalent) per
measure
Musical Forms
aria - in opera, an important lyric solo with instrumental accompaniment
ballad - a short narrative folk song, sometimes with an abab rhyme scheme
ballet - the music for a dance performed by one or more persons, whose movements are descriptive of an
idea or emotion
cantata - a short composition for solo voices and chorus, usually setting forth a brief narrative
chamber music - music composed for small ensembles of instrumentalists
concento - a composition usually for a solo instrument and orchestra, corresponding gnerally in form to the
sonata
etude - a composition intended for training or testing the performer's technical skill
fantasia - a composition characterized by very free treatment of musical materials
foxtrot - a dance in 4/4 time
fugue - a composition characterized by the systematic imitation of one main theme in simultaneously
sounding melodic lines (counterpoint), which make up its texture; various "voices" "answer" the
initial theme "exposition"
gigue - a lively court dance with melodic lines in rapidly moving groups of three eighth notes
madrigal - a contrapuntal vocal composition of the 15th, 16th, or 17th centuries with secular words
mazurka - a spirited Polish dance in 3/8 or 3/4 time
minuet - a musical form in 3/4 time to accompany the small, light steps of a dignified dance
motet - a vocal composition in contrapuntal style, usually without instrumental accompaniment, usually in
conjunction with a sacred text
nocturne - a composition, generally for the piano, in a tranquil and dreamlike mood
opera - a major form of musical drama with voice and orchestral accompaniment
operetta - a lighter form of opera in which much of the action is expressed by spoken words
oratorio - a composition similar to an opera but founded on a Biblical theme and usually given without
action or scenery
overture - an introductory part to an opera or other musical work
polka - a sprightly dance in 2/4 time; originated in Bohemia
prelude - an introduction to prepare for succeeding parts of a composition
program music - music that is descriptive or tells a story
quartet - a composition in sonata form for four performers
rhapsody - a free type of composition often based on folk songs or other national music
rondo - a composition characterized by the initial statement and periodic restatement of a particular
melody, the various appearances of which are separated by contrasting material; most follow either the
five-part abaca or seven-part abacaba plan
sonata - a composition characterized by three or four movements, usually contrasting in rhythm and mood
but related in tonality; various forms have been used throughout history, but one of the most common,
used by Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven, has three movements of the pattern fast - slow - fast; some
feature a single keyboard instrument but some involve several instruments equally
sonata form - a musical form generally used for the first (allegro) movement of many types of
compositions; it consists of three parts: an exposition, in which two or more themes are stated, a
development, in which one or both themes are elaborated and developed, and a recapitulation, in which
both themes are again given in their original form and followed by a concluding coda
suite - a group of self-contained instrumental movements of varying character, usually in the same key;
historically, many suites are of dance music
symphonic poem - a relatively elaborate work in one movement, of descriptive character
symphony - a lengthy form of musical composition for orchestra, usually consisting of several large
sections, or movements, at least one of which probably employs sonata form; many variations of
form used throughout history
waltz - a ballroom dance in 3/4 time
Musical Instruments
Highest and Lowest Pitches
|
Lowest Pitch |
Highest Pitch |
|
|
Brasses |
tuba |
trumpet |
|
Woodwinds |
contrabassoon |
piccalo |
|
Strings |
double bass |
violin |
|
Male voice |
bass |
tenor |
|
Female voice |
contralto |
soprano |
Classification by acoustical properties - what vibrates to produce the sound
idiophones - solid, instrinsically sonorous objects, such as bells, gongs, xylophone, celesta,
cymbals, castanets
membranophones - taut membranes that vibrate, such as drums
aerophones - enclosed or free masses of air vibrate, such as traverse-blowns (flutes, piccolo), free
reeds (harmonica, accordion), single reeds (clarinet and saxophone), double reeds (oboe, English
horn, bassoon, contrabassoon), and lip-vibrateds (brass instruments, including trumpet, French
horn, trombone, tuba)
chordophones - stretched strings, such as zithers, keyboard chordophones (piano, clavichord,
harpsichord), harps and lyres, and plucked and bowed lutes (plucked: banjo, guitar, mandolin;
bowed: violin, viola, cello, double bass)
electrophones - oscillating electronic circuits, such as telharmonium, theremin, synthesizers
A string quartet, commonly used for chamber music, consists of two violins, a cello, and a viola
Musical Directions
Tempo
From slow to fast:
largo
grave
lento
adagio
andante
moderato
alegro
presto
prestissimo
ritardando - becoming slower
accelerando - becoming faster
giusto - strictly
rubato - freely
mosso - with motion
Dynamics
piano - soft
forte - loud
mezzo - medium
crescendo - becoming louder
diminuendo - becoming softer