Music+glossary

**canon** A form of musical structure in which several parts imitate each other, starting one after the other. Similar to a round but may start a fifth or an octave apart. **chord** Two or more pitches that sound together. The most common chord is a triad: three notes each a third apart; for example, a C chord consists of the notes C E G. **coda** A section that rounds off or ends a piece. Identified by the symbol
 * beat** The underlying steady pulse in music.

**compositional intention** Refers to the intent, in organising sound, to create a specific mood or feeling, and the way this is achieved. • experimenting involves playing with sound or with some aspect of familiar material, such as a phrase from a speech rhyme or song • imitating draws on good models for exploration and is an important precursor to improvisation • improvising involves spontaneously inventing musical ideas or responses • arranging involves making decisions about an existing work or adapting familiar musical material by experimenting with given ideas – for example adding parts to an existing song, deciding which instruments are best suited to particular parts • composing involves creating an original work that may develop from existing musical ideas or models and may form the basis of future experiences in improvising and arranging. **form** Refers to structure of a piece of music. Common forms are binary form (two part — AB), ternary form (three part — ABA), rondo form where the main theme alternates with contrasting episodes (eg ABACA), or the verse and chorus form of popular songs.
 * compositional processes **

**harmony** Two or more pitches sounded together. **melody** A series of pitches, ie a tune. **metre** Refers to the grouping of the beat. The beat can be grouped in any combination. Common groupings are 2, 3, 4 and 6; however, 5, 7, 8, 9

are also found. The time signature (eg ) indicates the grouping. **notational systems –** graphic and traditionalNotation refers to the way that music can be written or printed so that it can be performed by other people. Traditional notation uses the five line/four space grid to indicate the pitch, and symbols that indicate the duration of the sound. Graphic notation refers to any arrangement of visual symbols that represent sounds (eg pictures, shapes ). **ostinato** A constantly repeated pattern of rhythm and/or pitch. **percussion** Percussion instruments are instruments that are struck. They can be non-melodic or melodic. Non-melodic percussion instruments are those without definite pitch (eg woodblock); melodic percussion instruments are those with definite pitch (eg xylophone). **phrase** A short segment of a melody. **pitch contour** Pitch contour (sometimes referred to as melodic contour) describes the pattern that a series of pitches make as they create a melody. Pitch movement may move up or down in steps or leaps or may stay the same. Mapping the contour, or direction, of the pitch is an important aspect of aural development. **rhythm** Patterns of long and short sounds and silences found in music. **soundscapes** Soundscapes use a variety of sounds and sound sources (including, but not only, voices and instruments) to create a scene, express an idea, create a mood or feeling. Sometimes these can be made from sounds found in the environment and these can be termed environmental soundscapes. **tempo** The speed of the beat. Music may be relatively fast or slow and may become faster or slower. **time** signature Refer to metre.
 * patsch ** Slap thighs in time with rhythm or beat.
 * round ** A part song in which the voices sing the same melody but enter one after the other.
 * score ** A music copy that shows the whole of the music, as distinct from individual ‘parts’ which only show the music for one instrument or voice.

Creative Arts K-6 Syllabus //p 104-105//