Professional Documents
Culture Documents
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glossary
Here is a listing of musical terms used within this text, simply defined and linked back into
the text. Many of the hyperlinks from within the text come to this page. The one / two / three
/ four choices to the right of each word entry are links back into the text where the term is
used. If there is a page titled by the term, choosing choice one will take the reader there. The
two choice tries to link the vocabulary term to a melodic application if applicable. The three
choice will link the term to a harmonic application of the term. The four choice to an artistic
concept or technique where the theory of the term is applied or to a hyperlink to a www. site
of the topic. Perhaps use this page as a search engine for finding discussions regarding a
particular musical term of interest. Oh, the definitions of the numerous slang terms included
here are of course debatable based on your own locale and degree of hipness.
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one two
three four
accidental
altered
ambiance
amen effect
one two
three four
one
two
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glossary
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three four
antecedent
one two
three four
arpeggio
arrangements
the format that the performance of composition will follow, a one two
"map" of the tune, i.e., intro, head, solos, head, tag etc.
three four
slang for working out the arrangement the band will play
arrangements immediately preceding the performance of the tune,
one two
while you
generally done while on the bandstand, although greatly
wait
increasing the risk of a train wreak, seasoned players do this three four
all the time, especially on "casuals" or pick up gigs.
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artistic filters
one two
three four
artistic
license
one
two
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glossary
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three four
artistic
signature
one two
three four
atonality
one two
three four
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augmented
6th chords
aurally
one two
three four
authentic
one two
three four
ax
one two
three four
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glossary
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one two
three four
backpocket
one two
three four
bag of licks
one two
three four
ballad
Baroque
one two
three four
barre
one two
three four
bass
one two
three four
bebop
glossary
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bending
pitches
binary
one two
three four
birds' eye
one two
three four
bitonal
one two
three four
blowing
one two
three four
blue notes
the third, augmented fourth and minor seventh pitches of the one two
blues scale.
three four
blueprint
one
two
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glossary
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blues
three four
one two
three four
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one two
three four
blurring
my term to obscure the clarity, in this text usually to obscure one two
the tonal direction and defy the tonal gravity of a musical
three four
phrase.
block
one two
three four
borrow
one two
three four
bridge
one two
three four
broken chord
one two
three four
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glossary
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cacophony
one two
three four
cadence
one two
three four
cadenza
one two
three four
call and
response
one two
three four
called
slang for choosing a tune while on the bandstand. A callable one two
tune (standard) is one usually familiar to most players in the
three four
group.
capo
one two
three four
career
musician
one two
three four
casual
one two
three four
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glossary
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basis.
slang for musician / player / artist.
cell
a term that describes a musical idea that is the core idea for one two
expansion and development in musical composition / artistic
three four
work.
changes
one two
three four
chart
one two
three four
chops
one two
three four
chord
one two
three four
chord degree
one two
three four
one two
three four
cats
one
two
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glossary
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three four
chord
progression
one two
three four
chord
substitution
one two
three four
chord type
chorus
one two
three four
chromatic
one two
three four
chromatic
simply to approach each of the pitches of a musical idea by
enhancement half step above or below.
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one two
three four
one
two
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glossary
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three four
chromatic
helmet
one two
three four
chromatic
scale
one two
three four
one two
three four
chronologically
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church modes
one two
three four
classical
literature
one two
three four
clich
one two
three four
click track
one two
three four
climax
one
two
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glossary
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three four
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closure
clusters
coda
color
my term for describing a musical sound, like using the color one two
terms red or blue to describe the major or minor tonalities.
three four
color tones
any pitch used in a chord that is not part of the 3 note triad,
common slang term for upper structure chord tones of
diatonic harmony, i.e., 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th etc. and all their
alterations.
common
practice
one two
three four
one two
three four
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glossary
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one two
three four
comping
one two
three four
composing
one two
three four
compound
intervals
one two
three four
connection
consequent
the "answer" to the question or first part of a musical phrase, one two
see antecedent.
three four
consonant
one two
three four
constant
structure
one
two
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glossary
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three four
contrary
motion
contrasting
theme
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one two
three four
cool jazz
could be
one two
three four
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glossary
http://www.jacmuse.com/cover/glossary.htm#vamp
one two
three four
cover tunes
slang term for popular songs, many of which are often top
40, often found in dance band repertoires in any of the
American styles of music.
one two
three four
cycles per
second
the frequency that a pitch vibrates at, i.e., the tuning pitch A
a minor 3rd below middle C on the piano vibrates at 440
cycles per second.
one two
three four
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dc / da capo
one two
three four
deceptive
cadence
one two
three four
default
one two
three four
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glossary
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one two
three four
diatonic
one two
three four
diatonic
harmony
one two
three four
digitron
one two
three four
diminished
one two
three four
diminished
chord
one two
three four
diminished
interval
one two
three four
diminished
scale
one two
three four
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glossary
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discern
one two
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disguise
one two
three four
dissonant
one two
three four
divine
one two
three four
dominant
dominant
harmony
one two
three four
dominant
seventh
one two
three four
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glossary
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one two
three four
double stop
one two
three four
doubletime
one two
three four
drag
slang for playing slower than the tempo being employed, i.e., one two
"dragging", not keeping up with the tempo.
three four
drone
the mixing of major and minor tonal elements as found in the one two
dual tonalities blues styles, that different tonalities exist within the same
three four
grouping of pitches.
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dynamics
one two
three four
edge
one
two
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glossary
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three four
eighth note
one two
three four
elide ( d )
one two
three four
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one two
three four
encapsulate
one two
three four
environment
one two
three four
enharmonic
one two
three four
episode
one
two
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glossary
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sequence.
system of musical organization based on the division of the
equal
octave into 12 equal pitches, as a system of tuning in
temperament
practical use from roughly 1722, Bach's "Well Tempered
system
Clavier."
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three four
one two
three four
EuroAmer
attempts top encompass and describe the migration of people one two
from Europe to America over the last 500 years or so, the
three four
history of their traditions and their ways of making music.
European
musical
ancestors
one two
three four
explore
one two
three four
experiment
one two
three four
extended /
extensions
refers to chords that include pitches above the three notes of one two
the triad, see upper structure components / colortones.
three four
fake books
collections of lead sheets from various music publishers, also one two
known as "real" books.
three four
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glossary
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fermata
one two
three four
filter
one two
three four
first inversion
one two
three four
five of five
one two
three four
flat
one two
three four
form
one two
three four
formula
one two
three four
forward
motion
one two
three four
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glossary
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four finger /
four fret
one two
three four
fourth
inversion
one two
three four
function
how a particular chord type reacts within tonal gravity, chord one two
progressions etc., i.e. tonic, minor seventh or dominant chord
three four
types.
fundamental
one two
three four
funk
one two
three four
gear
one two
three four
genre
one two
three four
gillion
one two
three four
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glossary
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gig / giging
one two
three four
grace note
one two
three four
one two
three four
groove
slang for emotional and rhythmic content of a particular style one two
of music.
three four
groups of
pitches
one two
three four
guide tones
one two
three four
half cadence
one two
three four
half
diminished
chord
glossary
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half step
one two
three four
half step lead approaching the target pitch or chord from half step above or one two
in
below.
three four
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half step /
whole step
one two
three four
hardrive
one two
three four
harmonic
one two
three four
harmonic
minor scale
one two
three four
one two
three four
harmony
one two
three four
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glossary
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head
slang for the melody of a song, also denotes the top of the
form.
one two
three four
hipify
one two
three four
hills in which
my slang term ( ? ) for our planet Earth.
we live
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one two
three four
hook
slang term for the main musical motif of a composition, that one two
goofy melody lick that gets stuck in the head, the one that
three four
won't shake loose, that's a melodic "hook."
horizontal
one two
three four
hue
one two
three four
hyperlink
perhaps the most important symbol / device ever devised by one two
humankind to record a word or concept, allowing ideas to be
three four
connected with other ideas with the click of a button.
imperfect
one two
three four
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glossary
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improvise
one two
three four
in the lead
one two
three four
incomplete
a chord voicing where the lowest pitch of the chord or root is one two
omitted.
three four
indigenous
one two
three four
individualizing creating an educational curriculum for each person based on one two
instruction
their own needs and unique ways of learning.
three four
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indy
one two
three four
inside
one two
three four
interval
one two
three four
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glossary
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intervallic
symmetry
one two
three four
intonation
one two
three four
intro
one two
three four
inversions
chord voicings where the lowest pitch of the chord is not the one two
named root of the chord i.e, third, fifth, seventh degree as the
three four
bass pitch etc.
invert
inverted pedal
diatonic common tone in top voice of a chord progression.
tone
one two
three four
jamm
one two
three four
jamm loop
as used here within this text, a play along midi sound file.
one two
three four
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glossary
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jam session
one two
three four
jass
one two
three four
jazz
one two
three four
jazz mantra
one two
three four
just
intonation
one two
three four
kaboom
one two
three four
key
one two
three four
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glossary
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lay out
slang term meaning "not to play", i.e., to lay out of the mix.
one two
three four
lead
one two
three four
leader
one two
three four
lead sheets
one two
three four
leading tone
the pitch a half step below the tonic, the 7th degree of the
major scale.
one two
three four
leap
one two
three four
learning
block
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glossary
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one two
three four
learning style
legato
lick
one two
three four
literature
one two
three four
localized
position
one two
three four
loops of
pitches
one two
three four
lute
one two
three four
major scale
one two
three four
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glossary
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major
tonality,
describes the color of music that is based upon the major
major tonal triad, major scale, Ionian mode etc.
environment
one two
three four
making the
changes
slang for when an emerging artist / soloist clearly articulates one two
the harmony ( changes ) in their lines.
three four
master of
disguise
one two
three four
master of the describes music where an experienced listener can accurately one two
obvious
guess where the music is going.
three four
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measure
numbers
one two
three four
mediant
one two
three four
melodic
minor scale
one two
three four
melodic
one
two
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glossary
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substitution
substitutions.
three
four
melody
one two
three four
metronome
one two
three four
midden
one two
three four
middle
register
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one two
three four
glossary
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electronic setting.
modal blues
modern
modes
one two
three four
modulate
one two
three four
mon ami
one two
three four
one two
three four
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one two
three four
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glossary
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motif /
motive
Motown
movable
shapes
usually applied to guitar, where a scale or chord shape can be one two
moved intact up and down the fingerboard, as opposed say to
three four
open string shapes etc.
multiphonics
one two
three four
music
software
one two
three four
musical
evolution
one two
three four
one two
three four
morph
one
two
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glossary
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three four
one two
three four
musical
intervals
one two
three four
natural minor from the Aeolian mode, also major / relative minor.
one two
three four
nature /
nurture
one two
three four
one two
three four
n'est pas?
one two
three four
non diatonic
one two
three four
note
one
two
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glossary
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three four
octave
octave
closure
the principle by which a seven note scale becomes 8 with the one two
inclusion of the root's octave to create the looping closure of
three four
equal tempered resources.
offbeat
open chords
one two
three four
oral
one two
three four
organic
one two
three four
ostinato bass this term is borrowed from the European classical cats and
simply implies a simple rhythmic figure that is repeated
figure
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one two
three four
one
two
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glossary
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three four
outro
one two
three four
outside
one two
three four
overtones
one two
three four
overtone
series
palette
parent scale
parallel
motion
one two
three four
one two
three four
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glossary
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parody
one two
three four
partials
one two
three four
passing tones
one two
three four
passing chord
one two
three four
pedagogy
one two
three four
pedal tones
one two
three four
one two
three four
pentatonic
scale
one two
three four
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glossary
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penultimate
one two
three four
perfect
one two
three four
perfect
intervals
the first three intervals derived from the overtone series, the
octave, perfect 5th and perfect 4th.
one two
three four
perfectly
invert
one two
three four
performance the mood, form, tonality and rhythms of a particular piece of one two
vehicle
music, creating categories such as a ballad, swing Latin etc. three four
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period
permutation
one two
three four
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glossary
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phrase
one two
three four
phrasing
one two
three four
Picardy third
one two
three four
pick up note
one two
three four
pivot chord
a term used to describe the chord used to move from one key
one two
center to another, most often a dominant type chord which
contains pitches of the key center the music is modulating
three four
towards.
plagel
planing
(plane - ing)
describes moving one chord voicing by half step, whole step one two
etc.
three four
one two
three four
one two
three four
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glossary
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hang out.
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polyphony
one two
three four
polytonality
one two
three four
popular
one two
three four
position
one two
three four
post bop
a period in jazz history after bebop, the music characterized one two
by more complex cycles of chords and modulation to distant
three four
key centers.
pour moi
one two
three four
pour toi
one two
three four
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glossary
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pre-knuckle
one two
three four
principle
triads
the One, Four and Five triads / chords of the major and
minor tonalities.
one two
three four
public
one two
three four
quarter note
one two
three four
quartile
one two
three four
quote
one two
three four
range
one two
three four
realization
one two
three four
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glossary
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real book
one two
three four
real time
one two
three four
registration
one two
three four
reharmonization
one two
three four
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relative minor
one two
three four
resolve
one two
three four
retrograde
one
two
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glossary
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three four
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rhythm
changes
a set of stock chord changes used for writing tunes such as "I one two
Got Rhythm and "Oleo."
three four
ride
one two
three four
ride time
one two
three four
riff
one two
three four
ritard
one two
three four
right on it
one two
three four
roll
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glossary
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Roman
numerals
root
fundamental pitch of a chord, also used in naming the chord, one two
i.e. C is the root of a C major chord.
three four
root position
a chord whose identifying pitch is the root or lowest pitch of one two
the chord.
three four
rubato
running
one two
three four
rush
one two
three four
samba
one two
three four
scales
one two
three four
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glossary
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scale degree
scat
one two
three four
second
inversion
one two
three four
secondary
dominant
chord
one two
three four
segue
(segway)
sequence
serialist
seventh chord
one two
three four
one
two
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glossary
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three four
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shape
one two
three four
sharp
one two
three four
shedding
one two
three four
sheets of
sound
one two
three four
one two
three four
one two
three four
shred
shuffle
slang for a blues groove usually in 12 / 8, using a triplet feel one two
to motor the basic groove.
three four
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glossary
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sideman
one two
three four
single
one two
three four
simple
intervals
one two
three four
sittin in
one two
three four
slide
softening /
softer
my slang for the gradual obscuring of a musical color and it's one two
tonal direction by the addition of various color tones.
three four
softening
process
one two
three four
soloing
one two
three four
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glossary
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sonority
one two
three four
staccato
one two
three four
staff
one two
three four
stand
one two
three four
standard
one two
three four
standard
tuning
one two
three four
static
one two
three four
stepwise
one two
three four
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glossary
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stoptime
one two
three four
storyline
one two
three four
stretch out
extended soloing.
one two
three four
strength of
player
one two
three four
subdivision
common term used to describe the division of a musical beat one two
or pulse into smaller units.
three four
subdominant
the diatonic fourth scale degree of the major / relative minor one two
groups of pitches, harmony built on the fourth scale degree. three four
substitution
one two
three four
sussing out
one two
three four
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glossary
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swing
one two
three four
symmetrical
scales
one two
three four
tag
one two
three four
taking it out
one two
three four
target chord
one two
three four
tear it up
one two
three four
techno
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glossary
http://www.jacmuse.com/cover/glossary.htm#vamp
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one two
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tempered
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tempo
the pulse rate of the music, the rate at which the musical
sounds move through time, i.e., fast or slow etc.
one two
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tensions
one two
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tertian
one two
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testimony
one two
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tetrachord
one two
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text
glossary
http://www.jacmuse.com/cover/glossary.htm#vamp
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third and
seventh
the two pitches within a seventh chord that determines chord one two
quality.
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third degree
one two
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third
inversion
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timbre
one two
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time signature
one two
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tonal
one two
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tonal
my term for the overall feel and color created by a piece of
environment music.
one two
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tonal
resources
one two
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glossary
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tonality
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tonal center
one two
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one two
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the degree to which any given chord color creates the aural
tonal stability sensation of being at rest, oftentimes created by tonic
function chords.
one two
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tone row
one two
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tonic
one two
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tonic chord
one two
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top
one
two
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glossary
http://www.jacmuse.com/cover/glossary.htm#vamp
three four
the current listing of the 40 most popular songs in America
at any given second.
one two
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one two
three four
traditional
harmony
one two
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train wreck
slang for when the players in the group make a series of bad
choices while performing, usually resulting in unplanned,
one two
temporary musical chaos, train wrecks are oftentimes found
at the end of performing a musical piece, see "arrangements three four
while you wait" from above.
transcribe
one two
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transpose
one two
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treble clef
one
top 40
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two
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glossary
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three four
triad
one two
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triplets
one two
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tritone
tritone
substitute
one two
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tune
one
three
turn
turnaround
two
four
one two
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glossary
http://www.jacmuse.com/cover/glossary.htm#vamp
two chord
up front
upper
structure
in this text, chord tones found above the seventh, i.e., the
9th, 11th, and 13th chord degrees.
one two
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one two
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vanilla
slang for any generic realization of a musical element, i.e., a one two
chord voicing of root, third, fifth and seventh, scales right
three four
out of the box etc.
vehicle
one two
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glossary
http://www.jacmuse.com/cover/glossary.htm#vamp
one two
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vertical
one two
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vibrato
adding a slight vacillation to the pitch which can increase the one two
emotional expression of the players statement, i.e., warming
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up the tone.
a term used to describe how the pitches (voices) of one chord one two
voice leading merge into another, derived from the early music of voices,
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soprano ( top ), alto, tenor and bass ( lowest ).
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voicing
one two
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walking
one two
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waltz
one two
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whammy bar
one
two
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glossary
http://www.jacmuse.com/cover/glossary.htm#vamp
three four
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well
western
music
in this text, slang for any and all music created with the
equal temperament system of tonal organization as it's
basis,this term is often applied in music as is the term
one two
western civilization in historical contexts, meaning all of the
history and peoples that date back to the ancient Greeks and three four
forward from there, through the settling of Europe and onto
America.
western
harmony
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whole step
one two
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whole tone
one two
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whole tone
scale
one two
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one two
three four
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glossary
http://www.jacmuse.com/cover/glossary.htm#vamp
wolf tones
one two
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woodshed
one two
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"I got no dime but I got some time to hear a story." Robert Hunter /
Jerry Garcia
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