Music glossary
The terms used across Tonavox, each explained in one line.
47 terms
- Accidental
A sign that raises or lowers a note: sharp, flat, natural, doubles.
See: Notes, accidentals and enharmonics →- Arpeggio
A chord’s notes played one after another.
See: Chords and progressions →- Augmented
One half step larger than major or perfect. Augmented chord: two major 3rds.
See: Chords and progressions →- Bar / time signature
Group of beats between two bar lines. The time signature says how many beats and of which value.
See: Note values, rests and time signatures →- Bar line
Vertical line that separates bars.
See: Note values, rests and time signatures →- Beat
The regular pulse of music, what you tap your foot to.
See: Note values, rests and time signatures →- Cents
Hundredths of a half step, used to measure how in tune a note is.
- Chord
Three or more notes sounding together.
See: Chords and progressions →- Clef
Symbol at the start of the staff that fixes the name of one line (G, F or C).
See: Staff and clefs →- Diminished
One half step smaller than minor or perfect. Diminished chord: two minor 3rds.
See: Chords and progressions →- Dominant
The 5th degree (V). Creates tension that wants to return to the tonic.
See: Chords and progressions →- Dot
A dot after a note that adds half its value.
See: Note values, rests and time signatures →- Eighth note
Note value lasting half a quarter-note beat.
See: Note values, rests and time signatures →- Enharmonic
Two names for the same sound, like C♯ and D♭.
See: Notes, accidentals and enharmonics →- Flat
The ♭ sign that lowers a note by a half step.
See: Notes, accidentals and enharmonics →- Half note
Note value lasting two quarter-note beats.
See: Note values, rests and time signatures →- Half step
The smallest distance on the piano: from one key to the next.
See: Notes, accidentals and enharmonics →- Interval
The distance between two notes.
See: Intervals →- Inversion
A chord with a note other than the root in the bass.
See: Chords and progressions →- Key
The scale and key signature a piece is built on.
See: Scales, modes and keys →- Key signature
Sharps or flats at the start of the staff that apply to the whole piece.
See: Scales, modes and keys →- Ledger line
Short line for notes above or below the staff.
See: Staff and clefs →- Mode
A scale using another scale’s notes from a different starting degree (Dorian, Lydian…).
See: Scales, modes and keys →- Natural
The ♮ sign that cancels a sharp or flat.
See: Notes, accidentals and enharmonics →- Note value
The shape of a note, which shows its duration.
See: Note values, rests and time signatures →- Octave
A 12-half-step interval: the same note, higher or lower.
See: Intervals →- Off-beat
A note on the weak part of the beat, with a rest on the strong part.
See: Subdivision, syncopation and triplets →- Perfect
The quality of 4ths, 5ths and octaves in their natural form.
See: Intervals →- Progression
A series of chords, like I–IV–V–I.
See: Chords and progressions →- Quarter note
Note value that usually gets one beat.
See: Note values, rests and time signatures →- Relative key
A major and minor key sharing a key signature (C major – A minor).
See: Scales, modes and keys →- Rest
A sign for a length of silence.
See: Note values, rests and time signatures →- Root
The note a chord is built on.
See: Chords and progressions →- Scale
A series of notes in order following a pattern of whole and half steps.
See: Scales, modes and keys →- Scale degree
A note’s position in the scale (I, II, III…).
See: Chords and progressions →- Sharp
The ♯ sign that raises a note by a half step.
See: Notes, accidentals and enharmonics →- Sixteenth note
Note value lasting a quarter of a quarter-note beat.
See: Note values, rests and time signatures →- Staff
Five lines and four spaces where notes are written.
See: Staff and clefs →- Subdivision
Splitting the beat into equal parts to count precisely.
See: Subdivision, syncopation and triplets →- Syncopation
A note starting on a weak part and holding over the strong one.
See: Subdivision, syncopation and triplets →- Tempo
The speed of the beat, in beats per minute (BPM).
- Tie
Curve joining two notes of the same pitch into one longer note.
See: Note values, rests and time signatures →- Tonic
The first note of the scale: the point of rest.
See: Scales, modes and keys →- Triad
Three-note chord in thirds: root, 3rd and 5th.
See: Chords and progressions →- Triplet
Three notes in the time of two.
See: Subdivision, syncopation and triplets →- Whole note
Note value lasting four quarter-note beats.
See: Note values, rests and time signatures →- Whole step
Two half steps.
See: Notes, accidentals and enharmonics →