AP Music Theory Latest Update
Graded A+
What term is used to describe the performance style or mood conveyed by a piece of music?
✔✔ Character
What is the term for a musical passage where the same rhythm is applied to different notes?
✔✔ Hemiola
What term refers to a brief musical passage that introduces a theme or musical idea?
✔✔ Introduction
What term describes a form where a theme is stated and then contrasted with a different section?
✔✔ Binary form
What is the term for a section of music that recurs at regular intervals throughout a composition?
✔✔ Refrain
1
,What is the term for the process of changing the tonality of a musical passage?
✔✔ Modulation
What term refers to a note that is added to a chord to create a richer harmonic sound?
✔✔ Added tone
What is the term for a melodic or harmonic note that is played at a higher or lower pitch than
expected?
✔✔ Appogiatura
What term is used to describe the relationship between two or more different keys in a
composition?
✔✔ Tonal harmony
What is the term for the speed at which a piece of music is played?
✔✔ Tempo
What term describes the volume at which music is played?
2
,✔✔ Dynamics
What is the term for a melody that is repeated at a higher or lower pitch?
✔✔ Sequence
What term refers to the grouping of beats into regular patterns?
✔✔ Meter
What is the term for the key note in a piece of music that provides the sense of tonal center?
✔✔ Tonic
What term refers to the organization of pitches in a musical composition?
✔✔ Harmony
What term is used to describe the shape or direction of a melody?
✔✔ Contour
What is the term for the interval between two notes that are eight steps apart?
3
, ✔✔ Octave
What term is used to describe a gradual increase in volume?
✔✔ Crescendo
What is the term for the distance between two notes, measured in pitch?
✔✔ Interval
What term describes a smooth and connected style of playing?
✔✔ Legato
What is the term for a musical texture where one melody is played against a single
accompaniment?
✔✔ Homophony
What is the term for a note that is sustained for a longer duration than usual?
✔✔ Fermata
4
Graded A+
What term is used to describe the performance style or mood conveyed by a piece of music?
✔✔ Character
What is the term for a musical passage where the same rhythm is applied to different notes?
✔✔ Hemiola
What term refers to a brief musical passage that introduces a theme or musical idea?
✔✔ Introduction
What term describes a form where a theme is stated and then contrasted with a different section?
✔✔ Binary form
What is the term for a section of music that recurs at regular intervals throughout a composition?
✔✔ Refrain
1
,What is the term for the process of changing the tonality of a musical passage?
✔✔ Modulation
What term refers to a note that is added to a chord to create a richer harmonic sound?
✔✔ Added tone
What is the term for a melodic or harmonic note that is played at a higher or lower pitch than
expected?
✔✔ Appogiatura
What term is used to describe the relationship between two or more different keys in a
composition?
✔✔ Tonal harmony
What is the term for the speed at which a piece of music is played?
✔✔ Tempo
What term describes the volume at which music is played?
2
,✔✔ Dynamics
What is the term for a melody that is repeated at a higher or lower pitch?
✔✔ Sequence
What term refers to the grouping of beats into regular patterns?
✔✔ Meter
What is the term for the key note in a piece of music that provides the sense of tonal center?
✔✔ Tonic
What term refers to the organization of pitches in a musical composition?
✔✔ Harmony
What term is used to describe the shape or direction of a melody?
✔✔ Contour
What is the term for the interval between two notes that are eight steps apart?
3
, ✔✔ Octave
What term is used to describe a gradual increase in volume?
✔✔ Crescendo
What is the term for the distance between two notes, measured in pitch?
✔✔ Interval
What term describes a smooth and connected style of playing?
✔✔ Legato
What is the term for a musical texture where one melody is played against a single
accompaniment?
✔✔ Homophony
What is the term for a note that is sustained for a longer duration than usual?
✔✔ Fermata
4
