Kirkpatrick 1
AP MUSIC THEORY STUDY GUIDE
Max Kirkpatrick 5/10/08
FORM- ways in which composition is shaped
Cadence– a harmonic goal, specifically the chords used at the goal
Cadential extension- delay of cadence by addition of material
Coda- conclusion of composition
Codetta- marks end of sonatas, ends in perfect cadence
Contour- shape of the melody
• Conjunct- stepwise
• Disjunct- with leaps
• Focal point- highest note of the melody
Countermelody- accompanying melody sounding against the principle melody
Elision (phrase elision)- when last note of one phrase serves as first note of next phrase
Introduction- section which opens a movement, establishes melodic, harmonic, and/or
rhythmic elements
Jazz and pop terms
• Bridge- contrasting section which also prepares for the return of the original
material section
• Chorus (refrain)- line or lines that are repeated
• Song form (AABA)- most popular structure
• Turnaround- passage at end of a section which leads to the next section, often
repetition of previous section
• Twelve-bar blues- three four-bar phrases, aab or abc pattern, most commonly
I|I|I|I|IV|IV|I|I|V|IV|I|I|
Melodic procedures
• Fragmentation- division of a musical idea into segments
• Internal expansion- phrase extends beyond the expected phrase length
• Inversion- any arrangement of chord other than root position
o Root position- 1 in bass
o First inversion- 3 in bass
o Second inversion- 5 in bass
o Third inversion- 7 in bass (n/a for triads)
• Literal repetition- sequences are repeated, indicated by repeat sign, capo, or
segno
• Motivic transformation- rhythmic theme is changed
o Augmentation- multiplication
o Diminution- division
o Retrograde- backwards
o Extension- addition
o Truncation- subtraction
• Octave displacement- taking a melodic line and moving some of the notes into a
different octave
• Sequence- pattern that is repeated immediately in the same voice but that begins
on a different pitch class
o Tonal sequence- keeps pattern in single key, interval modifiers (major,
minor, etc.) change (C-D-E to D-E-F)
o Real sequence- transposes pattern to new key (C-D-E to D-E-F#)
o Modified sequence- neither tonal nor real
o Circle-of-fifths progression- series of roots related by descending 5ths
(and/or ascending 4ths)
• Transposition- to write or play music in some key other than the original
Motive- smallest identifiable musical idea, can consist of pitch pattern, rhythmic pattern,
or both
• Phrase- relatively independent musical idea terminated by a cadence
• Subphrase- distinct portion of a phrase, usually not terminated by cadence
Period- two or more phrases in antecedent-consequent relationship, ends in cadence
• Antecedent- “question,” first phrase in a period
• Consequent- “answer,” terminal phrase in a period
• Parallel period- both phrases begin with similar material
• Contrasting period- period in which phrase beginnings are not similar
• Three-phrase period- three different phrases, 2A/1C or 1A/2C
• Double period- four phrases in two pairs, cadence at end of second pair is
stronger than cadence at the end of the first pair
o Parallel- melodic material that begins two halves similar
o Contrasting- melodic material that begins two halves different
• Repeated phrase/period- two identical phrases
Phrase group- group of phrases seem to belong together without forming period or
