Theory Vocabulary List Grade 5
Accidental: A chromatic sign used in front of a note to change the note from what the key signature requires or from what has occurred previously in the measure
Andante: A walking tempo
Cadence: A two-chord progression at the end of a phrase or a section in the music
Chord: Three or more tones sounding together
Chromatic Sign
Crescendo: Increasing in volume
Da Capo: A term to indicate a repeat from the beginning of the piece
Dal Segno: A term to indicate a repeat from the given sign
Decrescendo and Diminuendo: Decreasing in volume
Dominant: The fifth note of a scale, scale degree five, the fifth note above tonic
Enharmonic spelling: Using more than one spelling for the same pitch (C#-Db)
Fortissimo: Very loud
Half Step: The distance on the keyboard from one key to the very next key
Interval: The distance in pitch between two tones
Key Signature: Placement of sharps or flats at the beginning of each line of music indicating which notes are to be raised or lowered in performance of the music
Ledger Line: Lines above or below the five-line staff, to extend the staff
Legato: Play in a smooth and connected manner
Major Scale: A scale made up of whole and half steps used in ascending order:
W W H W W W H
Major Triad: A triad with a major 3rd (four half steps) between the root and third of the chord and a minor 3rd (three half steps) between the third and fifth of the chord
Mezzo Forte: Moderately loud
Mezzo Piano: Moderately soft
Moderato: A tempo a little faster than Andante
Motive/Motif: A repeated rhythmic or melodic idea, usually short and very distinctive
Natural: A chromatic sign that cancels a sharp or flat
Ornament: A note or notes added to a melody to decorate or embellish the music
Pentatonic Scale: A scale that has only five pitches
Pianissimo: Very soft
Scale Degree: An Arabic number given to each note of the ascending scale
Subdominant: The fourth note of the scale, scale degree four, a fifth below tonic
Syncopation: A rhythmic beat that does not follow the written pulse or meter; an off-beat
Tempo: The speed of steady beats, moving in time
Time Signature: Two numbers, one on top of the other, that indicate the number of beats in each measure and the type of note that receives one beat
Tonic: The first note of a scale, scale degree one, sometimes called a keynote
Tonic Triad: A triad built on the tonic/scale degree one
Tonic: A three-note chord built of thirds
Whole Step: A combination of two half steps
From the TMTA SA Theory Syllabus and Student Manual