The British musical terms are placed first. They are, generally speaking, the terms used
in Australia. The American terms opposite them will be encountered in American books
so it is useful to be aware of the differences.
Note values
semi-breve – whole note
minim – half note
crotchet – quarter note
quaver – eighth note
semiquaver – sixteenth note
Rests
semi-breve rest – whole rest
minim rest – half rest
crotchet rest – quarter rest
quave rest – eighth rest
semiquaver rest – sixteenth rest
Cadences
imperfect cadence – semi-cadence, half-cadence
interrupted cadence – deceptive cadence
perfect cadence – authentic cadence
plagal cadence –[the same]
Analytical terms
common chord – triad whose fifth is perfect
complex time – asymmetric meter, composite meter
leading note – leading tone
non-essential notes – non-harmonic tones
note – tone
part writing – voice leading
primary triads – I, IV and V (major triads in a major key)
secondary triads – ii, iii and vi (relative minors of primary triads)
semitone – half step
tierce de Picardie – Picardy third
tonic minor – parallel minor
relative minor – [the same]
tonic, supertonic, mediant, subdominant, dominant, submediant - [the same]
tone – whole step
whole-tone scale –[the same]