The Complete Idiot''s Guide to Music Theory

(National Geographic (Little) Kids) #1

The Complete Idiot’s Music Glossary 269


key A combination of a tonic and a mode. For example, the key of F Major
has F as the tonic and major as the mode.


key signature The sharps or flats that are placed at the beginning of a staff to
indicate the key of the music.


larghetto Tempo marking for a slow tempo, slightly faster than largo.


largo Tempo marking for a slow and dignified tempo.


lead sheet A piece of sheet music that contains a single staff for the melody,
with the accompanying chords written above the staff.


leading tone The note that is a half step below the tonic; thus leads up to the
tonic.


lento Tempo marking for a slow tempo.


Locrian mode A (theoretical) mode starting on the seventh degree of the
corresponding major scale. See mode.


Lydian mode A mode starting on the fourth degree of the corresponding
major scale. See mode.


major The most common mode, consisting of the following intervals: whole-
whole-half-whole-whole-whole-half.


major chord A chord with a major third (1-3-5).


major seventh chord A major triad with a major seventh added (1-3-5-7).


measure A group of beats, indicated by the placement of bar lines on the
staff.


mediant The third degree of a scale, or a chord built on that degree (III).


melody The combination of tone and rhythm in a logical sequence.


meter The organization of beats and their divisions.


mezzo forte Medium loud. (Abbreviated as mf.)


mezzo piano Medium soft. (Abbreviated as mp.)


microtone An interval smaller than a semitone, prevalent in some non-
Western music and twentieth-century art music.


minor One of three modes, each with a flatted third of the scale. Natural minor
is identical to Aeolian mode, with the following intervals: whole-half-whole-whole-
half-whole-whole. Harmonic minor contains the following intervals: whole-
half-whole-whole-half-whole-half-half. Melodic minor is different ascending
and descending; ascending, the intervals are whole-half-whole-whole-whole-
whole-half, whereas descending it uses the same intervals as natural minor.


minor chord A chord with a minor third (1-3-5).


minor seventh chord A minor chord with a minor seventh added (1-3-5-7).


Mixolydian mode A mode starting on the fifth degree of the corresponding
major scale. See mode.


mode (1) A series of notes that indicate the structure of a major or minor
scale key or piece. (2) A set of scales, based on centuries-old music that pre-
ceded today’s major and minor scales; these include the Dorian, Phrygian,
Lydian, Mixolydian, Ionian, Locrian, and Aeolian modes.

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