Term	Definition
4/4 time	Time signature that indicates that there are four beats to a bar and the quarter-note gets one beat. Also, called simple quadruple.
Bar	A grouping of beats contained within bar lines; also called a measure.
Beat	A steady pulse.
Eighth-note	A note that is held for one-half of a beat.
Eighth rest	Indication of a period of silence lasting for one-half of a beat.
Form	The structure of a piece of music. In music, the arrangement of repetition and/or contrast.
Half-note	A note that is held for two beats in simple time.
Half Rest	Indication of a period of silence lasting two beats in simple time.
Melodic ostinato	A repeated melodic pattern.
Note	A symbol that represents the number of beats in simple time.
Ostinato	An identifiable rhythmic or tonal pattern repeated persistently.
Phrase	A group of sounds that has a beginning, middle, and end. A recognizable division of a melody expressing a musical idea and ending with a cadence. Similar to the sentence in language.
Pitch	The highness or lowness of a tone.
Quarter-note	A note lasting one beat in simple time.
Quarter rest	Indication of a period of silence lasting one beat in simple time.
Repetition/contrast	The basic principle of musical form or structure whether the sections are phrases or larger. Often represented by letters, e.g. ABA.
Rest	A period of silence. See also Whole rest, Half rest, Quarter rest, Eighth rest, Sixteenth rest.
Rhythm	The pattern of long and short sounds and silences in music. Also an inclusive term for that element of music pertaining to time relationships.
Rhythmic ostinato	A repeated rhythmic pattern.
Rondo	A form of music that often consists of five sections, of which the first, third, and fifth are the same or almost the same (ABACA or ABABA). A musical composition in which a main theme alternates recurringly with contrasting sections, as in ABACADA.
Staff	The five lines and four spaces on which music is written; used to indicate the different pitches of notes, from high to low, together with a clef.
Step	The interval between a note that is on a line and a note on the adjacent space, or vice versa. Also called the interval of a second.
Theme and variations	A form of music in which a melody or section of music constitutes the basis for a series of variations (A, A1, A2, A3É).
Timbre	The quality or tone distinguishing voices or instruments; tone color; as, the timbre of the voice; the timbre of a violin.
Time signature	Numbers written at the beginning of a musical composition to indicate the number of beats in each measure and the type of note that gets one beat (e.g. 4 beats in each measure, quarter note gets one beat).
Treble clef	The clef used for higher-pitched instruments or voices. Also called the G clef.
Whole note	A note that is held for four beats in simple time.
Whole rest	Indication of a period of silence lasting for four beats in simple time.

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Developed by:	David deBelle (Mathematics)
	Anthony Micallef (Music)
(To contact by email, click on their names)