InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Siren ❯ A/N: Dictionary ( Chapter 12 )

….Alrighty…I know it's been a while and I'm not going to whine about the damn play I had to do…And am, in fact, still doing…But the chap is coming along slowly, so I figured I'd give you guys a bit of a glossary of the music terms that I've been using and will use. I'll try to make it as simple as possible, but the terms won't be in any particular order.

 

Note: a musical tone or sound eg: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A

 

Interval: a difference in pitch or notes

 

Fifth: two notes, five tones apart eg: A, B, C, D, E

 

Octave: two notes, eight tones apart eg: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C

 

Vibrato: controlled `trembling' of the voice, usually to add warmth and expressiveness, very slight and quick changes of pitch, usually on a held note

 

Trill: a very rapid use of vibrato, eg: Vibrato: C—B—C—B Trill: C-B-C-B

 

Warble: more elaborate than a trill, eg: C-B-C-D-E-C-B

 

Tenor: highest natural male voice, in opera usually the hero/prince; man having such voice, eg: Khan from Kamelot, Clay Aiken, Andrea Bocelli, Rob Halford

 

Baritone: middle male voice, in opera usually a villain or devious character; man having such voice, eg: Garth Brooks, Bo Bice, Gackt, Elvis

 

Bass: lowest male voice, in opera usually a father/advisor figure; man having such voice, eg: Johnny Cash

 

Soprano: highest natural female voice, in opera usually plays a heroine; woman having such voice, eg: Charlotte Church, Tarja Turunen, Sarah Brightman, Sarah McLachlan

 

Mezzo-Soprano: middle female voice, in opera plays the “witches, bitches, and breeches”; woman having such voice, eg: Mary J. Blige, Amy Lee, Tina Turner

 

Contralto: lowest female voice, in opera generally plays a witch; woman having such voice, eg: Marian Anderson, Toni Braxton, Faith Hill, Ann Murray

 

Coloratura: a very flowery or ornate run in music, can be seen in pieces for any voice type

 

Coloratura Soprano: the highest soprano, characterized by a very light, agile voice, eg: The Diva in `The Fifth Element', Kristin Chenoweth. Note: In this, Kagome is a Dramatic Coloratura Soprano meaning that she can both perform the quick, high notes needed and hold the more weighty notes…She's a `weird' soprano…

 

Legato: a sequence of smooth, connected notes, eg: Christine's part in the ending of “The Phantom of the Opera”, the song, before the high note, the intro to “Deep Silent Complete'

 

Staccato: a sequence of very short, clear-cut notes, the opposite of legato

 

Piano: played softly

 

Forte: played loudly, forcefully

 

Pianissimo: very quietly

 

Fortissimo: very loudly, forcefully

 

A Capella: without backing instruments

 

Aria: a solo vocal piece

 

`Candide': an operetta, composed in part by Leonard Bernstein, includes what is known as one of the two most difficult `arias' for a Soprano: Cunegolde's aria “Glitter and Be Gay”

 

`The Magic Flute': an opera/operetta by Mozart (Oh, C'mon! You all know who that is!) famous for its use of the two extremes of the human voice: the amazingly low bass Sarastro, and the bird-like coloratura of the Queen of the Night.

 

Ok…That's really all I can think of right now. I'll be adding more as we continue. Now, I have a question for you: Do you want me to end the current chapter just after the Music Comp final, and, incidentally, their first performance as a band? Or do you want a really long chapter, and probably a pretty long wait, that will lead directly into the tour? Just drop me a line with your choice.