Pancyprian Music Studies cheat sheet

Scale-degree spelling: major = 1 2 3 4 5 6 7; natural minor = 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7; harmonic minor raises 7, melodic minor raises 6 and 7 ascending only.

Key signatures by fifths: C 0, G 1♯, D 2♯, A 3♯, E 4♯, B 5♯, F♯ 6♯, C♯ 7♯; F 1♭, B♭ 2♭, E♭ 3♭, A♭ 4♭, D♭ 5♭, G♭ 6♭, C♭ 7♭.

Triad quality by intervals above root: major = M3+P5, minor = m3+P5, diminished = m3+d5, augmented = M3+A5.

Diatonic sevenths in major: Imaj7, ii7, iii7, IVmaj7, V7, vi7, viiø7 (half-diminished).

Cadence rules: perfect authentic = V–I with both chords in root position and tonic in the soprano of I; imperfect authentic = V–I otherwise; plagal = IV–I; deceptive = V–vi.

Secondary dominants: V/x is the major triad or dominant seventh a perfect fifth above x; applied to ii, iii, IV, V, vi in major keys.

Figured bass: 6 = first inversion triad, 6/4 = second inversion, 7 = root-position seventh, 6/5 = first inversion seventh, 4/3 = second inversion, 4/2 = third inversion.

Voice-leading prohibitions: parallel perfect fifths or octaves between any pair of voices, direct (hidden) fifths/octaves between outer voices moving to a perfect interval by similar motion, and voice crossing.

Neapolitan chord = major triad on ♭II, usually in first inversion (♭II6), typically preceding V; augmented sixth chords (Italian, French, German) expand the dominant.

Species framework: first species = note against cantus firmus; second = two notes against one; third = four against one; fourth = two against one with syncopation; fifth = florid mixed values.

Consonance classification: perfect = unison, P5, P8; imperfect = m3, M3, m6, M6; dissonances (P4 above bass counts as dissonant in two-voice counterpoint) require preparation and resolution.

First-species rules: begin and end on a perfect consonance (unison, P5, P8), approach the final by step in one voice, no repeated notes, no parallel perfects, prefer contrary motion.

Dissonance treatment in strict style: passing tone (step, unaccented), neighbour tone, suspension (prepared, tied, resolved down by step), and anticipation.

Invertible counterpoint at the octave: intervals invert as 1↔8, 2↔7, 3↔6, 4↔5; a twelfth above becomes a fifth when inverted at the twelfth.

Fugue subject types: real (exact transposition in answer) versus tonal (answer adjusts to stay in key, typically altering the dominant's leading tone).

Fugue exposition order: subject in tonic (dux), answer in dominant (comes), countersubject accompanying the answer, then alternating entries; episodes between entries use sequence and fragmentation.

Stretto = overlapping subject entries before the previous entry finishes; augmentation/diminution double or halve subject note values; inversion mirrors the subject's intervals.

Pedal point in fugue: a sustained tonic or dominant note held under continuing counterpoint, usually before the final cadence.

Interval reference points: m2 = Jaws theme, M2 = Happy Birthday opening step, m3 = Greensleeves, M3 = When the Saints, P4 = Here Comes the Bride, tritone = Maria (West Side Story), P5 = Twinkle Twinkle, m6 = The Entertainer, M6 = NBC chimes, m7 = Star Trek theme, M7 = Take On Me chorus leap, P8 = Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

Solmisation (movable do): major = do re mi fa sol la ti; natural minor starting on la = la ti do re mi fa sol; harmonic minor raises sol to si.

Chord-quality identification: major = bright, minor = dark; diminished triad sounds unstable and wants resolution; augmented sounds suspended and restless.

Cadence recognition by ear: perfect authentic ends on tonic with soprano on 1; deceptive sounds unresolved because V moves to vi.

Rhythm dictation strategy: identify the metre by locating the recurring strong pulse, then notate the subdivision (simple duple, simple triple, compound duple 6/8).

Melodic dictation sequence: fix tonic and key, sing the first phrase back, identify the final cadence degree, then notate rhythm before pitch.

Tuning reference: A4 = 440 Hz (ISO standard); equal temperament divides the octave into 12 semitones each of ratio 2^(1/12) ≈ 1.0595.

Transcription of chord progressions: listen for the bass line first, then identify whether each chord is major, minor, or dominant seventh, then label with Roman numerals.

Standard orchestral score order (top to bottom): woodwinds (piccolo, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon), brass (horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba), percussion, harp/keyboard, strings (violin I, violin II, viola, cello, double bass).

Transposing instruments: clarinet in B♭ sounds a major second lower than written; trumpet in B♭ likewise; horn in F sounds a perfect fifth lower; double bass sounds an octave lower; piccolo sounds an octave higher.

String techniques in score: arco (bowed), pizzicato (plucked), con sordino (muted), sul ponticello (near bridge), tremolo (rapid repetition), harmonics (diamond noteheads).

Clefs: treble (G clef, second line G), bass (F clef, fourth line F), alto (C clef, third line C, used by viola), tenor (C clef, fourth line C, used by cello/bassoon high register).

Motive and theme labelling: identify the smallest recurring rhythmic-melodic cell, then its transformations (sequence, inversion, augmentation, fragmentation, rhythmic displacement).

Phrase structure analysis: period = antecedent (often ending on half cadence) + consequent (ending on perfect authentic cadence); sentence = presentation (basic idea + repetition) + continuation + cadence.

Harmonic reduction method: reduce to bass line plus outer-voice soprano, label cadences first, then fill inner Roman numerals; note pedal points and sequences.

Dynamics and articulation markings: ppp to fff scale; sfz (sforzando), fp (forte then piano), accent >, staccato dot, tenuto line, marcato wedge.

Medieval: Gregorian chant (monophonic, modal, Latin liturgy); organum (parallel motion, then florid at Notre Dame with Léonin and Pérotin); Ars Nova (14th c., Philippe de Vitry, Machaut's Messe de Nostre Dame).

Renaissance: imitative polyphony, Josquin des Prez, Palestrina (counter-reformation clarity), madrigal (Monteverdi, Gesualdo), lute song, and the rise of instrumental dance suites.

Baroque (c. 1600–1750): basso continuo, figured bass, ritornello form, fugue, concerto grosso (Corelli, Vivaldi, Handel), cantata and oratorio (Bach, Handel), opera seria (Handel, Scarlatti).

Classical (c. 1750–1820): sonata form, symphony, string quartet; Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven; Alberti bass, periodic phrase structure, and the Mannheim school's crescendo and rocket theme.

Romantic (c. 1820–1900): expanded harmony and chromaticism, program music (Berlioz, Liszt, Strauss), lieder (Schubert, Schumann, Brahms), piano miniature, national schools (Chopin, Dvořák, Sibelius).

Twentieth century: Debussy and Ravel (impressionism, whole-tone, parallel chords); Stravinsky (polytonality, irregular metre in The Rite of Spring); Schoenberg (twelve-tone method, Second Viennese School); Bartók (folk-inflected, arch form).

Twelve-tone method: a row's four forms are prime (P), retrograde (R), inversion (I), retrograde inversion (RI), each transposable to any of 12 pitch classes.

Notation and print history: neumes → staff (Guido d'Arezzo, 11th c.) → mensural notation → movable-type music printing (Petrucci, 1501) → modern engraving.

Byzantine chant: monophonic, unaccompanied liturgical chant in Greek, notated in neumes (Byzantine notation), with the eight modes (echoi) forming the oktoechos system.

Byzantine hymn genres: troparion (short), kontakion (multi-stanza, early form, associated with Romanos the Melodist), kanon (nine odes), sticheron (verses between psalm lines).

The eight echoi are not identical to Western church modes: each echos has its own characteristic melodic formulae (theseis) and final notes; echos protos, devteros, tritos, tetartos, plagios protos, plagios devteros, varys, plagios tetartos.

Cypriot traditional music: sung poetry traditions such as the tsattista (couplet improvisation contests) and the tsiattisma; the violin (fidkí) and the oud/lute (laouto) are central instruments.

Cypriot dances: syrtos, zeibekiko-influenced forms, kartchilamas (a 9/8 or 2+2+2+3 pattern associated with Cyprus and the Aegean), and the ballos.

Cypriot song repertoire: akritic songs (frontier/heroic narratives), love songs (agapitika), wedding and lullaby songs, and the rizitika of Cretan origin; the 'Cypriot dialect' shapes the verse.

Cypriot composers in Western idiom: Yannis Kyriakides, Alkis Baltas, and earlier, Solon Michaelides (also a musicologist); the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1987.

Greek national school: Manolis Kalomiris (1862–1944) founded the Hellenic National School, blending folk and Byzantine elements with late-Romantic harmony; Nikos Skalkottas used twelve-tone techniques with Greek folk material.

Maqam (Arabic/Turkish makam): modal system with characteristic scale, seyir (melodic direction), and ajnas (small melodic cells); Turkish makam uses microtonal intervals (e.g. the comma of 1/9 tone).

Indian classical: raga (melodic framework with ascending arohana and descending avarohana) and tala (rhythmic cycle); common talas: teental (16 beats, 4+4+4+4), rupak (7), jhaptal (10).

Gamelan (Indonesia): slendro (five-tone, roughly equidistant) and pelog (seven-tone with unequal intervals); colotomic structure marked by gongs of different sizes; interlocking kotekan.

Sub-Saharan African music: polyrhythm and cross-rhythm, call-and-response, ostinato, and the mbira (thumb piano) with its own harmonic vocabulary.

Japanese traditional: gagaku (court music), shakuhachi (bamboo flute), koto (13 strings), and the in-scale (miyako-bushi) versus yo-scale.

Latin American: son cubano (clave rhythm, 3-2 or 2-3), bossa nova (João Gilberto, Jobim), and the Andean quena/charango traditions.

Flamenco: palos (forms) such as soleá, bulerías, seguiriya; compás cycles of 12 beats with accents; cante, toque, and baile as the three elements.

Ethnomusicology methods: fieldwork with participant observation, transcription (prescriptive vs descriptive), and the emic/etic distinction between insider and outsider perspectives.

Binary form: two sections, typically ||: A :||: B :||; simple binary returns to tonic only at the end; rounded binary brings back A material within B.

Ternary form: A–B–A with a contrasting middle section; the return may be varied (A′).

Sonata form: exposition (first theme in tonic, transition, second theme in dominant or relative major, closing theme), development (fragmentation, sequence, modulation), recapitulation (both themes in tonic), coda.

Rondo forms: 5-part rondo ABACA; 7-part ABACABA; the refrain returns in the tonic between episodes.

Theme and variations: each variation alters a structural element (melody, harmony, rhythm, texture, mode, tempo) while preserving the underlying frame.

Canon and passacaglia: canon = strict imitation of a leading voice; passacaglia = variations over a repeating bass line (ground bass), often in triple metre.

Compositional devices: sequence, inversion, retrograde, augmentation, diminution, ostinato, pedal point, and motivic development.

Phrase-level form: motive (2–5 notes), phrase (2–4 bars), period (two phrases), section, and movement; cadences mark phrase boundaries.

MIDI: 16 channels per port, 128 program numbers (General MIDI), note on/off with velocity 0–127, control change messages (CC7 volume, CC10 pan, CC64 sustain).

Digital audio basics: sample rate (CD = 44.1 kHz), bit depth (16-bit CD, 24-bit recording), Nyquist theorem - sample rate must exceed twice the highest frequency to avoid aliasing.

DAW signal flow: input → preamp → A/D converter → track → inserts (EQ, compression) → sends (reverb, delay) → master bus → D/A output.

Notation software: MusicXML for interchange between programs; MIDI import needs quantisation; engraving rules - stem direction by note position, beaming by beat grouping.

Common notation symbols: fermata, trill (tr), mordent, turn, glissando, portamento, and the difference between tie (same pitch) and slur (different pitches).

Audio file formats: WAV/AIFF uncompressed PCM; MP3/AAC lossy perceptual coding; FLAC lossless compression; OGG Vorbis open lossy format.

Mixing concepts: EQ (frequency balance), compression (dynamic range control, ratio/attack/release), reverb (space), panning (stereo placement), and gain staging to avoid clipping above 0 dBFS.

Copyright and licensing: public domain after the term of protection; Creative Commons licences (BY, BY-SA, BY-NC) specify attribution and derivative conditions.