when a melody is played in such a way that the time value of every note is shortened
Diminution
Related Dictionary Terms
Dot
Shared keywords
placed above or below the notehead it indicates a staccato, placed immediately after a note it indicates that the note should…
Cut time
Shared keywords
quick duple time in which the half note is given one beat instead of two See cut time in Elements of a Musical Score see in T…
Eighth note
Shared keywords
one eighth the time value of a whole note see Note Values
Achtel
Shared keywords
German
a note one eighth the time value of a whole note see Note Values
Achtelnote
Shared keywords
German
a note one eighth the time value of a whole note see Note Values
Borrowed division
Shared keywords
a term used to describe when a note is divided into an unusual number of smaller notes, for example, when three quarter notes…
Changing notes
Shared keywords
non harmonic notes; two notes, one that leaves the chord note by a tone or semitone, then leaps to the next non harmonic note…
Clos
Shared keywords
a cadence in which the last note sounds conclusive; that note, termed the 'final', which is the central note of the melody; t…