Glossary (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F) (G) (H) (I) (J) (K) (L) (M) (N) (O) (P) (Q) (R) (S) (T) (U) (V) (W) (X) (Y) (Z) (A) Accidental A symbol used to raise or lower a note's pitch. (i.e., sharp or flat ) Accidental Gadget In the Scale Palette, the gadget that allows you to select notes which aren't in the scale. Arpeggio A sequence of notes based on a chord, usually arranged in thirds, played in quick succession across the strings. (B) Blues A musical style characterized by the I-IV-V movement and heavy use of pentatonic scales. Blues stresses the soulful, emotional element of music while concealing its nuances in a guise of simplicity. (C) Chord A group of three or more notes played together. Chord Bracket In the Guitar Palette, this indicates the range of frets in which to build a fingering. Chord Harmony A chord based on a scale degree and its extensions. Circle Of Fifths (also The Circle Of Keys) The sequence of key-centers arranged by 5ths. From C clockwise each key gains a sharp note, while counterclockwise each gains a flat note. Since each key's neighbors are its closest relatives the Circle demonstrates the readiest movements. Current Chord The chord which will be affected by your operations in FretPet. This is the chord which is highlighted in the Bank if a document is open. Current Key The key indicated by the Key Cursor, in the key column of the Scale Palette. Current Root The root of the Current Chord - either the Current Tone or the Current Key. Current Scale The full sequence of notes in the Current Key. Current Tone The note indicated by the Scale Cursor. (D) Dissonance An effect created by the irregular "artifacting" of two or more tones. In melody, a note which appears in stark contrast to the lead. Dynamics Elements of music which augment its style and its substance. Among these are changes in tempo and volume, the use of rests, and the use of repetition and harmonic interplay which define a spirit or energy. (E) Enharmonic Scale A scale which may have more than one letter name applied. The letter name is significant in that it determines whether a scale is considered to be a sharp scale or a flat scale in a composition containing key changes. (F) Flat A half-step lower. Fret One of several metal strips mounted across the front of the guitar neck which the player uses to change the length - and so the pitch - of the plucked strings. Fretboard The front of the guitar neck where the frets are mounted. Fret Cursor The animated square in the Guitar Palette indicating the current Fret Note. Fret Note The note indicated by the Fret Cursor. (G) Gravity The quality of preference exerted by the ear upon a passage of music. Gravity is assigned to tones based on inferential cues in the melody. The most obvious example of gravity is in the movement of a cadence, which leads strongly to a resolve. (H) Harmony The quality of two notes rung together. Hertz Full cycles per second. To determine the Hertz value of a sine wave you count the number of peaks above zero which cover a second of time. (I) Interval The distance between two notes. Intervals can be "up" or "down," indicating the direction of movement in a sequence of tones. When "up" or "down" is omitted the movement is assumed to be upward. Intervallic Notation A notation developed by Schumann as part of his "Twelve Tone System" of music, which essentially ignores key-centeredness in favor of pure movement. (J) Jazz A style of music originally derived from Blues and Classical which emphasizes poetic lyricism, improvisation, and rhythmic spontaneity in search of music without boundaries. Juxtaposition An unorthodox overlapping of contrasting themes, phrases, or styles. For example, placing a classical violin passage in the middle of a honkytonk jam. (K) Key The dominant character of a recent passage of music. The tone or chord of resolution. Key Cursor The highlight in the first column of the Scale Palette which indicates the Current Key. Key Of Origin The key within which a chord is first created. Keyscale The same as Key, but considered in wider terms of its scale and its tonic. (L) Lead An accompanying melody which plays against a chord progression, adding harmony and color. The term refers to the quality of "leading the ear," which takes advantage of innate habits of anticipation to affect the listener. (M) Major Chord A chord with a major 3rd interval between the root and the 3rd. Major Scale 1. A scale with major and perfect intervals. 2. The first (Ionian) mode of a particular Major Scale which serves as the theoretical basis for characterizing all other scales. MIDI Musical Instrument Digital Interface. A series of hardware and software standards that allow communication between digital instruments and computers. Minor Chord A chord with a minor 3rd interval between the root and the 3rd. Minor Scale A scale with minor and perfect intervals. Mode A scale. (N) Natural Intrinsic to the key, being neither sharp or flat relative to the keyscale. Note A sound with a single discernable pitch. Nut The groovy piece at the head of the guitar which holds and aligns the strings. (O) Octave An interval indicated by two notes which have frequencies at a 2:1 ratio to one another. For example, the note A at 220Hz is one octave below A at 440Hz. Open string A string which is not currently fretted by the player. Overtone A third tone which emerges as the product of a harmony. (P) Passing tones Notes inserted between chords to alter the transition from one to the other. Pitch The relative frequency of a sound wave. (Q) QuickTime™ A system extension for the MacOS that adds native support for multimedia, including video, sound, VR, and musical instruments. (R) Reverb An effects process which lengthens and deepens a sound, making it reverberate as if it were inside a large cavern. Root The note that is used to name a chord, often the one with the lowest pitch. The first note in a scale. (S) Scale A sequence of tones, usually associated with a set of intervals. Scale Cursor The highlight in the Scale Box which indicates the Current Tone. Scale Degree The position of a note in a scale. (i.e., F is the 4th degree of the C Ionian scale) Sharp A half-step higher. (T) Tone A sound with a discernable pitch. Toolbar Palette A floating window with buttons for your clicking pleasure. (U) (V) (W) Wave A sound's effect on the air, created by changes in pressure as gas molecules push against each other in a chain reaction. If you could see sound it would appear as a sphere expanding outward in all directions from its source. (X) X The Roman numeral 10. Short for Christ. A really great band. A generational moniker similar to a swastika. A very short wavelength of light energy. A former spouse or lover. The axis parallel to the horizon. A popular chromosome. (Y) (Z) Zappa, Frank Musician.