F
F Clef: A clef that indicates which line represents F on a staff.
(
) See C clef, G clef.
False Cadence: A deceptive cadence.
Falsetto: A high, light, artificial voice used to sing notes that are
above the normal register.
Fantasy, Fantasia, Fantaisie: A piece in free style and form.
Feminine Cadence: A cadence ending on a weak beat.
Fermata (It.) Fermate(Ger.) : A pause in meter. Fermatas are also used to indicate a cadenza when placed over cadence points in Classical instrumental music. (
)
Fibbonacci Series: A mathematical sequence in which the next number
in the series is the sum of the previous two numbers. Used by many 20th century
composers to determine various elements of composition, espeically Bela Bartok.
Fifth: The interval of five diatonic degrees.
Figured Bass: The bass part of a piece written by giving a single bass note, with numbers beside it
to indicate the inversion of the chord to be played.
Figured Melody: A highly ornamented
melody.
Figure: A melodic phrase or fragment.
Finale: The last movement of a sonata or symphony,
or the last section of an opera.
Fingerboard: On string instruments, the top surface of the neck, where
the fingers press down on the strings.
Fifth: 1) The interval of five diatonic degrees.
2) In a chord, the note that is diatonic degrees above the root.
Flats: An accidental that lowers a given pitch by one half-step. (
) See
also key
signature
Form: Structure and design of any given piece of music.
)Fortissimo: (It.) 'Very Strong.' (
)
Fourth: The interval of four diatonic degrees.
French Sixth Chord: An augmented
sixth chord, which contains a second from the tonic.
Fret: On certain string instruments, a thin, raised bar placed across
the fingerboard to indicate a specific
position of a note, and aid in tuning that note.
Fugue: "Flight." A contrapuntal piece, in which two or more parts are built or "layered" on a recurring subject that is intriduced alone, and followed by an answer,
which is the subject (or theme) at a different pitch, usually the fifth.
Function: The way in which chords, and individual tones within the chord,
tend to imply movement toward another chord.
Fundamental: Any note that sounds, producing overtones in the harmonic series.
