The tonic note in the key of C major is C.

An accidental refers to the sharp, flat, or natural sign placed before a note to raise, lower, or reinstate its pitch.

The interval between C and E in the key of C major is a major third.

A cadence is a melodic or harmonic formula that brings an end or partial pause to a phrase or piece of music.

Counterpoint refers to the relationship between two or more melodic lines that sound simultaneously.

Major keys sound brighter and more joyful, while minor keys sound darker and more somber due to the different harmonic structures and intervallic relationships.

A dominant seventh chord creates a strong pull towards the tonic and is often used to establish the key or prepare for a cadence.

Modulation refers to the process of changing from one key to another in the same musical passage.

Simple meters have two or three beats per measure, while compound meters have rhythmic patterns based on groups of three beats, such as 6/8 or 9/8 time.

Binary form consists of two sections, while ternary form consists of three main sections, often in an A-B-A pattern.

A sequence is the repetition of a melodic or harmonic pattern at a different pitch level.

The subdominant chord is the fourth chord in a major key and helps establish the key and provide harmonic motion towards the dominant.

Consonance refers to intervals or chords that sound stable and restful, while dissonance refers to intervals or chords that sound tense and require resolution.

A major scale has a whole step between the third and fourth degrees, and a half step between the seventh and eighth degrees, while a minor scale has a half step between the second and third degrees, and a whole step between the seventh and eighth degrees.

The leading tone is the seventh scale degree in a major scale and has a strong tendency to resolve up to the tonic.

Diatonic refers to notes and chords that belong to a specific key or scale, while chromatic refers to notes and chords that are outside of the key or scale.

The subdominant chord in a minor key serves a similar function to the subdominant in a major key, but it is often a minor chord.

A chord is three or more notes played simultaneously, while an arpeggio is the same notes played one after the other in a broken or spread pattern.

A pedal point is a sustained or repeated note, usually in the bass, over changing harmonies or melodies above it.

A triad is a three-note chord built in thirds, while a seventh chord adds a fourth note, a seventh above the root.

A Neapolitan sixth chord is a chromatic chord that often functions as a subdominant and creates a distinctive harmonic color.

Parallel motion refers to two or more melodic lines moving in the same direction, while contrary motion refers to melodic lines moving in opposite directions.

An augmented sixth chord is a chromatic chord that creates a strong pull towards the dominant and is often used in modulations or to prepare a cadence.

A whole tone scale consists of only whole steps, while a chromatic scale contains both whole and half steps.

A secondary dominant chord is a dominant chord that resolves to a chord other than the tonic, often used to create more harmonic movement and tension.

A suspended chord has a perfect fourth or major second instead of the third, which resolves to the third, while an added note chord includes the third and an additional note.

A diminished seventh chord is a dissonant and unstable chord that can resolve in multiple ways and is often used as a leading or applied chord.

A chromatic mediant is a chord built on the third scale degree of the parallel major or minor key, while a diatonic mediant is built on the third scale degree of the same key.

An appoggiatura is a type of non-chord tone that creates dissonance and resolves by step to a chord tone.

A pentatonic scale has five notes per octave, while a heptatonic scale has seven notes per octave.

An escape tone is a type of non-chord tone that steps away from a chord tone by a third and then returns to the original chord tone.

A fugue is a polyphonic composition featuring a subject and answer with multiple entries and episodes, while a canon is a type of contrapuntal composition in which the same melody is played by multiple voices in succession.

A French augmented sixth chord is a type of augmented sixth chord that often leads to a cadence in the relative major or minor key.

A suspension is a type of non-chord tone that delays the resolution of a chord by holding a note from the previous chord, while a retardation is a delayed appearance of a chord tone.

A pivot chord is a chord that belongs to two different keys and facilitates modulation by serving as a common chord between the two keys.

A perfect interval is an interval that sounds stable and consonant, such as a perfect fifth or perfect fourth, while an augmented interval is a perfect interval increased by a half step, creating dissonance.

A neighboring tone is a type of non-chord tone that moves by step from a chord tone, creating a temporary dissonance before resolving back to the chord tone.

A major scale has the same notes ascending and descending, while a melodic minor scale has a raised sixth and seventh degree when ascending but follows the natural minor scale when descending.

An anticipation is a type of non-chord tone that occurs when a note from the next chord is sounded early, creating dissonance before the chord change.

A passing tone is a non-chord tone that connects two chord tones by step, while a changing tone is a non-chord tone that connects two chord tones by skip.

A Phrygian cadence is a type of plagal cadence that moves from the subdominant to the tonic, often used in modal or church music.

A whole tone scale consists of only whole steps, while an octatonic scale alternates between whole steps and half steps.

A common tone modulation is a type of modulation that uses a note or chord that is common to both keys to facilitate the key change.

A motive is a short melodic or rhythmic idea, while a phrase is a longer musical statement or sentence made up of multiple motives.

A Neapolitan chord is a type of chromatic chord that often functions as a subdominant and creates a distinctive harmonic color.