The Complete Idiot''s Guide to Music Theory

parallel motion
Two or more voices that move in identical steps, simultane-
ously.
passing tone
A pitch located (scale-wise) directly between two main pitches;
passing tones are typically used to connect notes in a melody.
pedal point
A note sustained below changing harmonies.
pentatonic scale
A five-note scale with the intervals of whole, whole, whole
and a half, whole, whole and a half; in relationship to a major scale, the scale
degrees (not counting the octave) are 1-2-3-5-6.
percussion
The family of instruments that produce sound when you hit, beat,
crash, shake, roll, scratch, rub, twist, or rattle them. Included in this family are
various types of drums and cymbals, as well as mallet instruments (marimba,
xylophone, and so forth) and timpani.
perfect pitch
The ability to hear absolute pitches in your head, without any
outside assistance.
phrase
Within a piece of music, a segment that is unified by rhythms,
melodies, or harmonies and that comes to some sort of closure; typically com-
posed in groups of 2, 4, 8, 16, or 32 measures.
Phrygian mode
A mode starting on the third degree of the corresponding
major scale. 
See mode.
pianissimo
Very soft. (Abbreviated as 
pp.
)
pianississimo
Very, very soft. (Abbreviated as 
ppp.
)
piano
(1) Soft. (Abbreviated as 
p.
) (2) An 88-key keyboard instrument, also
known as the 
pianoforte
.

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The Complete Idiot’s Music Glossary
271
pitch
The highness or lowness of a tone. (In scientific terms, a specific fre-
quency.)
polyphony
The mixing together of several simultaneous melodic lines.