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Music: TextureIdentification of layers within a pieceLayers can consist ofMelodic layerHarmonic layerBass-line layerRhythmic layerVocal layer usually provides a melodic roleGuitar layer often provides a harmonic roleDrum layer typically supplies a rhythmic roleSyncopationWalking bass line accompanies melodic and rhythmic rolesLayer densityThickness in the musicNumber of layersThickness of each layerLayer thickness can be determined by the number of instruments in the laterThe intensity of the playingElectronic effects such as distortion or chorus are applied to an instrumentWords such as thick, dense, full, solid and heavy describe a thick layerWords such as thin, light, wispy and spare describe a thin layerDominant layers are the layers which have the main partSubordinate layers are the accompanying layersSolo and Unisonused by composers to control the density of layers. If a melody is delivered by a single instrument the layer is described as being a solo layer and its density is relatively thin.If a part is being delivered by two or more instruments it is said to have been performed in unison and the density sounds thickerCounterpoint this occurs when two or more layers sound like they are having a musical ‘conversation’. When this is used in music you will find that only one layer is busy at a time while one layer is active the others are inactive(This excerpt uses counterpoint as the instruments sound like they are having a ‘musical conversation’)(This excerpt is contrapuntal as the instruments sound like they are having a ‘musical conversation’)Call and responseCharacteristic performing technique where the call is a melodic phrase sung by a solo instruments and the response is the unison repetition of the call by a vocal chorusRhythmic unisonthis occurs when the rhythm of the dominant layer is the same as the rhythm of the subordinate accompanying layers. Imitationto create musical cohesion composers employ a compositional device which repeats the melodic or rhythmic ideas of one layer in another. The musical form of echoing known as imitation is often heard in music. Melodies can be imitated in their entirety.FillsWhen a dominant layer momentarily stops it creates space that can be temporarily filled by another layer, this usually happens at the end of a phrase while the dominant layer is taking a ‘musical breath’ A fill performed:with a melody is called a melodic fillwith chords is a harmonic fillwith a rhythm is a rhythmic fillwith sound effects is a sound effect fillParallel harmoniesthis happens when each note of the original melody is harmonised at a constant distance. This forms a new melody and the melodic shape of both tunes is identical.Stabswhen you hear a sudden change in density, stabs are abrupt bursts of subordinate layers which immediately disappear leaving a relatively thin dominant layer (tear in my heart-top)Monophonic meaning only one instrument is playingHeterophonic meaning each instrument performs an independently embellished interpretation of the same melody Polyphonic meaning many instruments are playingHomophonic meaning smaller amount but more than one instrument (vocals, drums, guitar)StyleExample 1: The use of counterpoint and imitation within the polyphonic layers contribute to the baroque style of this pieceExample 2: The unison singing of the solo melody is reminiscent of plainchantExample 3: In each layer the instruments play their own version of the melody. This Heterophonic interpretation adds to the music’s Middle eastern flavourExample 4: The simultaneous use of polyphonic and homophonic texture is common in Dixieland music.Example 5: The radical extremes of density and rapidly altering layer roles are typical textural devices used in twentieth century art musicExample 6: The guitar and bass layers play in melodic unison, this is a common practice in rock music END OF TEXTUREDurationRefers to the arrangement of sounds in relation to timeTime signatureSimple = Duple 2/4 Triple 3/4 Quadruple 4/4 Triplets, quavers, crotchets? TempoItalian terms convey different speeds present in a piece, these include:Lento – SlowAdagio – at ease, slightly faster than lentoAndante – walking paceAllegro – moderately fastPresto – very fastOther ways to describe the tempo include:SteadySudden tempo modificationrallentando (gradual increase in speed)Accelerando (Increase in speed)Rubato (constant change in speed) Beat foundationIf you can tap your foot or nod your head to the music, it is because the time has been divided into beats and so the music has a beat foundation. Beats are usually predictable and this is why you can dance to a piece that you have never heard beforeFree timeIf you cannot feel the beat and cannot tap your feet it is because there are no beats to tap along to. The time has not been divided up and this kind of music is referred to as ‘free time’ In this case the music usually sounds sporadic and erratic or aimless and floating.MetreRhythmic notation – to understand time signatures you need to know the notation of the fundamental rhythms their relative lengths and namesWhole note Semibreve? note minim? Crotchet1/8 Quaver1/16 Semiquaver Dotted notes – A dot following a note increases the length of the note by half its value, for example in 4/4semibreve gets 4 beats therefore (a dot next to) 6 beats (4beats + 2beats)Minim gets 2 beats therefore (a dot next to) 3 beats (2beats + 1 beat)Crotchet gets 1 beat therefore (a dot next to) 1 ? beats (1beat + ? beats)Semiquaver gets ? beat therefore (a dot next to) ? beats ( ? beats + ? beats)Rhythmwhen you sing a melody you are performing both pitches and rhythms. The pitch is how high or low the notes are and the rhythm is the organisation of notes in relation to time. Note lengthsRhythm may be made up pf long notes or short notes or a combination of bothShort notes make the rhythm feel busy and activelong notes make the rhythm of the music calm and inactiveWhen writing a response in relation to note lengths used in rhythm you can say:‘The dominant guitar layer contains a flurry of continuous short notes. The busy rhythms contribute to making this layer feel exciting. The subordinate string layer however accompanies with long, sustained notes which create rhythmic contract within the piece.’SyncopationThe pattern of accents established by the beat’s metre, for example in march (up 2, 3, 4, up 2, 3, 4 etc) The patterns are generated by regular metre repeated rhythms. OstinatoAn ostinato is a repeated pattern. Recurring patterns create regularity and a sense of familiarity within the music. There are three different types of ostinato, these include:Melodic ostinato, Harmonic ostinato and Rhythmic ostinatoPolyrhythmWhen two or more different rhythms are played at the same time making the piece sound more intricate. When they are combined the piece sounds more complicated because of the fluctuating texture densities and the diverse sounds that arise from the various combinations present within.Cross rhythmsa cross rhythm is the simultaneous performance of contrasting divisions. The sudden appearance of cross rhythms creates rhythmic tensionAugmentation and diminution Augmentation proportionally lengthens a rhythmDiminution proportionally shortens a rhythmThis provides the piece with rhythmic variety and are usually applied to the rhythms of melodiesHemiola Contributes to the rhythmic interest in music. Hemiola involves regrouping two lots of 3 notes into three lots of 2 and vice versa (one tap bass, two tap treble, one tap bass et.c)StyleExample 1: The regular use of a strong backbeat creates the rhythmic drive typically found in heavy rock musicExample 2: The frequent use of the Hemiola contributes to the Spanish flavour of the music present within the piece.Example 3: The percussion parts create a polyrhythm, a common feature in Latin American music.Example 4: The jazz idiom is suggested by the swing feel and use of syncopationExample 5: The sporadic and unpredictable short bursts of rhythms are played in the context of free time. These are durational devices used in twentieth century art musicExample 6: The use of rhythmic ostinato in 7/8 is a common feature of Balkan music.END OF DURATIONPitchPitch refers to the arrangement of sounds in terms of their frequencies.Frequencies refer to how often a sound is vibrating every second. Definite and Indefinite pitchif you sing one note you are producing a single frequency A.K.A a Definite pitchDefinite pitched instruments produce single frequency notes, these instruments are good for supplying melodies or harmoniesIndefinite pitch is the result of multiple frequencies, these sounds cannot be sung and cannot produce melodies or harmonies. These instruments include snare drum, cymbals, maracas, bongo and conga’s.Some instruments of definite pitch can also produce sounds of indefinite pitch when played in different ways, an example of this is the acoustic guitar, sounds produced by:Strumming muted stringsTapping the body of the instrumentScraping the wound strings with a plectrumIn an exam if you are asked to comment on pitch and it begins with a drum kit you could say:‘The excerpt opens with indefinite pitched sounds supplied by a drum kit’Melodya melody is a linear series of pitches set to a particular rhythm. It is part of music that you sing or whistle. A melody may be played at a relatively high pitch, medium pitch or low pitchThe pitch setting of the melody affects its character, in an exam you can comment on the pitch placement of a melody for example:“The melody is performed at a relatively low pitch, this contributes to its cumbersome character” (insert kind of pitch plus describing word)The pitch contour refers to the melodic shape, some examples of this include:Flat contour, Basic ascending contour, generally descending contour , wavy , Jagged contourMentioning the contour shows that you can recognise a melody’s melodic shape.ArticulationRefers to the different ways a melody can be played to affect its mood or character. It implies different things for different types of instruments. Some examples of this include:Legato articulation (notes are to be played smoothly and attached to each other)Staccato articulation (specifies that notes are to be played in a short detached manner)Mezzo staccato (indicates that notes are to be played in a slightly detached manner)Sostenuto articulation (some instruments play to make notes overlap each otherPhrasesMelodies tend to be divided into smaller sections called phrases. Phrases can be measured in numbers of bars and can also be referred to as being relatively long, medium or short. In music notation phrases are indicated in slurs.Intervalsan interval is the distance between two notes, since a melody has many notes therefore there are many intervals. A description of intervals include:Steps – occur when each note of the melody moves up or down successively to the nextSkips – occur when alternate notes of the scale are omitted creating melodic gapsLeaps – Melodies with a jagged contour contain leaps. In an aural question this can be used to show that you recognise which types of intervals are predominantly used in the melodyRangeThe range of a melody refers to the distance between the melody’s highest and lowest notes. Ranges can vary within a piece, some examples of this include:small ranges, moderate ranges, and large range. RepetitionYou can also refer to any repetition in the melody. Each types of melodic repetition contributes to a composition’s unity and creates a sense of familiarity and expectationRiffs are essentially a melodic ostinato. Some examples of riffs are jazz and rock.Tonality and scalesWhen music is tonal there is a strong tendency for the melody to be drawn to the tonic or home note (the first note on the scale) When there is no tendency to be drawn to the home note this is described as being atonal which creates a melodic unpredictability.Tonality refers to the combined melodic and harmonic flavour of tonal music. A melody is based on a particular scale: Major tonality, Minor tonality, Chromatic tonalityMultiple tonalities occur when two or more distinct key centres occur simultaneously. Some examples of this are bitonality and polytonality. Creativitythis is a reference to melody’s creativity and reveals whether it has been improvised or previously composed. Improvisation may be part of the process of experimentation which eventually leads to the formation of a permanent melody. By identifying a melody as being improvised, you are displaying the skill.OrnamentationOrnaments are melodic decorations that are sometimes added to tunes to make them more complicated, interesting and expressive. Ornamental techniques include tremolo, trill, grace note, mordent, slide, bend, glissando, vibrato, arpeggio, melisma and turn. HarmonyHarmony occurs when two or more notes are sounded together, this can happen as a by-product of polyphony (when a melody is accompanied by another melody or melodies) or as a result of homophony. “how are the chords played, The harmonic rhythm, chord/bass line.Consonant or dissonantConsonant harmony sounds relatively pleasant and harmonious, this can be used to create carefree musicDissonant harmony sounds relatively jarring and harsh this can be effective in producing music which sounds distressing How chords are playedChords can be played in a number of block or broken forms and each has an affect on the overall character of music. Block chords can be arpeggiated making them sound strummed, broken chords are played over an octave, they are called arpeggios. Harmonic RhythmHarmonic rhythm refers to how often the chords change. Slower harmonic rhythms have a tendency to make the music feel relaxed while faster harmonic rhythms give the music more urgency. a drone has the slowest harmonic rhythmPatternsA chord progression is generally used as a harmonic foundation which supports the pieces melodic material. Within the chord progression there are often harmonic patterns, these harmonic ostinati add a sense of familiarity to the subordinate layers of the music and create harmonic unity. BassBass-lines add fullness to the sound of the harmony, Bass part techniques include: Root notes, alternating bass, walking bass line, riffs and pedal bass.END OF PITCHTone ColourTone colour refers to how the music is orchestrated.Performance medium/ensemble typeThis refers to the collection of instruments and voices chosen to orchestrate the music:Wind ensemble, Brass band, String orchestra, percussion band, recorder consort etc.A reference can also be made to the vocals, kind of music and ethnicity associated:A cappella choirJazz band, Latin band, symphony orchestraAboriginal ensemble, Greek folk group, Scottish pipe bandIn an aural question when asked on tone colour you could mention the type of ensemble used and comment on why it may have been chosenSectionsgrouping of instruments that are often clustered together and classified by either their musical function, placement on stage or type of instrument. Some examples of rhythmic sections include: Chords (acoustic guitar, electric piano), Bass part (Double bass, synth, electric bass) and Rhythms (Drum kit, electric drum, congas)Lead instrument – a lead instrument is one that delivers a dominant melody. lead vocals etc.Instruments/sound sourceIn an aural question focusing on the concept of tone colour, a basic requirement would be to identify instruments playing the various parts of music, to do this you need to be able to: recognise the sound of the instrument and actually name the instrument.InstrumentCommentsKeyboardsPianoElectric Pianopipe organelectric organHarpsichordPiano accordionCelestaThickened texture provided by the pedalsimperfect imitation of the pianonatural reverberationcreated option of adding electronic effectslimited dynamic range, lack of sustainwheezy timbrePiano action striking metal bars Played with MalletsVibraphoneSteel drumsTubular bellsGlockenspielMarimbaXylophone Vibrating sound caused by electric fan beneath metal barsMade from 44-gallon oil-drumssuspended metal tubes alternative to church bellsSmall metal bars produce high metallic pitchesseries of wooden barssmaller wooden bars give it higher pitchStringsHarpSitarBanjoAcoustic guitarElectric guitarElectric/double bassCelloViolaNotes tend to ring unless stopped with fingerssome notes embellish melody or create dronefast decay of strings influence busy character of the musicCapable of providing melody with accompanimentElectric effects mean increased capacity for timbral varietyE:percussive technique D: grumbling timbre enrich low pitchexpressive melodies as well as accompanimentProduces sound quality thicker, not as piercing as a violinPipesFlutePiccoloPanpipesRecordershakuhachi Pure sound, usually blends with other instrumentssmaller relative to the flute, high pitch creates shrill timbrebreathy sound quality create recognisable timbre featuresmallest member of recorder familyembellished with pitch bends and leaping grace notes (Japanese)ReedOboeCor AnglaisClarinetBassoonHarmonicaSoprano, alto, tenor, Baritone SaxaphonePenetrating, reedy timbre capable to be very expressivelow nasal qualityfull, rich timbre in its lowest register often given comical staccato melodies movement adding vibrato and able to change sound qualityS: sensitive A: forceful husky timbre T: lower pitch, capable of gently wispy tone B: produces low pitch, biting and gruffBrassTrumpet/mutedFlugelhorn French hornTromboneTubaUpper frequencies M: thin and brittle timbreslightly larger and mellower version of the trumpetMellowest and warmest brass, pitch and timbre controlledwarm timbre played with loud glissandi (flamboyant/boisterousDeepest of the brass, chief role to provide bass linesPercussionElectric drum kitAcoustic drum kitOrchestral symbolsTam-Tamtriangle/cowbell/tamSimulated drum kit, option to change sounds add effectsarray of drums and cymbals of various typesTwo cymbals held in hand to create resounding crashwhen played loudly in climactic sectionsVoicesSopranoAltotenorbassHighest pitch of the female voice angelicthe lowest of female voiceshighest of male voicesLowest of male voicesRoleOnce the instrument has been identified a brief reference can be made, in reference to:MelodicHarmonicRhythmicSound effectRegisterrefers to the particular area of the instruments range which can be described as:Upper register middle register low registerPlaying techniquesplucking, Strumming, mute, flutter tonguing (produce tremolo effect), glissando, pitch bend, rubbing drum skin, striking with sticks, brushes or mallets Timbrerefers to the sound quality of an instrument and can be identified after:1. You’ve recognised the instrument2. Stated its role3. Mentioned the relevant register, and4. Commented on the particular playing techniqueall instruments have a specific timbre that is particularly the quality of sound which allows us to associate it with that instrument. Ways you could describe the timbre include:Bright timbral qualities which can be described as trebly, clear, sparkling, glistening or shrillMellow timbral qualities which include smooth, warm, rich, pleasant, gentle or hollowDull timbral qualities which include bassy, dull, dark, bleak, washy and muddy.“the melody (role) is performed by a distorted (playing technique) electric guitar (instrument) in its upper register (register), creating an abrasive and penetrating timbre (timbre description)END OF TONE COLOURStructureStructure deals with the design of the compositionStructure is made up of sections which may be made up of sub-sectionsWhen music is totally random and unstructured the music is said to be in free-formWhen music can be divided into sections it is sectionalIf music’s constant forward motion cannot be determined it is continuous UNITY and CONTRASTcomposers create unity by restating musical idea thus giving the listener an opportunity to become accustomed to the musicThe composer creates contrast by introducing new material, this has the effect of refreshing the listening.Overall structuresBinary form when a piece has two distinct sections one differing from the other (A+B)Ternary form piece has three distinct sections, third repeating the first (A+B+A)Rondo form has many distinct sections alternating with a return to first (A+B+A+C+A)Additive form when a piece has many different accumulating sections (A+B+C+D+E)Linking sectionsmusical sections can be recognised because they are marked by clear endings or pointsContinuous structureThis is commonly found in polyphonic music, where two more melodies are vying for attention. Without section ends, the music constantly advances which creates the essence of continuous structure. Song structuresStrophic form – same music is repeated for each new verse.Verse chorus form – in this structure versus and chorus’ alternate Sectionsintroduction should be used to establish the beginning of the songThe A section presents the statementThe B section first substantial digressionThe C section offer of musical contrastVerse provides unity and varietyPre-chorus leads directly into the chorusThe chorus main repeated sectionBridge is a new contrasting section commonly followed after the chorus (short in length)Solo/Instrumental gives the vocalists a restCoda is the very last piece of musicRelation to other conceptspitch: phrases, melodic ostinato, riffs and sequences, harmonic rhythm and patternsAural response example:The excerpt opens with the drums supplying a rhythmic ostinato. Next the bass and guitar enter supplying a 2-bar riff played in unison octaves. The ostinato contribute to structural unit. As the ostinato continues a synth pad enters supplying a 4-bar chord progression. Although contrastingly larger than the previous ostinato, its repetition creates even more structural unity. The staggered entry of the layers occurs at regular 4-bar intervals and also contributes to the regular structure of this excerpt.Dynamics and expressive techniques Dynamicsrefers to the level of volume; result from the intensity of the playing.Describing the volumevery loud = fortissimoloud = fortemoderately loud = mezzo fortemoderately soft = mezzo pianosoft = pianovery soft = pianissimo Increasing sound = Crescendodecreasing sound = DecrescendoSudden increase in sound = sforzandoDynamics and expressive techniquespitchstructuretone colour ................
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