The concepts of music

The$6$concepts$of$music

• Dura4on• Pitch• Dynamics$and$Expressive$Techniques• Tone$Colour• Texture• Structure

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Dura&onThe$way$beats$are$grouped:$&me!signatures.!Classifiedas!simple!(eg!4/4,!3/4),!compound!(eg!6/8,!12/8),irregular!(eg!5/4,!7/8),!mixed!metre,!or!no!metre.

The$underlyingpulse$of$music(strong!or!weak).Some!music!hasno!pulse.

The$speed$ofthe$beat,$andwhether!it!isaltered(ritardando!,accelerandoor!rubato)

Pa:erns$of$long$and$short$notes,$and$silences.Rhythms!can!be!simple!or!complex.Rhythmic!devices!include:!rhythmic!os&nato,syncopa&on,!polyrhythm,hemiola,!swing,!diminu&on,!augmenta&on

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PitchMelody!includes!melodic*contourand*melodic*movementascending/descending,!alterna2ng,steps,!skips,!leaps!–!stepwise,!scalic,(conjunct),!chroma2c,!triadic,!orangular!(disjunct)!–!name!the!actualintervals!and!their!scale!degreesPhrase*structure*(eg!antecedent=consequent,!pairs!of!phrases,!orothers:!eg!AAB,!AA’BB’)Register!(high!or!low)!and!range(wide!or!narrow)and!melodic*devices*such!as:sequence!(ascending!ordescending?),!mo2vic!development(extension,!decora2on,fragmenta2on!etc),!countermelody,os2nato,!ornamenta2on,!melisma,blue!notes,!suspension,appoggiatura,!passing!note!(diatonicor!chroma2c),!escape!note

Harmony!includes!chords*(eg!major,minor,!augmented,!diminishedseventh,!dominant!sevenths,!addedor!extended!chords,!inversions)Harmonic*structure*(eg!repeatedchord*progressions*such!as!12!barblues!or!I!V!vi!IV,!or!non=repeatedchord!progressions);!=!(modula2ons)Harmonic*rhythm*(how!quickly!thechords!change!–!eg!once!per!bar,!42mes!per!bar)Chord*spacing*(how!the!notes!of!achord!are!spread!over!the!range)Accompaniment*style*(how!thechords!are!played,!eg!block!chords,broken!chords,!Alber2!bass,!otheraccompanying!figura2ons(paOerns))Chroma:c*harmony*(using!chordsor!notes!from!outside!the!scale)Dissonance*and!consonance**–suspensions,*resolu:ons,*chains*ofsuspensions,*appoggiaturas,accented*passing*notes,*orunresolved*dissonance

Tonality!is!the!key!and*scale*a!piece!is!based!around.It!can!be!major,!minor,!modal,!pentatonic!(eg!the!blues!scale),!oratonal.There!are!many!other!types!of!scale!too!(eg!Indian!ragas,!Japanesescales,!whole!tone,!octatonic!scales).A!piece!can!change!key,!which!is!called!modula:on*(find!which!key!bylooking!for!1)!accidentals!of!the!new!key!2)!a!perfect!cadence!(look!atthe!bass)!and!give!the!key!rela2onship!to!the!tonic!(eg!rela2ve!minor,dominant,!subdominant,!flat!submediant,!parallel!minor)

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!

Dynamics!(and!Expressive!Techniques)

pppp,!ppp,pp,!p,!mp,mf,!f,!ff,!fff,or!ffff

decrescendo/diminuendocrescendoswell!(<!>)Terrace!dynamicsFp!<

eg!subito!(suddenchanges)Sfz!(sforzando)fp!(fortepiano)Accents

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EXPRESSIVE!TECHNIQUES

In!scores,!advice!on!howto!play!the!music,eg!“with!a!lilt”,“aggressively”,cantabile,!maestoso!etc

Expressive!use!of!tempo(eg!rubato)

How!each!note!is!a"acked,sustained,!and!released:eg!staccato,!accented,!legato,slurred,!tenuto,!fp,!sfz

DecoraLng!a!melody!or!harmonywith!extra!notes:!eg!trill,!passing!notes,turn,!appoggiatura,!grace!note,mordent,!acciaccatura,!blue!notes

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Using!effects!to!change!how!eachnote!sounds:!eg!tremolo,!wahwah,echo,!delay,!feedback,!autotune

Instrument!or!voicespecific!techniques(see!next!slide)

Expressive)Techniques/Tone)ColourExamples)of)special)instrumental)and)vocal)techniques(these)are)common)to)both)concepts)above):

) STRINGS BRASS WINDS GUITARS VOICE DRUMS

Tremolo Mutes Tonguing Strumming Glissando Drum)roll

Sul)pont. Bends Slurring Fingerpicking Bend Rim)shot

Pizzicato Vibrato FluJerKtongue

Harmonics Scoop Brushes

Glissando Falls Bends Slide,)bend FalseJo Cymbal)bell

Harmonics Doits Glissando Vibrato Vibrato DoubleKkick

DoubleKstopping

Growl MulPphonics HammerKon/off

Chest/headvoice

Con)sordino Glissando(trombone)

Circularbreathing

FX(distorPon,chorus)etc)

Growl/screamSpeakKsinging)etc

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Tone%Colour

See%previousslide.

How%the%sound%is%produced:materials%(eg%wood,%metal,%string%etc)produc=on%(eg%hit,%struck,%scraped,%plucked)acous=c/electronic%etcThe%effect%of%the%overall

tone%colour%of%all%instrumentscombined:%eg%majes=c,%brilliant,mournful,%ethereal%etc

The%sound%quality%of%aninstrument%or%voice:eg%bright,%dark,%piercing,gra=ng,%raucous,%sonorous,mellifluous,%resonant,%rich,reedy,%honky,%sweet,%=nkling

Name%and%classify%the%instrumentor%voice,%and%its%family.

How%are%instruments%orvoices%combined%in%themusic?%Do%they%blend%orcontrast%in%tone%colour?Is%it%a%standard%ensembleeg%string%quartet,%rockband,%orchestra?

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TextureHow$many$layers$(not*how*many*instruments)*are*therein*the*music,*and*what*are*they?Describe*the*ROLE*of*each*layer*(eg*melodic,*chordal,*rhythmic,*accompaniment,countermelody,*basso*con=nuo,*riff,*os=nato,*improvisa=on)*and*describe*its*pitch*and*dura=on,and*how*the*layers*interrelate$(rhythmic$unison?Parallel,$similar,$oblique$or$contrary$mo=on?$Fugue?$Canon?imita=on?$An=phony$(ques=on$and$answer?)$Polyrhythm?Heterogenous$texture$(layers$are$very$different$from$one$another$)or$homogenous$texture$(similar$parts$that$blend$together?)*

How*thick*or*thin*is*the*texture?*Areall*instruments*playing*all*the*=me?Is*there*textural*contrast?Describe*the*overall*texture*(avoid*simplysaying*thick*or*thin):*heavy,*busy,light,*rich,*sparse,*percussive,*interlocking *

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StructureThe)overall)form)of)the)music:)eg)ABA)(ternary),)AABB)(binary),)AABACA)(rondo),)sonata)form,verse>chorus,)theme)and)varia?ons,)12)bar)blues,)strophic)(eg)school)hymn),)minuet)and)trio,)orthrough>composed

The)structure)on)the)smaller)level:)melodic)phrase)structures)(eg)open>closed,)ABBA,an?phony,)call/response))Use)of)chord)progressions)(harmonic)structure),)mo?fs,os?natos,)repe??on,)rhythmic)paEerns,)accompaniment)figura?on

What)remainsconstant)orrecursthroughout)apiece)(whatunifies))a)piece)

What)changesin)a)piece,either)subtly(variety)ordrama?cally(contrast)

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