Basics of Music PP

7/27/2019 Basics of Music PP

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Basics of Music


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What is sound?

Sound is a vibration.

Vibrations travel through air and are

picked up by the sensitive membrane ofthe ear drum, which also vibrates.

The vibrations are then transformed intonervous impulses and transmitted to thebrain, which identifies them as varioustypes of sound.


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Music and Noise

If all sounds are vibrations, then how do wediscern music from noise?

Notes with a definite pitch have a wave form (a

visual vibration?) that has a regular pattern. Noise tends to have irregular wave forms and

indefinite pitch.

What we class as noise (and music) has a lot to

do with the culture that we live in. What weclass as noise others may class as music andvice- versa.


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Music and Noise

If all sounds are vibrations, then how do wediscern music from noise?

Notes with a definite pitch have a wave form (a

visual vibration?) that has a regular pattern. Noise tends to have irregular wave forms and

indefinite pitch.

What we class as noise (and music) has a lot to

do with the culture that we live in. What weclass as noise others may class as music andvice- versa.


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Musical Elements

PITCH-

DYNAMICS-

TIMBRE-

TEMPO-

is how HIGH or LOW a note is

are how loud or soft a sound is

(VOLUME)

is how to describe each individual sound

in words (TONE COLOUR)

is how fast or slow the music goes

(SPEED)


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Musical Elements 2

DURATION-

TEXTURE-

STRUCTURE-

SILENCE-

is how long a sound is played for

(TIME)

how different parts of music

(or instruments) are layered together

how sounds and music are ordered

to make them memorable (FORM)

if there is such a thing! (Vibrations etc.)


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TEXTURE

Terms used to describe texture include:

MONOPHONIC

HOMOPHONIC

POLYPHONIC

HETEROPHONIC

Phonic = sound, so think of these wordsas the prefix and sound(s) ie.

Mono= one phonic= sound = ONE SOUND


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MONOPHONIC (MONOPHONY)

Means one sound

A single musical line, but can be sung or

played by many people. Musical texture of a single melodic line

with no accompaniment.

Examples: Cantus firmus (plainchant)Folk airs and ballads


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HOMOPHONIC (HOMOPHONY)

Means same sounds

Melody with accompaniment- parts movebasically together rhythmically (althoughhomorhythmic is a better word to describethis)

Examples: Hymn tunes


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POLYPHONIC (POLYPHONY)

Means many sounds

Two or more parts playing melodiessimultaneously and entering the textureindividually to create a CONTRAPUNTAL(multilayered) texture. (Counterpoint)

Examples: Fugues; Two part inventions;

Renaissance vocal music; Motets, Madrigals


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HETEROPHONIC (HETEROPHONY)

Means difference of sounds

Two or more parts play a melody together butwith some slight differences in pitch or rhythm.

You do not hear this too much in Western music(sometimes in traditional Irish music)

Examples: Turkish music

Gamelan Japanese music


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Listening

Listen to these extracts and decide as agroup which texture best suits the music.

1

2

3

4

Polyphonic

Heterophonic

Homophonic

Monophonic


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Individual listening

Decide which texture best suits theextract.

5

6

7 8

Heterophonic

Polyphonic

Monophonic

Homophonic


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Extension- listening

1

2

3

4

Monophonic

Heterophonic

Homophonic

Polyphonic


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STRUCTURES

Ground bass and variations

Rondo / Ritornello

Ternary form / Da Capo aria

Minuet and trio

Song verse/chorus structure

Indian raga- alap/ jhor/ jhalla/ gat

Call and response

Aleatoric / chance


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Musical devices

These musical devices occur within themusical structures listed:

Repetition / sequence

Ostinato / riffs

Imitation / canon

Motific development

Introduction / coda

Link


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Italian terms- TEMPO

ADAGIO

LARGO

ANDANTE

MODERATO

ALLEGRO

PRESTO

VIVACE

ACCELERANDO/ RALLENTANDO/ RITARDANDO


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TEMPO

VIVACE

ACCELERANDO

ALLEGRO

RALLENTANDO/ RITARDANDOADAGIO

ANDANTE

PRESTO MODERATO

LARGO

Quick

Moderate pace

Fast

LivelyWalking pace

Getting slower

Getting faster

Slow

Broad and slow


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Italian terms- Dynamics

Pianissimo (pp)

Piano (p)

Mezzo piano (mp)

Mezzo forte (mf)

Forte (f)

Fortissimo (ff)

Crescendo

Diminuendo


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Dynamics

Crescendo

Fortissimo (ff)

Mezzo forte (mf)

Diminuendo

Piano (p)

Forte (f)

Pianissimo (pp)

Mezzo piano (mp)

Loud

Quiet

Very quiet

Very loud

Getting quieter

Getting louder

Fairly quiet

Fairly loud


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Time signatures

Time signatures tell you how many beatsare in each bar.

The top number tells you how many beats

The bottom number tells you what type ofnote.

4/4 is 4 crotchets in a bar 6/8 is 6 quavers in a bar (two groups of

three quavers, as in folk music)


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Simple and Compound time

SIMPLE time signatures have 2, 3 or 4beats as their top number.

COMPOUND time signatures have 6, 9 or12 as their top number.

With SIMPLE time signatures you wouldcount every beat.

With COMPOUND the notes are groupedinto threes per beat.


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Compound time

A 6/8 rhythm is counted in two groups ofthree- so you will FEEL 2 beats to the barbut there are 6 quavers in total;


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Metre

Depending on the time signature, thebeats make different patterns. This isknown as the metre:

REGULAR METRE

Two beats per bar= DUPLE metre

Three beats per bar= TRIPLE metreFour beats per bar= QUADRUPLE metre


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What metre?

2/4 5. 12/8

4/4 6. 6/8

3/8 7. 3/4

9/8


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Metre- answers

Simple duple 5. Compound

quadruple

Simple quadruple 6. Compoundduple

Simple triple 7. Simple triple

Compound triple


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DURATION

NOTE symbols tell you-

REST symbols tell you-

Notes and rests have names and values

depending on how long they are.

How many beats to hold a sound for

How many beats to hold a silence for


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Note names, symbols and values

Name Number of

beats

Note

symbol

Rest

symbol

semibreve 4

minim 2

crotchet 1

quaver 1/2

semiquaver 1/4


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Notes of the keyboard

In music we only use the letters A, B, C,D, E, F and G. The note C is to the left ofthe two black notes.

C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C

The rest of the letters follow alphabetically and repeat.


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Tones and Semitones

The smallest interval on the pianokeyboard is called a SEMITONE.

C to C sharp E to F


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Tones

Two semitones make a TONE

C to D B to C sharp Ab to Bb


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Sharps and Flats

Sharp (#) = raise note by a semitone

Flat (b) = lower note by a semitone

C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C

C#Db

D#Eb

F#Gb

G#Ab

A#Bb Fb CbE#B#


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Staff Notation- Clefs

Treble clef (G clef)

Bass clef (F clef)


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Notes on staff


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Major scale

C D E F G A B C

T TTTT SSK

K=KEYNOTE T=TONE S=SEMITONE

All major scales are made up of the same pattern of tones and semitones. Once

you have learned the pattern you can work out any major scale.


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Major scale- letters

Each scale must contain one of eachletter:

C D E F G A B C OR

D E F# G A B C# D NOT

D E Gb G A B Db D

TIP! Write out letters first then add sharps and

flats as you go.


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Major chords

KEYNOTE NOTE 3 NOTE 5


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Minor chords

KEYNOTE NOTE 5FLATTENED 3rd

Flattened note is lowered by a semitone


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Minor scales- Harmonic

The same as major but with the 3rd and6th flattened: C minor=

C D Eb F G Ab B C C B Ab G F Eb D C


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Minor scales- Melodic

Ascending: same as major but withflattened 3rd.

Descending: same as relative major (countup 3 semitones, eg. A minor=C major)

C D Eb F G A B C C Bb Ab G F Eb D C


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Chords I IV V

With the chords of the 1st, 4th and 5thnotes of the scale you can play thousandsof tunes.

C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G

CHORD 1 CEG

CHORD 4 FAC

CHORD 5 GBD

Every other letter finds chords 1,3 and 5


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Chords of the major scale

Diatonic= of the scale

Work out whether these chords are majoror minor.

MAJORMINOR MINOR

MAJOR MAJOR MAJORMINOR

DIMINISHED

I II III IV V VI VII VIII


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Arpeggios

Arpeggios are chords, but with each noteplayed seperately.


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IntervalsThe relationship between two notes can be measured by their distance apart inthe major scale. This distance is called the interval.

Major 2nd

Major 3rd

Perfect 4th

Perfect 5th

Major 6th

Major 7th

Octave

Remember, if the notes are within the scale, the intervals are called

MAJOR or PERFECT


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Other intervals

Minor 2ndMinor 3rd

Augmented 4th

Diminished 5th

Minor 6th

Minor 7th


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Diminished chords

Diminished chords are built up of minorthirds. (Scooby Doo chords!)

MINOR 3RD

MINOR 3RD

MINOR 3RD DIMINISHEDCHORD


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Diminished chords

Because minor thirds repeat the same notes after the first four,there are a limited number of diminished chords. How many?

3


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Chords- 6ths and 7ths

These are major or minor chords with the6th note of the scale added:

C6= C E G A

Cminor6 (Cm6)= C Eb G A

C6= C E G A


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Major 7ths and 7ths

There are two types: Seventh and Majorseventh. Seventh chords are ordinarytriads with the seventh added, but

Major seventh uses the seventh note ofthe major scale, so

Cmaj7=C E G B

Seventh chords use the flattened 7th

of amajor scale, so

C7= C E G Bb


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Chords- suspended

Suspended chords replace the third of thescale with either the second or fourth ofthe scale:

C sus2= C D G

C sus4= C F G


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Modes

Modes are the system used before scalesas we know them were invented.

They can be worked out easily by using amajor scale but starting on different notes

For example.


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Dorian mode

Take a C major scale-

Play this scale starting and ending on D

You now have the Dorian mode


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Aeolian and Mixolydian modes

A to A on the C major scale is the Aeolianmode

G to G on the C major scale is theMixolydian mode


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Other modes

Play white notes starting/ ending-

C to C = Ionian (major scale)

D to D = Dorian

E to E = Phrygian

F to F = Lydian

G to G = Mixolydian

A to A = Aeolian

B to B = Locrian


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Documents

Basics of Music PP