compositionaldevices[1]
DESCRIPTION
teaching music resourcesTRANSCRIPT
-
A type of repetition in a melody
Ascending sequencea short part of a
melody that is repeated but all the notes
are higher each repetition
Descending sequencesame as above but
repeated lower
Sequence
Ascending Sequence
Descending Sequence
-
A melody begins as before, but this time is
extended for example: 2 bars now be-
comes 3
Melody
Extension
-
Repetition
A melody or rhythm can be repeated:
Exactly
Or with some changes
Theme from Beethovens Ode to Joy Symphony
These are the only bars
that have been altered.
-
A fragment (small part) of the melody is used
Helps extend the music
Fragmentation
Original fragment
Fragment repeated
-
Guitar or keyboard plays a catchy short
melody that is repeated often during a song
Riff
[Insert well known riff here e.g. Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple]
-
The melody or rhythm is repeated with
larger note values
Sounds similar but s l o w e r
Augmentation
Every note from the
original is doubled
in value augmented/ expanded
-
The melody or rhythm is repeated
with smaller note values
Sounds similar but faster
Diminution
Every note from the
original has been halved
in value
original
halved
-
One part in the music imitates a melody or
rhythm in another part
Usually happens within the next two bars
Imitation
original
repeated/imitated
in the bass
-
A note in the bass that lasts for several
bars
OR
The same note repeated for several bars
Above that note the music moves a
melody and/or a harmony
Pedal Point (Pedal, Pedal Tone)
The double bass
holds the pedal tone
The melody moves in the
violin above the pedal tone
-
Repeated rhythmic idea or motif, usually
underneath the music
May be played by a percussion instru-
ment or by a melody instrument
Ostinato
motif