The Language of Music

Melody Rhythm Structure Harmony Instrumentation Texture Tempo

(Notation)

MELO

DY

Pitch names: A – G

Sharp/ flat: up/down a semi-tone

Intervals: distance between two notes

Range: total amount of notes a singer/instrument can play (high-low)

Register: relative ‘height’ of a set of notes (pitches)

Diatonic/ Chromatic: in the key/ notes added outside the key

Tonic: home key (I)

Subdominant: on chord IV of the home key

Dominant: on chord V of the home key

Pentatonic: scale 5 notes

Raga: Indian scale system

Note row: Serialism

Moving by step/ leap: 2nd/ 3rd & more

Scalic: by step

Scales: major & minor keys – set of musical notes set by increasing/decreasing pitch

Note values: semi-breve, minim, crotchet, quaver, semi-quaver

Pulse / Beat: The regular division of time in music Triplet: 3 notes played in the space of 2. Swing tempo Dotted rhythm: Add ½ of the preceding note’s value Simple Time: The beat divides in two (2/4) Compound Time: The beat divides into three (6/8) Duple Time: Two beats in the bar 2/4 or 6/8 Triple Time: Three beats in the bar 3/4 or 9/8 Quadruple Time: Four beats in the bar 4/4 or 12/8 Irregular Time: Where the number of beats in a bar

keeps changing Tala: A rhythmic phrase or pattern in Indian music Syncopation: Accenting against the beat (= off-beat) Cross-rhythm: 2 different rhythms used simultaneously

RH

YTH

M

Phrase :A unit of music often ending with cadence

Ground Bass: A repeated bass pattern

Variations: Theme played in altered forms

Rondo form: ABACADA etc

Sonata form: wide-scale in three main sections: exposition, development and recapitulation (2 themes)

Binary form: AB

Ternary form: ABA(‘)

Strophic form: verse-repeating (i.e. there is no chorus; ex. ‘Away Manger’)

Call and Response: 2 phrases with a call (leader) & response (chorus)

Aleatoric: music by chance

Sequence: A phrase repeated higher or lower in pitch

Ostinato/ Riffs: Repeated pattern in music/ in rock & jazz music

Canon: A melody which can be repeated, delayed and layered; comes to an end

Motivic Development: Short musical idea which is developed

STR

UC

TU

RE

Consonance/Dissonance: Sounds pleasant/ sounds tension (clash)

Major: A scale running: tone tone semitone tone tone tone semitone

Minor: A scale with a flattened third and alternative 6th and 7th notes

Modal: A scale system not major/minor: folk & world music

Atonal: Music without a key centre

Cadences:

- Perfect: V - I Full close

- Plagal: IV - I Amen cadence

- Interrupted: V - not I Interrupted (often goes to VI)

- Imperfect: ? - V Half close

Modulation: A change of key during a passage of music

Transpose: Change the pitch of the music

Pedal: Single sustained note for a short period of time

Drone: Single sustained note or multiple notes often through-out

Arpeggio/Broken Chord: Spread out notes of a chord

HA

RM

ON

Y

Vocal Sounds:

Female: Soprano, Mezzo-soprano, Alto, Contralto

Male: Tenor, Baritone, Bass & Falsetto

Choir/ Chorus/ A cappella/ Backing vocals

Instrumental Sounds:

Brass: trumpet, French horn, trombone, tuba

Woodwind: flute (piccolo), oboe (English horn), clarinet, bassoon, saxophone

String: violin, viola, cello, bass, harp, guitar

Keyboards: piano, celesta, harpsichord, organ, synthesizer

Percussion: timpani, snare, bass, cymbals, tambourine, xylophone, glockenspiel

Orchestra/ Chamber Orchestra/ Wind Band/ Brass Band/ Chamber Music

World instruments:

India: sitar, tabla, tambura

Africa: djembe, talking drum (dundun), mbira, kora

INS

TR

UM

EN

TA

TIO

N

Monophonic: ‘One sound’ – single melodic line

Heterophonic: ‘Difference of sounds’ – 2+ similar melodies at the same time

Homophonic: ‘Same sounds’ – melody & accompaniment

Polyphonic: ‘Many sounds’ - 2+ melodies in clear layers or strands

Counterpoint: In Baroque music, polyphonic e.g. Fugue

Solo: One performer

Unison: All performers using same notes

Doubling: Playing the same notes as another instrument

Tutti: All performers together

Counter-melody: A melody that goes against the main melody

Descant: A counter-melody above the other voices

Sparse or dense: often varied to give variety & interest

TEX

TU

RE

Largo – broadly

Adagio – slow and stately (literally, "at ease")

Andante – at a walking pace

Moderato – moderately

Allegro – fast, quickly, and bright

Vivace – lively and fast

Presto – extremely fast

Tempo changes:

Accelerando – getting faster

Ritardando/ Rallentando – slowing down

Allargando – broadening out

Rubato – not in strict tempo

TEM

PO

Clefs: Treble & Bass

Stave (staff): 5 horizontal lines & 4 spaces on which music is written

Bar/ double bar lines: vertical lines that split the music in divisions of time (double = final)

Key signature: sharps & flats that inform which major/minor key

Time signature: simple (i.e. 2/4; 3/4; 4/4 ) & compound (i.e. 6/8; 9/8; 12/8)

Note values: semi-breve, minim, crotchet, quaver, semi-quaver/ . = add ½

Articulation marks: legato (smooth), staccato (short), tremolo (trembling), pizzicato (plucked)

Dynamics signs: fortissimo, forte, mezzo-forte, mezzo-piano, piano, pianissimo, crescendo, diminuendo, subito, sforzando

Ornament signs: appoggiatura, acciaccatura, trill, mordent

Graphic score: music represented with visual signs

Non-standard notation

Oral tradition: example Scottish folk music (not written down)

NO

TA

TIO

N

Basic: Explain the following in your performance:

M: Melody

R: Rhythm

S: Structure

H: Harmony

I: Instrumentation

T: Texture

T: Tempo

(D: Dynamics)

Intermediate: Apply some of the elements in your performance (dynamics, change tempo or texture…)

Advanced: Apply minor details to your performance (different articulation, adding a counter-melody, changing the key…)

MR

S H

ITT