Music Concepts and Perception

Chapter 1: Introduction to Music Concepts

• Discussion of musical guidelines is important for exam preparation; may appear as extra credit or key references.
• Introduction of fundamental musical concepts:
  • Consonance: Combination of notes that sounds pleasant together.
  • Dissonance: Combination that creates tension or discomfort.
  • Melody: Sequence of notes that are musically satisfying.
  • Rhythm: Pattern of sounds and silences in music.
• Examples of songs to illustrate these concepts:
  • The Doors
  • The Archies
  • “True Blood” theme song.
• Explanation of Gestalt laws of organization in music:
  • Proximity: Notes must be played close in time to maintain melodic structure.
  • Similarity: Notes with similar characteristics are grouped together by perception.

Chapter 2: Understanding Violin Sections

• Explanation of how different sections in an orchestra contribute to perceived melodies.
• Example of how first and second violin sections can create a melody no single instrument is playing.
• Reference to Diana Deutsch's research in music perception:
  • Genius of music composition often comes intuitively rather than through intentionality.
  • Composers are aware of grouping similar pitches to shape melodies.
• Cocktail Party Phenomenon: Refers to the ability to focus on a single conversation in a noisy environment, showcasing auditory selective attention.

Chapter 3: Importance of Pitch

• Good Pitch: Ability to recreate musical notes accurately.
• Explanation of how altering string length affects pitch on a string instrument (e.g., guitar).
  • Explanation of playing techniques to manipulate pitch.
• Good Continuation: A musical principle where melody progresses logically, allowing listeners to predict the path of the notes.

Chapter 4: Rhythm in Music

• Discussion of different rhythms in music:
  • Example: “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” by Queen.
  • Importance of staccato (short, detached notes) in creating different musical effects.
  • Rubato: Expressive timing variation in music performance.
• Comparison of guitar playing versus violin memorization techniques.

Chapter 5: Chord Structures

• Major Chords: Associated with happiness; sonically uplifting.
  • Example: Major chord on D note.
• Minor Chords: Often perceived as serious or foreboding; contrast with major chords.
  • Emphasis on the appeal of minor chords for serious music.
  • Example: “Sugar Sugar” by The Archies, illustrating major and minor chord usage.
• Mention of examples like “Bad Blood” theme song from “True Blood” that uses minor chords effectively.

Chapter 6: Conclusion and Recap

• Summary of key songs discussed for contextual examples:
  • “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” by Queen
  • “Sugar Sugar” by The Archies
  • “Love Her Madly” by The Doors
  • “Bad Blood” theme song by Jayce Everett.
• Importance of understanding these musical concepts and their application in analyzing music for the exam.