MUS LN2 for Test1

Components of Texture

• Definition: The interweaving of musical lines

Types of Texture

• Monophony: A single line of music (phony = sound)

• Homophony: A single melody supported by harmony or chords

• Heterophony: Multiple voices play variations of the same basic melody simultaneously

• Polyphony: Multiple lines of music occurring at the same time

  • Counterpoint: The art of writing polyphonic music

  • Contrapuntal Devices: Techniques used by composers to create polyphonic music

  • Imitation: A melodic line presented in one voice, then restated in another

  • Round/Canon: Compositions based entirely on imitation

  • Homorhythm: All voices moving in the same rhythm

  • Polyrhythm: Many rhythms occurring simultaneously

Form

• Definition: The structure of a piece of music

• Three Main Elements of Form:

  • Repetition: A passage of music is repeated

  • Contrast: Use of different musical material

  • Variation: A melody repeated but changed

Musical Terms

• Strophic: A song form using the same melody but different words

• Binary: A form with 2 sections (A, B)

• Ternary: A form with 3 sections (A, B, A)

• Theme: A melody used as a building block in musical composition

• Motive: A melodic or rhythmic fragment

• Sequence: Repeating a motive starting on a different pitch

• Call & Response: A vocal form where one person’s melody is sung and then repeated by others

Page 2: Musical Techniques

Improvisation

• Definition: Making music on the spot; a major component in jazz

Ostinato

• Definition: A motive repeated on the same pitch

Movement

• Definition: Independent sections of a larger work (similar to chapters in a book)

Through Composed

• Definition: Music crafted to best express the meaning of the text

Dynamics

• Definition: The volume of a piece of music

• Volume Terms:

  • Pianissimo (pp): Very soft

  • Piano (p): Soft

  • Mezzo piano (mp): Medium soft

  • Mezzo forte (mf): Medium loud

  • Forte (f): Loud

  • Fortissimo (ff): Very loud

  • Crescendo: Gradually louder

  • Decrescendo: Gradually getting softer

  • Diminuendo: Similar meaning to Decrescendo

Tempo

• Definition: The speed of music

• Speed Terms:

  • Grave: Very very slow

  • Largo: Very slow

  • Adagio: Slow

  • Andante: Moderately slow

  • Moderato: Medium tempo

  • Allegro: Fast

  • Vivace: Very fast

  • Presto: Very very fast

  • Modifier Terms:

    • Accelerando: Gradually getting faster

    • Ritardando: Gradually getting slower

    • Rallentando: To gradually get slower

    • A tempo: Return to original tempo

    • Poco: Little

Page 3: Musical Instruments

Vocal Ranges

• Soprano: High female voice

• Mezzo Soprano: Medium-high female voice

• Alto: Low female voice

• Tenor: High male voice

• Baritone: Medium male voice

• Bass: Low male voice

Instrument Families

1. String: e.g., piano, guitar, harp

2. Woodwinds: Air travels through a tube, creating sound

3. Brass: Sound produced by vibrating lips

4. Percussion: Instruments that vibrate themselves

Orchestral String Instruments

• Violin

• Viola

• Cello

• String bass (acoustic or upright bass)

Page 4: Specific Instrument Details

String Techniques

• Pizzicato: Plucking in string instruments

• Bow: Using horsehair to play strings

Brass Family

• Trumpet

• French Horn

• Trombone

• Tuba

Woodwinds Family (Uses reeds)

• Flute (+Piccolo - highest)

• Oboe (+English Horn - double reeds)

• Clarinet (+Bass Clarinet - single reed)

• Bassoon (+Contra Bassoon - double reeds)

• Saxophone (single reed)

Percussion Family

• Tuned Percussion Instruments:

  • Glockenspiel (orchestra bells)

  • Xylophone

  • Vibraphone

  • Marimba

  • Timpani