Transcript Aural Analysis

Aural Analysis
Listening to the World’s Music
© Taylor & Francis
First Impressions
• What stands out?
o Remember your initial reaction.
• Experiential associations
o Relate sounds to something you know.
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Aural Analysis
• Jargon
o Discipline-specific vocabulary
• Four Properties of Sound
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Quality (Timbre or Aural Color)
Pitch (Tone)
Duration (Rhythm)
Volume (Dynamics)
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Timbre
• Aural color of a sound
• Medium
o Voice/Instrument/Both
o Solo/Ensemble
o Organology
• Sachs-Hornbostel System
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Aerophones
• Flutes, Reeds, Trumpets
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Chordophones
• Lutes
o Bowed vs. Plucked
o Fretless vs. Fretted
• Zither
o No Neck
o Plucked vs. Struck
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Idiophones
• Melodic vs. Rhythmic
• Plucked, Struck, or Shaken
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Membranophones
• Struck with the hand
• Struck with a stick or other device
• “Rubbed” or “Singing” membranes
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Pitch
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Definite vs. Indefinite
Tuning System
Scale - Interval - Range
Melody
o Melodic Contour
o Text Setting
• Syllabic vs. Melismatic
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Rhythm
• Beat - Tempo
• Accent
• Meter
o Duple/Triple
• Free Rhythm
• Rhythmic Density
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Phonic Structure
• Monophony
• Polyphony
o Homophony
o Independent Polyphony
o Heterophony
• Simultaneous variations
of the same line of music
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Etc.
• Dynamics
• Form
o “Blueprint” of music over time
• Extra-musical Associations
o History, religion, other art forms, etc.
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