Transcript File
Musical Terms
Studying music terminology through the 6 concepts
Focus: Tone Colour & Texture
Stage 6 Music – Musicology
(Interactive Whiteboard)
Click on the tabs: ‘Tone Colour’ & ‘Texture’ to explore the
concepts’ points of discussion
Musical Terms
Duration
Dynamics &
Expressive Techniques
Pitch
Texture
Tone Colour
Structure
Tone Colour
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Instrumentation
Category
Ensemble
Orchestration
Techniques & Effects
Quality
Instrumentation
Points of Discussion
Identification of Instruments – e.g. (tenor sax, soprano
singer, guitar, drums, didjeridoo etc).
• Traditional Instruments
• Non-Traditional Instruments
• Instruments characteristic of specific genres
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Ensemble
Points of Discussion
Ensemble refers to a group of musicians, actors or dancers
who perform together. The group can consist of 3 or more
people. There are various types of ensembles:
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Trios
Quartets
String Ensemble
Orchestral Ensemble
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• Rock Band
• Traditional/NonTraditional Ensembles
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Techniques & Effects
Points of Discussion
Mute; glissando; double stopping; flutter tonguing;
pizzicato; harmonics; vibrato; sliding/ bending; virtuosity;
dexterity; intonation; ornaments (trill, turn etc,
appoggiatura).
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Category
Points of Discussion
Category of Instruments
• Brass, woodwind, strings, chordophone/electrophone
etc;
• Traditional Instruments
• Non-Traditional Instruments
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Orchestration
Points of Discussion
• Roles of Orchestration – Individually and in combination
• Orchestral Effects
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Quality
Points of Discussion
How an instrument is played – quality of the sound:
e.g. Breathy, penetrating, resonant, mellow, majestic,
piercing, sonorous, piercing, oily, rich, shrill; harsh
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Texture
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Texture Definition
General Type
Layers
Level of Activity
Role
Texture (Definition)
Points of Discussion
Texture results from the way voices and/or instruments
are combined in music (BOSTES, 1999: Music 1 Syllabus).
Texture can be divided into three forms:
• Layers of sound
• The function of each layer of sound
• The roles of instruments and/or voices in each layer of
sound
More…
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The main aspects to consider when analysing texture:
Back to Texture
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General Type
Points of Discussion
• Homophonic; polyphonic; monophonic; heterophonic;
• Contrapuntal; antiphonal
• Number of lines; foreground/background emphasis;
opposing/complementary
• Solo; accompaniment.
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Layers
Points of Discussion
Identify the layers of sound creating the texture. Layers
can be separated into the following categories:
• Single melodic line
• Melody with accompaniment
• More than one melodic line
• Countermelody
• Non-melodic/harmonic lines (e.g. rhythm section or
percussion)
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Level of Activity
Points of Discussion
Level of activity refers to the identification of layers at
once at a certain time:
• Sparse/dense
• Cluttered; busy; confused; well-defined.
• Role Linear dependence/independence;
• Harmonic; melodic;
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Role
Points of Discussion
Identification of a musician’s or instrument’s part:
• Linear dependence/independence
• Harmonic; melodic; accompaniment; rhythmic support
• Pulse reinforcing;
• Countermelodic;
• Doubling (unison); backing; open/close harmony
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Pitch
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Melody
Minor
Harmony
Flat
Chord
Sharp
Tone
Scale
Octave
Key Signature
Major
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Dynamics & Expressive Techniques
Accelerando
Fortissimo
Adaigo
Legato
Allegro
Piano
Crescendo
Pianissimo
Decrescendo
Staccato
Forte
Tie
Duration
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Beat/Pulse
Tempo
Metre
Note Values/Rhythm
Patterns
Structure
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Macro Form
Unity
Micro Form
Contrast
Repetition