Download Lecture 5

Instructor Anthony Johnson
Course Music
INTRODUCTION TO MUSIC
HARMONY & TEXTURE
MUSIC: HARMONY
 Harmony
 This is the most common term used by musicians to refer to the
simultaneous sounding of musical notes sounding together in time.
 When working in conjunction with the melody we call that harmony
or harmonization. The study of harmony involves chords and their
construction and chord progressions and the principles of
connection that govern them. Harmony is often said to refer to the
"vertical" aspect of music, as distinguished from melodic line, or the
"horizontal" aspect.
 When we put these harmonies together to create depth in sound and
emotional responses they are called chords.
MUSIC: CHORDS
 Chords
 A chord in music is any harmonic set of two to three or more notes that is heard
as if sounding simultaneously.
 We also refer to the basic chord as a triad
 Triad
 The most frequently encountered chords are triads, because they consist of three
distinct notes: further notes may be added to give seventh chords, extended
chords, or added tone chords. The most common chords are
the major and minor triads. This referred to collectively as chordal "quality”
MUSIC: CONSONANCE &
DISSONANCE
 Consonance
 This is a term used to describe how harmony sounds to the ear.
 A consonant chord is a chord that sounds at rest or pleasant, it
does noes not produce a feeling of tension.
 Dissonance
 This term is also used to describe a certain type of harmony or
chord structure.
 A dissonant chord is a chord that sounds with tension or discorded, this
particular style of chord causes uneasiness, unpleasantness or unrest.
 This is contradictory in human life but music thrives on this craziness.
Play example
MUSIC: TEXTURE
 Texture
 In music, texture is the way the melodic, rhythmic,
and harmonic materials are combined in a composition thus determining
the overall quality of sound.
 Texture is often described in regards to the density, or thickness,
and range, or width between lowest and highest pitches, in relative terms
as well as more specifically distinguished according to the number of
voices, or parts, and the relationship between these voices
 A piece's texture may be affected by the number and character of parts
playing at once, the timbre of the instruments or voices playing these
parts and the harmony, tempo, and rhythms used.
MUSIC: TEXTURE
Four types of Textures
 Monophony
 Homophony
 Polyphony
 Imitation
MUSIC: TEXTURE
 Monophony
 This is the simplest type of texture, it is a single unaccompanied melody.
 This can be found in Gregorian chant, or as you sing in the shower in the
morning.
 Another term you might see this referred to as is Monophonic.
 Play examples
MUSIC: TEXTURE
 Homophony
 This is when there is a single melody of great
importance or one that is quite prominent, playing over
a sea of less prominent sounds or chordal structures.
 Another term for this term you may see is homophonic.
 This type of music can be thought of as a tight, smooth
texture—like silk among textiles.
MUSIC: TEXTURE
 Polyphony
 When two or more melodies are played, sung, or sounding
simultaneously.
 Another term associated with this is called polyphonic.
 This style of music makes for a more interesting listening
experience, with greater depth of chord structures and plays
more into dissonance listening. Yet we have greater pleaser
when the chords resolve or become consonant.

Another term to be aware of when dealing with this music is
counterpuntal which is derived from the word counterpoint.
 This is the the technique of writing to or more melodies
that
MUSIC: TEXTURE
 Imitation
 This happens when various lines sounding together use
the same or similar melodies, with one melody coming in
shortly after the entrance of the previous.
 We also have non imitative polyphony
 Same as above with the melodies not be similar in any way.
QUESTIONS & DISCUSSION
Counterpoint is closely related to?
Polyphony
The effect of chords used with melody is
what?
Harmony
Another name for a chord or how a chord is constructed is
called?
Triad
What term is used for a dischorded or tension sounding chord is used?
Disonance