Download MUL 2010 “Enjoyment of Music

Music Terminology
(continued)
Be able to define, explain, use in a
sentence, etc.
NB. My definitions. Most of these
are not in the Textbook.
The 4 Parameters of Sound
• PITCH = the frequency of vibration (heard as
“high” vs. “low”)
• DURATION = the length of time a sound
lasts (heard as aspects of rhythm)
• TIMBRE = tone color (the source of the
sound, i.e., instrument, voice, other)
• DYNAMICS = Loudness/Softness
Dynamics
• How loud/soft (Duh!) – literally, the
amount of energy in a sound
• forte = “loud” (literally, “strong”)
• piano = “soft”
• mezzo = “medium”
• Levels: fff - ff - f - mf – mp – p – pp - ppp
• crescendo = becoming louder
• decrescendo = becoming softer
(also, diminuendo)
The 4 Parameters of Sound
• PITCH = the frequency of vibration (heard as
“high” vs. “low”)
• DURATION = the length of time a sound
lasts (heard as aspects of rhythm)
• TIMBRE = tone color (the source of the
sound, i.e., instrument, voice, other)
• DYNAMICS = Loudness/Softness
Some Useful Terms related to Pitch
• Interval – “distance” between 2 pitches
(actually the ratio of frequencies/vibrations)
• Octave – 2:1 ratio of frequency
- What is an Octave - YouTube
•
•
•
•
Tonality – organization around home pitch
Tonic – the home pitch
Key – collection of pitches around a tonal center
Scale – set of pitches in ascending and descending
order (scala [Ital.] = “ladder”)
- Music Theory 101: Scales and Modes – YouTube
- The Major Scale Formula: Lesson 1 Music Theory – YouTube
- Understanding the Natural Minor Scale... - YouTube
Piano Keyboard & Great Staff
One Chromatic Octave
Western Scale types
• Use only 7 of 12 available pitches
• Series of whole and half steps
• Major – W-W-1/2-W-W-W-1/2
(sounds “bright,” “cheery,” “optimistic”)
• Minor – W-1/2-W-W-1/2-W-W
(sounds “dark,” “somber,” “sinister”)
• Diatonic (major or minor)
- The diffference between Major & Minor Scales
- Class Notes: Major and Minor -- What's the Difference?
• Chromatic (uses all 12 notes)
- Chromatic Scales: Music Theory - YouTube
Harmony (Some Useful terms)
•
•
•
•
Chord – 2 or more simultaneous pitches
Triad – 3-note chord (1-3-5 in a scale)
Tonic – the home pitch (name of “key”)
Consonant / Consonance – “pleasant”
combinations of sounds (subjective)
• Dissonant / Dissonance – “unpleasant”
combinations of sounds (subjective)
• Exs.
- Musical Consonance & Dissonance Explained...
- Consonance and Dissonance 1
- Consonance and Dissonance 2
Pitches in time
• Melody (tune) – coherent / succession of /
single pitches [3 parts to definition] – similar
to speech
- Introducing Melody
- Bernstein - What is a Melody? 1
- Bernstein - What is a Melody? 2
• Phrase – subdivisions of melody
• Cadence – resting points
TEXTURE
• Interrelationship of melodic & harmonic
elements (what’s happening at any given
moment in the piece)
Two Basic Kinds of Textures
• Monophonic / Monophony
• Polyphonic /Polyphony
Subdivides into several different types
Monophony / Monophonic
• ONE musical line only
• Multiple performers possible (on that one
line) = “unison” [“one sound”]
• Examples
- What is a Monophonic Texture? – YouTube
- Musical Textures - Monophonic – YouTube
• Monophonic vs. NOT Monophonic
- Mike Geier Sings National Anthem
- Whitney Houston - Star Spangled Banner