4. Thickening Flashcards
What is thickening? [OTL 1]
Adding notes under the line to create a moving mass of sound that the listener hears as one unit
What must the lower notes do in thickening? [OTL 1]
Lock in with the line, both melodically and rhythmically.
Even with leaps.
Do thickening notes need to be close to eachother? [OTL 1]
Yes, within the octave
What should the relative strength of the voices be when thickening? [OTL 1]
They should be of equal strength, with matched timbre and dynamics.
Do you have to follow voice leading when thickening? [OTL 1]
No.
You can if suitable, but the goal is thickening, not voice leading.
Can you thicken with any interval? [OTL 1]
Yes. They all have different sounds.
Does thickening need to involve strict planing? [OTL 1]
No, you can resolve to the harmony etc, or use the harmonic series.
You can also use pedal tones
Does thickening need to be diatonic? [OTL 1]
Nope, it can be chromatic.
Can 4 part writing be thickening? [OTL 1]
It can if it’s homorhythmic, close, and there’s no discernible bassline.
It’s all about whether it’s perceived as a single unit
When thickening, what do you do with passing tones and figuration? [OTL 1]
You can hold the thickened tone from the note before, as a pedal tone.
Do you need to repeat repeated thickening notes? [OTL 1]
No, if played by a sustaining instrument, they can sustain and it will have the same effect.
