Elements Of Music Flashcards
What is Rhythm?
The way in which composer groups together musical sounds, mainly with regard to the duration and stress of accent
- time signature
- Melodic Rhythm ( rhythm of melody )
- Harmonic Rhythm ( rhythm of chords)
What is Melody?
A series of notes o different pitches, organized and given shape to make musical sense to the listener. ( It is easy to remember and it makes sense )
Name the different ways that you can express the rhythm of a piece.
- syncopation — off beat
( changing the place of accents) - hemiola — metrical displacement ( make the time signature seem different )
What is a monophonic texture?
Only one melodic line even if there are many people playing it
What is polyphonic texture?
2 or more melodic lines playing at the same time ( Baroque )
What is homophonic texture?
Melody and accompaniment
What is hetrophonic / hetrophony texture?
2 or more instruments playing the same melody at the same time (with different embellishments) / according to their own instrumental capability
Name the different tempo markings from fastest to slowest
Presto Vivace Allegro Allegretto Moderato Adagio Andante Lento
Name the dynamic markings from loudest to softest
fff - fortississmo ff - fortissimo f - forte mf - mezzo forte mp - mezzo piano p - piano pp - pianissimo ppp - pianississimo
( sf / sfz - soforzando - accent )
What is timbre?
The sound quality or tone colour of an instrument
How do you express tone colour?
Mellow / dark
- strings
- brass
Shrill / piercing
-woodwind
What is harmony?
It is when two or more notes of a different pitch are sounded at the same time.
The arrangement / use of chords.
What are the different types of harmony?
Diatonic
(Straight forward chords) (easy to sing)
(Twinkle twinkle little star)
Chromatic (diminished / dissonant chords)
(Hard to sing)
Tonality of the piece
- major
- minor
- modes
What is atonality?
A piece with no key
20th century
