Tone Colour Flashcards
What is the musical definition of tone colour?
Tone colour refers to that aspect of sound that allows the listener to identify the sound source or combinations of sound sources.
What are the main aspects of tone colour?
- Making of sound
- Musical effects
- Description of tone colour
- Sound sources
- Instrumental and vocal techniques
- Combination of sound sources
How is sound created?
Sound is the result of waves or vibrating air particles that travel from the source through the air to our eardrum, which picks up the vibrations as sound that we hear.
What are the main features of sound waves?
- Frequency: The length of the sound wave.
2. Amplitude: Height of the sound wave.
What are materials that instruments can be made of?
Wood Metal String Skin Electronic Vocal
List the methods of producing sound
Hitting - Percussion instruments
Blowing - Brass and woodwind instruments
Shaking - Percussion instruments such as tambourine, maracas
Scraping - String instrument such as violin, cello
Plucking - String instruments such as guitar, bass guitar
What are the three types of sound?
Acoustic sound
Electronic sound
Synthesized sound
Explain acoustic sound
Acoustic sound is mechanical; there must be something vibrating and moving for an acoustic sound to be produced. It can not be created or modified electronically.
Explain electronic sound
Electronic sound is produced or modified by electronic means. There are two ways that electronic sound can be heard:
- From a raw sound that electronically enhances such as through an electric guitar.
- From a source that can be produced only by electronic means - e.g. a synthesiser or MIDI (musical instrument digital interface)
Explain synthesised sound
Synthesised sound is classed as an electronic instrument because the sound is produced electronically only; it takes the form of a keyboard instrument with many features and programming options.
Explain performing media/sound sources
Sound sources refer to anything that you can hear that derives from a sound source of some kind. Performing media usually refer to named musical instruments which can be either orchestral, popular or traditional.
What two categories are musical instruments generally categorized into
Western musical instruments: They have four categories; strings, woodwind, percussion and brass.
World musical instruments: They have four categories; membranophones, chordophones, aerophones and idiophones.
Explain how string instruments produce sound
String instruments make sound with vibrating strings, and the pitch is modified by the thickness
Explain how woodwind instruments produce sound
Woodwinds are basically defined as hollow tubes, which, when blown on one end, produces a sound. The pitch is then modified by keys or finger holes.
Explain how brass instruments produce sound
Brass instruments produce sound through a metal mouthpiece. The mouthpiece is similar on most brass instruments, usually varying only in size. Sound is produced by placing the lips on the mouthpiece and blowing while vibrating the lips. The larger the mouthpiece, the lower the sound of the instrument.
