Tone Colour Flashcards
What do you first do in a tone colour question?
- Name ensemble and identify and classify the instruments in each section.
Is it a standard grouping of instruments? (A rock band) or is it an unorthodox (means not normal or usual) group like a rock band with a bassoon.
After naming the ensemble of instruments what do you next do? (2.)
Use tone colour words to describe each section of the piece. Tone colour questions usually have very clear sections with large tone colour contrast. You should set out the answer into sections so that the examiner can mark it easily. You must always be able to justify your tone colour words
How is an instruments tone colour created?
Its make up (what its made from)
How the instrument is played (bowed, strummed, blown etc…)
Is the sound manipulated from the ‘standard’ sound (mutes, distortion, unconventional playing)
After describing the tone colour of a section and what do you next do? (4.)
Use tone colour words to describe each instruments’ tone colour justifying your answer by:
- liking the tone colour words to the instruments make up,
- how instrument is played
- sound manipulation & any other conceptual effect (such as register, dynamics etc…)
What must you do when describing tone colour?
Describe it, then justify why,
eg. flute has a bright, shrill, metallic and piercing tone colour as this metal instrument is played in the very high resister giving it a shrill sound. The louder the flute is played the shriller the sound becomes. As the flute descends into the lower register the tone colour becomes warmer and brighter. When the flute begins to ‘flutter tongue’ the tone colour becomes harsh and scratchy)
How can you classify different instruments in terms of ‘phones’
aerophones chordophone membranophone idiophone electrophones
What’s an idiophone?
Anything that’s struck or hit
What’s an aerophone?
anything that’s blown or sung
What’s an electrophone?
electronic sounds
How is a membranophone different to an idiophone?
It’s an instrument which has a vibrating skin over it that’s then struck
What are the ways an instrument can be played?
arco, plucked, pizzicato, spicatto, strummed, blow, scratched, shaken, sung
what must you support your description of tone colour with?
factual reasons!
• How does the performing media relate to the other elements?
e.g. - Where do they play in relation to structure? - What is the tone colour produced overall, & separately in different sections? -
Are the dynamics dependant on the types of instruments being used?
How would a trumpet in the low register sound?
strong, warm
How would a trumpet in the high register sound?
shrill, clear, brassy, majestic
How would a violin played in a high register sound?
squeaky, scratchy, bright, eery
How would a violin played in a middle and low register sound?
middle: warm, mellow, bright
low: rich, mellow, dramatic, sombre
How would a cello played in a middle and low register sound?
middle: warm, romantic, rich
low: dramatic, strong, dark
What would a double bass in a low register sound like?
rumbly, dark
How could you describe the tone colour of drums?
hollow, metallic, rumbling, scratchy, strong
what are other words to describe tone colour 1.?
distorted, grating, clean, majestic, dull, muted, woody, metallic, shimmery, tense, sleepy,
should you consider the range and variety of instruments played and how they combine to create a whole tone colour?
yes
what are other words to describe tone colour 2.?
thudding, futuristic, liquid, nasally, sombre, dry, breathy, coarse, glittering, booming
What are the main types of woodwind instruments?
Picollo, Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, saxophone
What do oboes generally sound like?
A bit nasally & reedy & high pitched
What do clarinets usually sound like?
rich and woody
Out of the woodwind family which instrument plays the lowest notes?
the bassoon
As a flute is very versatile and has a similar range, what music does the flute play the same lines as?
Violins - it ‘doubles’ the violins, playing the exact same melody
How much higher is the piccolo than the flute?
An octave- it just sounds like a very high pitched flute
Rather than in classical music, where are saxophones mostly found?
Jazz
What is an acapella?
just voices
What is an oratorio and what is it typical of?
a solo singer singing with an orchestra & choir
western art music
what instruments are typical of big band music?
double bass, vocalist, pianist, drums, brass, woodwind, banjo
What is a ‘big band’
bigger version of a jazz band, popular in early 20th century
What instruments would a string quartet be made up of?
1st & 2nd violin, viola, cello
what would a trio of strings be made up of?
violin, viola and cello
What is music called that has more than one style in it?
polystylism
