Topic 3 - Texture and Melody Flashcards
Unison Texture
Everyone sings/plays exactly the same thing at the same time.
Texture
How the different layers of the music weave together.
Imitative Texture
One part copies or repeats what another musical part has just done.
Octave Texture
The pitch of the instruments or singers is an octave apart.
E.g C and C above/below.
Harmonic/Homophonic
The different parts of the music move together.
Layered Texture
Sections of music that are repeated again and again are loops. When lots of loops are played at the same time this is layered texture.
HeterophonicTexture
Two or more slightly different versions of the same melody played at the same time.
Canonic Texture
Each part is the same and overlaps, but they start at different times (at regular intervals).
Antiphonal Texture
Two groups of musicians who take it in turns to play in a kind of musical conversation.
Polyphonic Texture
The different parts of the music are interwoven and are equally important. Different sounds at the same time.
Monophonic Texture
No accompaniment or harmony, just one line of melody.
Melody with Accompaniment
Melody with instruments or singers accompanying to provide harmony.
Melody
The tune.
Disjunct Melody
Lots of jumps and leaps.
Conjunct Melody
Smooth, step by step.
Modal Melody
Uses notes from the ancient scales called modes.
Melodic Sequence
When a melody is repeated at different pitches.
Whole Tone Melody
Uses notes from the whole tone scale no semitones.
Arpeggio
The first chord of a key, with the last note played on top.
E.g in the key of C major this would be CEGC.
Triadic Melody
Uses notes of a triad.
E.g CEG
Diminution
When a melody is made shorter by taking notes away of making them shorter.
Aciaccaturas and Appoggiaturas
Ornaments used to decorate the melody.
Short notes played quickly before the main notes of the melody.
Ornamentation
The decoration of the melody.
E.g Trills.
Chromatic Melody
Uses some notes that don’t belong to the scale.
Passing Notes
Notes in between the main notes.
Inversion
When a melody is turned upside down.
Pentatonic Melody
Uses notes from the pentatonic scale (5 notes within an octave)
Harmonic Sequence
When a pattern of chords is repeated.
Improvisation
Creating new music, on the spot. Make it up as you go along. Used a lot in jazz.
Ostinato
Short repeated pattern.
Phrasing
Describes how the melody should sound.
Legato
Smoothly.
Staccato
Short and detached.
Slur
Very smooth.
Sforzando
Suddenly and quickly strong and loud.
Augmentation
When a melody is made longer by adding notes or making the notes longer.
Pitch bend
When the pitch of a note is raised or lowered slightly.
E.g on a guitar
Slide
These words all describe sliding from one note to another, used by singers and instruments. Sometimes the notes in between are played during the slide.
