Topic 3 - Texture and Melody

Question 1

Unison Texture

Answer 1

Everyone sings/plays exactly the same thing at the same time.

Question 2

Texture

Answer 2

How the different layers of the music weave together.

Question 3

Imitative Texture

Answer 3

One part copies or repeats what another musical part has just done.

Question 4

Octave Texture

Answer 4

The pitch of the instruments or singers is an octave apart.

E.g C and C above/below.

Question 5

Harmonic/Homophonic

Answer 5

The different parts of the music move together.

Question 6

Layered Texture

Answer 6

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.

Question 7

HeterophonicTexture

Answer 7

Two or more slightly different versions of the same melody played at the same time.

Question 8

Canonic Texture

Answer 8

Each part is the same and overlaps, but they start at different times (at regular intervals).

Question 9

Antiphonal Texture

Answer 9

Two groups of musicians who take it in turns to play in a kind of musical conversation.

Question 10

Polyphonic Texture

Answer 10

The different parts of the music are interwoven and are equally important. Different sounds at the same time.

Question 11

Monophonic Texture

Answer 11

No accompaniment or harmony, just one line of melody.

Question 12

Melody with Accompaniment

Answer 12

Melody with instruments or singers accompanying to provide harmony.

Question 13

Melody

Answer 13

The tune.

Question 14

Disjunct Melody

Answer 14

Lots of jumps and leaps.

Question 15

Conjunct Melody

Answer 15

Smooth, step by step.

Question 16

Modal Melody

Answer 16

Uses notes from the ancient scales called modes.

Question 17

Melodic Sequence

Answer 17

When a melody is repeated at different pitches.

Question 18

Whole Tone Melody

Answer 18

Uses notes from the whole tone scale no semitones.

Question 19

Arpeggio

Answer 19

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.

Question 20

Triadic Melody

Answer 20

Uses notes of a triad.

E.g CEG

Question 21

Diminution

Answer 21

When a melody is made shorter by taking notes away of making them shorter.

Question 22

Aciaccaturas and Appoggiaturas

Answer 22

Ornaments used to decorate the melody.

Short notes played quickly before the main notes of the melody.

Question 23

Ornamentation

Answer 23

The decoration of the melody.

E.g Trills.

Question 24

Chromatic Melody

Answer 24

Uses some notes that don’t belong to the scale.

Question 25

Passing Notes

Answer 25

Notes in between the main notes.

Question 26

Inversion

Answer 26

When a melody is turned upside down.

Question 27

Pentatonic Melody

Answer 27

Uses notes from the pentatonic scale (5 notes within an octave)

Question 28

Harmonic Sequence

Answer 28

When a pattern of chords is repeated.

Question 29

Improvisation

Answer 29

Creating new music, on the spot. Make it up as you go along. Used a lot in jazz.

Question 30

Ostinato

Answer 30

Short repeated pattern.

Question 31

Phrasing

Answer 31

Describes how the melody should sound.

Question 32

Legato

Answer 32

Smoothly.

Question 33

Staccato

Answer 33

Short and detached.

Question 34

Slur

Answer 34

Very smooth.

Question 35

Sforzando

Answer 35

Suddenly and quickly strong and loud.

Question 36

Augmentation

Answer 36

When a melody is made longer by adding notes or making the notes longer.

Question 37

Pitch bend

Answer 37

When the pitch of a note is raised or lowered slightly.

E.g on a guitar

Question 38

Slide

Answer 38

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.