To revise.....

Use the reference section to help you learn the keywords for the exam, with links to web pages and some audio examples. It is linked on the left below.

Sunday, 9 September 2012

test

Saturday, 1 September 2012

Intervals 2nds, 3rd etc

Iiiinnn these videos - Intervals (not something in the middle of a show).......
















Harmony keywords


diatonic      chromatic
consonant         dissonant
pedal        drone
cadences: perfect plagal imperfect interrupted
Tièrce de Picardie
identification of major minor and dominant seventh chords using Roman numerals/chord symbols

Dynamics, Structure and form keywords


Structure & Form
binary         ternary            call & response          rondo         theme & variations
sonata        minuet & trio              scherzo & trio
strophic          through-composed              da capo aria
cyclic            popular song forms            ground bass         continuo            cadenza


Dynamics

Rhythm and Metre keywords


Rhythm & Metre
pulse
simple & compound time
regular        irregular           free
augmentation             diminution          hemiola           cross-rhythm  
dotted rhythms           triplets         syncopation
tempo        rubato        polyrhythm         bi-rhythm
diatonic      chromatic
consonant         dissonant
pedal        drone
cadences: perfect plagal imperfect interrupted
Tièrce de Picardie
identification of major minor and dominant seventh chords using Roman numerals/chord symbols

Timbre keywords


Timbre
instruments and voices singly and in combination as found in music for solo instruments concertos chamber groups pop and vocal music          acapella   String Quartet   Wind Chamber
generic families of instruments as found in world music (don't look at Celtic or Gamelan on this link)
instrumental techniques including con arco/with a bow pizzicato/plucked con sordino/muted double-stopping tremolo/tremolando
vocal ranges and techniques such as falsetto and vibrato
music of the carribean
African music
Indian music
Music of the 1960's
R 'n' B and Hip Hop
Musical Theatre
Samples, Loops

Watch and hear different instruments of the orchestra here

Texture and Tonality keywords

Click on the word to link to a definition.

Texture - Homphonic, monophonic, polyphonic. Melody and accompaniment.


Tonality
tonal        major        minor         modal
Texture      harmonic/homophonic             polyphonic/contrapuntal         imitation         unison          octaves         single melody line melody with accompaniment                 antiphonal
common signs terms & symbols
key signatures

Notes and Values

Here are some of the basics of music theory, this is specifically looking at note and rest values (how long they last). There is a link at the bottom of this post to the Rhythm Trainer where you can test your new found learnings..

















Click here for the Rhythm Trainer where you can create your own rhythm tests to check your understanding.


Thursday, 30 August 2012

Unit 2 Composition Briefs


This year’s strand is World Music


Brief 1


My composition will be between 2:30 - 4:00 minutes in duration. It will include at least four instruments, one of which must be a drum/percussion track and another must be a melody instrument.
My Areas Of Study will be AoS1 - Rhythm & Metre and AoS3 - Texture & Melody.
My link to the strand of world music will be through the use of syncopation and/or the use of the pentatonic scale.

Brief  2


My composition will be between 2:30 - 4:00 minutes in duration. It will include at least four instruments, the melody line must be an audio track (this could be vocal, guitar, sax etc).
My Areas of Study will be AoS3 - Texture & Melody and AoS5 - Structure & Form.
My link to the strand of World Music will be through the use of call and response and/or the use of improvisation/ornamentation.

Brief 3


My composition will be between 2:30 - 4:00 minutes in duration. It will include at least four instruments, two of which must be drum/percussion tracks.
My Areas of Study will be AoS1 - Rhythm & Metre and AoS2 - Harmony & Tonality.
My link to the strand of World Music will be through the use of polyrhythms/cross-rhythms and/or use of a drone.

Friday, 20 January 2012

Wednesday, 19 October 2011

Composition lyrics

There are many composition submissions for Unit 2 which would work brilliantly as songs. I'm aware that lyric writing is an art in itself and you may not have the inclination to spend hours writing your own lyrics. The good news is you don't have to for this composition task! You do not get marked on the lyrics...but it is important that they match the stye/mood of your composition.

Feel free to use the lyrics included below in your compositions. You can edit them, change words, whole phrases, miss bits out, whatever works for you..

Lyrics for Compositions

Many thanks to Miss Glover..!

Wednesday, 28 September 2011

Saturday, 17 September 2011

Questions based on last week's work.



Now watch the video below, so you understand this! It explains how to read the notes on the treble clef.

Tuesday, 5 April 2011

Melody keywords


Click on the word to link to a definition and musical example.


Melody
intervals within the octave
conjunct
disjunct
triadic
broken chords (ex) The piano lower part is playing broken chords
scalic
arpeggio
passing notes
acciaccaturas
appoggiaturas
blue notes
diatonic
chromatic
pentatonic
whole tone
modal
augmentation
diminution
sequence (ex) Here the main tune is repeated several times at the beginning beginning on different pitches, hence in sequence.
inversion
slide/glissando/portamento
ornamentation
ostinato      riff
phrasing articulation pitch bend improvisation (ex) Here the trumpet improvises later in the piece.

Sunday, 20 February 2011

Effects

Effects are often found in popular music, on the guitar. You need to be able to recognise the sound of each.
                         Chorus                                                                            Reverb
 

        Distortion

Saturday, 19 February 2011

Instruments of the Orchestra

A short video to show the instruments that are used in an orchestra, and which section they are in.