Pitch
What is pitch?
The highness or lowness of a sound
What is duration?
How long or short a sound lasts
What is tone colour?
How an instrument is played and it's quality of sound
What is texture?
The thickness and thinness of layers in music, and how each layer interacts.
What does 'dynamics' refer to?
The volume of sound, louds and softs.
What is the difference between melody and harmony?
Melody is a sequence of single notes that creates a tune, while harmony is the combination of multiple notes played simultaneously, often supporting the melody
What is tempo?
The speed of the beat, BPM (beats per minute)
Name two ways you can play a stringed instrument i.e. violin
Plucked and Bowed
Which instrument will usually only have a rhythmic role in music?
Drums, percussion.
What does 'piano' mean in dynamics?
Soft
What does 'range' mean in pitch?
The distance between the lowest and highest notes
Which note value lasts for 1 beat?
Crotchet
What is a type of effect, usually used in rock music, that changes electric guitar tone?
Distortion, drive or fuzz
What is monophonic texture?
A single melody line with no accompaniment
What does 'forte' mean in dynamics?
Loud
What is tonality?
The key or scale that a piece of music is based on, like major or minor
What is it called when the rhythm puts the emphasis on the off-beats or weak beats?
Syncopation
What is the Metal Object placed in the bell of a brass instrument (e.g. trumpet) which changes the tone?
A Mute
i.e. Straight Mute, Harmon Mute, Cup Mute etc.
What is the harmonic role of instruments in music?
To play the harmony, chords and backing parts to accompany the main melody.
What does 'Crescendo' mean in dynamics?
To get louder
What does 'register' mean in pitch?
The area of high or low notes that is being played i.e. the low register of a piano
4 - what does top number mean?
4 - what does bottom number mean?
4 - how many beats - 4
4 - what kind - crotchet beats
Describe the tone colour of a Flute vs an Oboe
example answer: A flute is bright and warm and usually played with vibrato, whilst an Oboe is thin and dark.
How do you change the texture during a piece?
Layers can be added or removed to make the music feel thicker or thinner.
What is the other name for 'diminuendo'?
Decrescendo