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Music Principles: Unity, Contrast, Variety

This document outlines several key music principles: unity, contrast, variety, repetition, variation, tension, and climax. It defines each principle and provides examples of musical techniques that can achieve each principle. Unity involves using similar musical elements to create a sense of togetherness, while contrast uses differing elements to create difference and newness. Variety introduces diversity and interest through changes in aspects like key, instrumentation, and texture. Repetition and variation both involve repeating and slightly modifying musical ideas. Tension is created through opposing musical elements that need resolution, and climax occurs at high points of excitement achieved through elements like accelerating tempo and dynamics.

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Aaron Hongvilai
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206 views2 pages

Music Principles: Unity, Contrast, Variety

This document outlines several key music principles: unity, contrast, variety, repetition, variation, tension, and climax. It defines each principle and provides examples of musical techniques that can achieve each principle. Unity involves using similar musical elements to create a sense of togetherness, while contrast uses differing elements to create difference and newness. Variety introduces diversity and interest through changes in aspects like key, instrumentation, and texture. Repetition and variation both involve repeating and slightly modifying musical ideas. Tension is created through opposing musical elements that need resolution, and climax occurs at high points of excitement achieved through elements like accelerating tempo and dynamics.

Uploaded by

Aaron Hongvilai
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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MUSIC​ ​PRINCIPLES

UNITY​:​ ​sense​ ​of​ ​oneness​ ​or​ ​togetherness


Anything​ ​can​ ​be​ ​the​ ​SAME​ ​or​ ​SIMILAR
It​ ​can​ ​be​ ​achieved​ ​by:
● Repetition
● Maintaining​ ​the​ ​same​ ​rhythmic​ ​‘feel’-​ ​constant
● Using​ ​a​ ​drone​ ​pedal​ ​point
● Similar​ ​contours,​ ​phrase​ ​lengths
● Range​ ​of​ ​register​ ​→​ ​eg.​ ​all​ ​in​ ​high​ ​register
● Chordal​ ​ostinati,​ ​repeating​ ​chord​ ​patterns
● Cadences​ ​and​ ​chords
● No.​ ​of​ ​layers​ ​same/similar​ ​=​ ​CONSISTENCY
● Similar​ ​tone​ ​colours​ ​by​ ​use​ ​of​ ​the​ ​same​ ​types​ ​of​ ​instruments
● Same/constant​ ​dynamics

CONTRAST​:​ ​sense​ ​of​ ​difference​ ​and​ ​newness​ ​in​ ​mood​ ​or​ ​character
It​ ​can​ ​be​ ​achieved​ ​by:
● Any​ ​duration​ ​elements​ ​that​ ​change​ ​eg.​ ​time​ ​signature,​ ​multimetre,​ ​tempo,
polyrhythm,​ ​silence
● High/low​ ​registers,​ ​wide/narrow​ ​range
● Different​ ​melodic​ ​contours
● Uneven/changing​ ​phrase​ ​lengths
● Variation​ ​or​ ​ornamented​ ​melodies
● Tonality​ ​change
● Types​ ​of​ ​chords​ ​eg.​ ​diatonic​ ​harmony​ ​→​ ​tone​ ​clusters
● Roles​ ​changing
● Polyphony​ ​and​ ​contrary​ ​motion
● Different​ ​tone​ ​colours​ ​from​ ​different​ ​instrument​ ​families​ ​and​ ​sound​ ​sources
● Ways​ ​perform​ ​on​ ​instruments​ ​or​ ​expressive​ ​techniques​ ​between​ ​sources

VARIETY:​ ​similar​ ​to​ ​contrast


Sense​ ​of​ ​difference​ ​and​ ​interest
Diversity​ ​or​ ​change
It​ ​can​ ​be​ ​achieved​ ​by:
● Changes​ ​in​ ​key​ ​signatures
● Changes​ ​in​ ​time​ ​signatures
● Different​ ​instruments/tone​ ​colour
● Different​ ​dynamics​ ​in​ ​contrasting​ ​sections
● New​ ​material​ ​→​ ​motifs​ ​or​ ​sections
● Presenting​ ​the​ ​same​ ​material​ ​different​ ​ways
● Changing​ ​texture
● Different​ ​rhythmic​ ​patterns
● Different​ ​chord​ ​progressions​ ​and/or​ ​harmonic​ ​style

REPETITION:​ ​Anything​ ​and​ ​everything​ ​that​ ​is​ ​REPEATED


What​ ​is​ ​repeated?
MUSIC​ ​PRINCIPLES

● Melodies
● Phrases
● Melodic/rhythmic​ ​ostinato
● Rhythmic​ ​patterns
● Tone​ ​colour​ ​combinations
● Textures
● Sections
*​ ​Note​:​ ​Is​ ​there​ ​EXACT​ ​repetition?​ ​Or​ ​is​ ​ti​ ​changed/altered​ ​slightly​ ​by​ ​ornamentation​ ​or
modification

VARIATION:​ ​refers​ ​to​ ​when​ ​musical​ ​concepts​ ​are​ ​changed​ ​slightly


Similar​ ​to​ ​contrast​ ​and​ ​repetition​ ​by​ ​describe​ ​in​ ​detail
How​ ​changes​ ​occur​ ​each​ ​time​ ​variations​ ​are​ ​heard
Eg.​ ​New​ ​chords?​ ​Countermelodies?​ ​Texture​ ​changes?​ ​Tone​ ​colour​ ​variations?

TENSION:​ ​Feeling​ ​of​ ​opposing​ ​musical​ ​elements​ ​that​ ​need​ ​to​ ​resolve
It​ ​can​ ​be​ ​achieved​ ​by:
● Polyrhythms
● Melody​ ​and​ ​countermelodies​ ​that​ ​compete​ ​for​ ​the​ ​listener’s​ ​attention
● Cadences​ ​that​ ​don’t​ ​resolve​ ​to​ ​the​ ​tonic
● Tempo​ ​faster
● Louder​ ​dynamics
● Increase​ ​in​ ​texture

CLIMAX:​ ​High​ ​points​ ​or​ ​moments​ ​of​ ​great​ ​excitement​ ​and​ ​interest
It​ ​can​ ​be​ ​achieved​ ​by:
● Accelerando
● Shorter​ ​and​ ​shorter​ ​note​ ​values
● Ascending​ ​pitch
● Chords​ ​moving​ ​to​ ​“home”​ ​tonality
● Building​ ​texture​ ​and​ ​adding​ ​layers​ ​(sudden/gradual)
● Tone​ ​colour​ ​→​ ​bright​ ​and​ ​dramatic
● Crescendo
● Key​ ​change
● Moving​ ​to​ ​the​ ​repetition​ ​of​ ​the​ ​main​ ​section/theme/phrase.​ ​Sequential​ ​figures.

Remember​ ​to​ ​state:


★ WHEN?
★ WHO?
★ WHAT?
★ HOW?
★ WHY?

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