CONCEPTS OF MUSIC

DURATION
• Long • free time • minum
• Short • beat foundation • crotchet
• Rhythm • improvisation • quaver
• Metre • presto • semi-quaver
• Beat • a tempo • unmetered
• Time signature • accelerando • duple metre
• Ostinato • rallentando • triple metre
• On the beat • rubato • quadruple metre
• Syncopated • fermata • bar lines
• rhythm patterns • flexible • simple metres
• accent • pauses • climax
• percussion – non melodic • silence • changing vs. constant
• rests • pulse metre
• drums • divisions of a beat • fast slow
• tempo • semibreve • compound time
• rhythmic tension •
2
duple time, 2beat • simple time
4
• polyrhytms 3 • feel
• triple time, 3beat
• cross rhythms 4 • shifting metre
4
• hemiola • quadruple time, 4 beat
4
• motivic development 5
• quintruple time, 5beat
4

DYNAMICS AND EXPRESSIVE TECHNIQUES

• forte • legato • rubato
• fortissimo • tenuto • accelerando
• mezzo forte • glissando • flutter tongue
• mezzo piano • mute • improvisation
• piano pianissimo • distortion • subito piano
• crescendo • guitar pedal • sfp
• diminuendo • special effects • sfz (sfortzando)
• staccato • growls
PITCH
• high • tonal • Ostinato
• low • octaves • definite pitch
• minor • range • indefinite pitch
• major • alto • high pitch
• melody • soprano • low pitch
• harmony • chordal • medium pitch
• flat • free key • pitch placement
• sharp • consonant • contour
• melodic Ostinato • dissonant • static line
• key signatures • mode music • ascending line
• accidentals • intervals • descending line
• atonal • riffs • wavy contour
 • jaggered contour • homophonic • Short phrasing
• smooth contour • arpegiated chords • Cadence
• steps • broken chords • Perfect cadence (VI)
• leaps • alberti bass • Plagal cadence (IV I)
• shape • modes • Interrupted cadence
• triads • pentatonic (V VI)
• phrases • bi-tonal • Imperfect cadence (I
• slurs • harmonic rhythm V)
• skips • drone • Strophic
• huge range • 12 bar blues • Balance
• limited range • Bass notes • Unity vs. variety
• free range • Root notes • Diatonic major
• motifs • Alternating bass • Diatonic minor
• sequencing • Walking bass • Whole tine
• single pitch • Pedal bass • Chordal patterns
• call and response • Imitation • Added note chords as
• rock riff • Question and answer used in jazz (7ths,
• jazz riff • canon 9ths, 11ths)
• tonality • Countermelody • Modulations
• blues tonality • Dominant • Atonality
• absence of tonality • tonic • Polytonality
• major tonality • Vocal melismas • Parrelism
• minor tonality • Even phrasing • Tone clusters
• chromatic tonality • Symmetrical phrasing • Scale
• improvisation • Asymmetrical • Sub-dominant
• solo phrasing • Chromatic harmonies
• ornaments • Long phrasing
STRUCTURE
• Canon • Sonata
• Timeline • Imitation • Fugue
• Sections • Repetition • Chaconne
• Architecture • Ostinato • Phrases
• ‘AB’ Binary • Melody • Motifs
• ‘ABA’ Ternary • Harmony • Riffs
• Intro • Call and Response • Repetitive patterns
• Verse • Question and Answer • Symphony
• Chorus • Strophic • Coda
• Bridge • Them of variation • themes
• 12 Bar Blues • Contrast between
• Improvisation sections
• Solo • ‘ ABACA’ Rhodo

TEXTURE
• layers • polyphonic • thick
• roles • heterophonic • dense
• monophonic • rich • light
• homophonic • full • airy
 • sparse • canon • unison
• transparent • build up • heavy
• changing densities • changes • wispy
• sound source • power chords layer • background
• melodic layer • riff layer • foreground
• harmonic layer • rapping layer • solo
• bass layer • polyrhythm layer • unison
• rhythmic layer • vocal layer • counter point
• sound effect layer • guitar layer • contrapuntal
• thin • bass layer • interlock
• fat • drum layer • staggered entries
• solid • vocal track • staggered exits
• doubling • guitar track • fills
• imitation • bass track • parallel harmonies
• call and response • drum track • stabs
• similar motion • dominate layer • rhythmic unison
• contrary motion • subordinate layer • call and response

TONE COLOUR
• rumbling • shimmering silvery
• harsh • percussive • main melody
• bland • sombre • counter melody
• airy • electronic • harmonic
• thin • artificial accompaniment
• smooth • dry • bass line
• resonant • brassy • rhythm
• piercing • distorted • meter
• rich • coarse • pulse
• vibrant • dark • rhythmic Ostinato
• strong • aggressive • wind ensemble
• dominant • muted • brass band
• supportive • muffled • string orchestra
• falsetto • light • percussion band
• mellow • glittery • recorder consort
• sweet • sound waves • steel drum band
• nasal • suspended • fife and drum band
• sharp • clicky • drum corps
• flat • vibrations • a cappella choir
• buzzing • wheezy • duo
• clear • sustain • trio
• pure • reverberation • quartet
• majestic • synthetic • quintet
• grand • futuristic • sextet
• booming • buzzing • septet
• eerie • beeping • octet
• haunting • panting • big band
• muddy • sparkling • piano trio
 • string quartet • Saxophones • String
• wind quintet • Percussion section • Electronic
• jazz band • String section • Vocal
• symphony orchestra • Role of instrument • Scraping
• rock band • Register of • Shaking
• folk group instrument • Single vs. multiple
• Latin band • Playing techniques • Accompanied
• country and western • Bowing • Unaccompanied
band • Plucking • Small ensemble
• blues band • Strumming • Large ensemble
• soul band • Harmonics • Sythesisers
• funk band • Muting • Koto didgeridoo
• marching band • Sliding • Double reed
• bush band • Pizzicato • Distortion
• barber shop quartet • Glissando • Wah wah
• chamber ensemble • Slapping • Chorus
• stage band • Bending • Electronic
• church choir • Vibrato modification
• Indonesian gamelan • Flutter tonguing • Phaser
orchestra • Pitch bends • Reverb
• Greek folk group • Multiphonics • Delay
• Mexican marching • Corohphones • Played backwards
band • Aerophones • Layered
• Aboriginal ensemble • Membranophones • Looped
• Scottish pipe band • Striking • Edited
• Character of music • Rubbing • Reproduced
• Sound sources • Idiophones • Register
• Lead instrument • Wood • Bright Timbre
• Woodwind section • Metal • Mellow timbre
• Brass section • Skin • Dull timbre

• Instrument, Role, Register, Playing Technique, Electronic Modification, Timbre, Section , Ensemble

TENSION AND CLIMAX

DURATION

• A small division of beats per bar

• A change in metre
• No meter can also create tension for its unpredictability
• A change in tempo/pace
• Tempo speeds and gradually accelerates
• Rhythmic patterns are varied and repeated
• Note values are altered such as doubling in time.
• Feeling of displacement from syncopation and anticipation and a hemiola can contribute to tension in
a piece of music
 • Repetition and recurrence of an Ostinato, imitation and riffs build much tension for the listener who
expects more to come
• Accents, cross rhythms, polyrhythm, diminution and augmentation can also create tension
• Building of rhythmic layers
• Silence
• Change of metre
• Laboured rhythm  persistent
• Not values lengthened or shortened
• Short not values
• Long not values
• Syncopation
• Rhythmic augmentation to prolong a rhythm
• Anticipation

PITCH

TONALITY

• Modulation of any kind creates tension.

• Change in key creates build-up in a repeated chorus in a piece of mainstream music. It can build
tension and create excitement towards the end of a piece, it also emphasises for the listener that the
chorus is a main feature in the piece of music
• A change in tonality, such as major to minor can create a climax

MELODY

• An increase in pitch creates tension and climax and excitement

• The repetition of one pitch occurs much in jazz music when the performer uses on note to create
tension and prolong the piece of music until a release occurs.
• Repetition of one melody or melodic phrases
• The use of indefinite pitch sounds may create tension in a piece because of how different they sound
from definite pitches.
• In the melodic arrangement, there may be repetition of a counter melody
• The relationship between the main melody and the countermelody can also create an element of
tension
• A melodic contour that builds in tension may also have a shape that is ascending, building higher in
pitch; angular, for unpredictability; or static, for lack of movement and narrow pitch range
• Extremes of melodic movement contribute to suspense, such as a melody with mostly steps and then
one with mostly leaps.
• Sudden changes in register
• Extremes of register
• Extremes of range
• Melodic features: melodic Ostinato, motif or riff creates tension through its repetition.
• Melismas or ornamentation may create suspense, as these features tend to hold up the melody
• An ascending sequence creates tension for its increase in pitch and build-up
HARMONY

• Rapid change of harmony

• Faster harmonic rhythm
• Unexpected change of accompaniment
• Simple to more complex chord styles
• Rapid chord changes
• Frequent modulation
• Sudden dissonance
• Harmonic features: harmonic Ostinato, riff dance and pedal point create tension through repetition.
• Pedal point is very good for creating tension
• An interrupted or imperfect cadence and an unresolved Plagal or perfect cadence create climax.
Prolonged cadence for tension.

DYNAMICS AND EXPRESSIVE TECHNIQUES

• Sudden changes in dynamic levels

• A very slow and gradual build-up of dynamics
• Making sounds louder than the established level
• A loud volume throughout
• Change or frequent changes in tempo
• Ornamentation such as trill or glissando can provide tension
• Instrumental techniques add suspense such as tremolo or vibrato can provide tension

TONE COLOUR

• Changing tone colours or quality of sound

• Change in type of sound such as melody played by an acoustic instrument then repeated by an
electronic instrument
• Unconventional sound sources

TEXTURE

• the building of texture

• increase in density
• Polyphony creates tension, as the layers are intertwined and it is difficult to hear an ending or
resolution.

STRUCTURE

• Sections that do not repeat or recur can create a sense of non-resolution. Through-composed vocal
structure can create this uncertainty.

UNITY, VARIETY AND CONTRAST

UNITY: a sense of sameness or belonging to the one thing, i.e.: choosing the musical materials which make the
individual sections sound as if they belong to the one piece. E.g. development of motifs
VARIETY: diversity or change, i.e.: introducing new material, or presenting old material in a new way. E.g.
variation form, development sections, same material with changes in metre and tonality.

CONTRAST: showing differences or opposites in the mood or character of the music (as they apply in any of
the elements/concepts). E.g. loud vs. soft, long notes vs. short notes, polyphonic texture vs. homophonic
texture

UNITY CAN BE ACHIEVED THROUGH:

• Repetition
• Repeating one melody and changing it to a greater or lesser degree
o Using inversion o Augmenting or diminishing the
o Using different instruments note values
o Changing certain intervals o Developing only part of the motif
o Using ornaments o Using sequences
o Changing between major and o Using imitation
minor o Using repetition
• Repeating a rhythmic motif • Using melodic sequences
• Maintain the same rhythmic ‘feel’ • Maintaining one texture/layer =
• Repeating a harmonic pattern consistency
• Repeating a harmonic Ostinato • Repeating a pattern of dynamics
• Using a drone/pedal point • Repeating a pattern of changing tempi
• Maintaining one performing medium • Repeating a pattern of changing tone
• Repeating sections of the music colours

VARIETY CAN BE ACHIEVED THROUGH:

• Using changes in key signatures by modulation or change of tonality

• Using changes in time signatures
• Using different instruments or tone colours
• Using different dynamics in contrasting sections
• Using new material, either motifs or sections
• Presenting the same material in a different way e.g. developing a motif
• Changing the texture e.g. thick/thin, homophonic/polyphonic
• Using different rhythmic patterns
• Using different chord progressions and/or harmonic styles

CONTRAST CAN BE ACHIEVED THROUGH:

• Repeating the same melody in different keys or registers

• Introducing new musical data e.g.: new motifs or themes, syncopated rhythms etc
• Melodic or rhythmic variation
• Modulation to a different key
• Changing the metre
• Changing the accompaniment
• Contrasting the tone colours
• Altering the formal structure – different sections of music
• Changing the texture/layers
• Introducing a counter melody
• Changing the dynamics, tempi etc
• Altering methods of sound with an instrument = expressive techniques
• Contrasting the phrase lengths
• Melodies may contrast of one is conjunct and the other disjunct
• Introduction of dissonance or consonance