Part 1: Materials of Music

Units 1 & 2: Elements of Music & Musical Instruments and Ensembles

Download the Musical Examples Here

Chapter 1: Melody

A coherent succession of single pitches.

Words / Sentence Highness / Lowness Frequency / Vibration Distance between two different

pitches http://www.musictheory.net/lessons

Melody Continued

Range: span of melody from highest to lowest note. It can be narrow or wide.

Shape: determined by direction of melodic line; like a graph.

More Melody

Movement of melody incorporates either small or large interval jumps.

Examples: Conjunct: Disjunct: Phrase: like a phrase in a

sentence; a unit of melody within a larger context (period).

Period: Like a sentence; usually made up of two phrases.

Example of Phrase/Period:

Yet More about Melody

Cadence: resting place or repose; last two notes of melody/ harmony.

Rhyme Scheme: like a poem; symmetrical; stanza of poetry.

Countermelody: two melodic ideas set against each other simultaneously.

Chapter 2: Rhythm

Syncopation: upsetting the normal pattern of accentuation.

Polyrhythm: duple against triple; triple against quadruple.

Additive Meter: combining duple and triple to form asymmetrical meters.

Non-metric: without strong pulse or meter.

Chapter 3: Harmony

Simultaneously v. One-at-a-Time; Vertical v. Horizontal

Scales: Patterns of Intervals Triad: Stacked thirds Tonality: major v. minor Tonic = “Do” Diatonic v. Chromatic Dissonance v. Consonance

Chapter 4: Musical Texture Monophonic: Single voiced Heterophonic: Two simultaneous

voices, both melodic with one being an ornamented version of the other.

Homophonic: Several voices, one voice melody, and the other voices subordinate harmony in unison rhythm.

Texture Continued

Polyphonic: many-voiced texture, usually with two or more melodic lines.

Counterpoint: (literally note against note) the art of combining two or more melodic lines.

Imitation: melody given in one voice and restated in another voice.

Canon and round (simplest form of canon): Row, Row, Row your Boat.

More about Counterpoint Inversion: Intervals stated upside-

down Retrograde: Intervals in melody stated

backwards Retrograde Inversion: Intervals stated

upside down and backwards Augmentation: melody presented in

longer note values Diminution: melody stated in shorter

note values