Johnstone High School Understanding Music NATIONAL 4 Revision Booklet Helpful Websites Type the following into Google and click the first result: NQMusic Also try Learn Listening Online and Music Listening Revision
Contents: Page 1 National 4 Concept Dictionary 2 2 Concept Groupings: Tempos & Dynamics 5 Instruments & How they are played 6 Styles & Ensembles 7 Scottish & Vocal 8 Tonality, Structure, Texture, Periods, Effects, Scales & Word Setting 9 3 Literacy 10 4 National 3 12 5 Exam Paper Layout & Questions 14
1. NATIONAL 4 CONCEPT DICTIONARY Category Concept Definition Melody / Harmony Arpeggio Broken chord Change of key Chord progression (I, IV, V) Drone Major Minor Octave Ornament Pedal Pentatonic scale Scale Scat singing Vamp Notes of a chord played one after the other. In a broken chord, the notes of a chord are played separately. A move from one key to another. A series of related chords built on the first, fourth and fifth notes of a major or minor scale. One note held on or repeated in the bass. The music sounds in a major key often described as having a cheery, happy feel to it. The music sounds in a minor key, often described as having a sadder feel than major. An ornament decorates a melody by adding extra notes. Ornaments are often short and add melodic and rhythmic interest. Short for pedal point. A note which is sustained, or repeated continuously, in the bass beneath changing harmonies. Any five-note scale. In practice, the most common one is that on which much folk music is based, particularly Scottish and Celtic. A sequence of notes moving by step in an ascending or descending order. Nonsense words, syllables and sounds are improvised (made up) by the singer. A rhythmic accompaniment with a bass note played on the beat and a chord off the beat. Usually played on piano or guitar. Category Concept Definition Rhythm / Tempo A tempo change. Accelerando Anacrusis Andante Compound time Dotted rhythms Jig Rallentando Scotch snap Simple time (2/4, 3/4, 4/4) Strathspey Syncopation The music returns to the main tempo (speed) after there has been a The tempo (speed) of the music gradually becomes faster. The notes which appear before the first strong beat of a musical phrase, particularly at the start of a piece. A tempo at a walking speed. The beat is divided into groups of three. A long note followed by a shorter one or a short note followed by a longer one, as in a Scotch snap. A fast dance in compound time. Usually 2 beats in a bar, with each beat dividing into 3 quavers. The tempo (speed) of the music gradually slows down. A very short accented note before a longer note. The music has two, three or four beats in each bar, and each beat is a crotchet (1 beat note) and each beat can be divided into 2. A Scottish dance with four beats in a bar and usually featuring the Scotch snap. Strongly accented notes playing off or against the beat. Syncopation occurs in all kinds of music.
Category Concept Definition Texture / Cadenza Structure / Form Canon Chorus & Verse Imitation Middle 8 Ternary (ABA) Theme & variation A passage of music which allows soloists to display their technical ability in singing or playing an instrument. Strict imitation. Once one part starts to play or sing a melody, another part enters shortly afterwards with exactly the same melody. A structure/ form popular in many songs. The music of the verse will repeat, often with different words, and between verses the chorus will normally repeat and features different music to the verse. Where the melody is immediately copied in another part. In popular music, a section which provides a contrast to the opening section. It is often eight bars long. 3 part form: Section A, followed by a B section which is a different melody, than a return to the A section. The structure of a piece where the melody is heard (the theme), then returns several times with variations. Category Concept Definition Styles African music Much African music features voices and/or African drums. Baroque The name given to a style of music composed during the period 1600-1750 approximately. Concerto A work for solo instrument and orchestra, eg a flute concerto is written for flute and orchestra. Mouth music Unaccompanied songs with Gaelic or nonsense words, normally sung for ceilidh dances. Opera A drama set to music with soloists, chorus, acting, and orchestral accompaniment. Ragtime A style of dance music which became popular at the end of the 19th century and which helped to influence jazz. Rapping Rhyming lyrics that are spoken and performed in time to a beat. Rapping is popular in hip-hop music. Reggae Reggae music was developed in the late 1960s in Jamaica. It has quite a distinctive sound and has the characteristic of strong accents on the 2nd and 4th beats of the bar. Romantic In music, the period 1810-1900 approximately, which followed the Classical era. Scots ballad A Scottish song which tells a story. Examples of Scots ballads are 'Flower of Scotland' and 'Loch Lomond'. Swing A jazz style which started in the 1930s and was performed by a big band. Category Concept Definition Timbre / Dynamics Backing vocals Brass band Brass band Distortion Harpsichord Mezzo forte Mezzo piano Muted Pan pipes Wind band Singers who support the lead singer(s), usually by singing in harmony in the background. A band of brass instruments and percussion. A band of brass instruments and percussion. An electronic effect used in rock music to colour the sound of an electric guitar. It gives a 'fuzzy' sound rather than the usual clean sound. A keyboard instrument which looks like a small grand piano. Mezzo forte stands for fairly loud volume. Mezzo piano stands for 'fairly quiet volume'. Using a device which reduces the volume or alters the sound of an instrument. Pipes which are graded in size and are bound together. The sound is made by blowing across the top of the pipes. A band with woodwind, brass and percussion instruments.
2. CONCEPT GROUPINGS TEMPOS SPEEDS Tempo Allegro Andante Adagio Accelerando Rallentando A tempo Meaning Fast Walking Pace Slow Gradually getting faster Gradually getting slower To return to the original tempo. DYNAMICS LOUDS & QUIETS Dynamic Italian English meaning p Piano Quiet mp Mezzo-piano Moderately quiet mf Mezzo-forte Moderately loud f Forte Loudly cresc. Crescendo Gradually getting louder dim. Diminuendo Gradually getting softer
INSTRUMENTS & HOW THEY ARE PLAYED Instruments Playing Technique Strings Violin Acoustic Guitar Arco Bowed Cello Electric Guitar Pizzicato Plucked Double Bass Bass Guitar Strumming Drawing fingers or a Harp plectrum across the strings Woodwind Flute Clarinet Blown - Air is blown through Saxophone Bassoon instrument to produce sound Panpipes Recorder Brass Trumpet Trombone Muted - creating a quieter and softer sound than normal Percussion Untuned Percussion: Snare Drum Drum kit Striking - Hitting - sound produced by Guiro Triangle hitting the instrument Bass Drum Castanets Tambourine Tuned Percussion: Xylophone (wooden) Glockenspiel (metal) Timpani (Kettle Drum) Keyboard: Scottish: Piano Organ Fiddle Bagpipes Harpsichord Accordion
MUSICAL ENSEMBLES Orchestra - Strings, Brass, Woodwind & Percussion. Brass Band - Brass & Percussion. Wind Band - Brass, Woodwind & Percussion. Folk Group - Fiddle, Guitar, Vocals, Accordion Whistle, Bass, Flute, Drum kit, Bodhran. Scottish Dance Band - Fiddle, Accordion, Piano, Drums. Steel Band - Steel drums (pans). MUSICAL STYLES Reggae - Off beat guitar, vocals, drums, organ, bass. Ragtime - Piano: Syncopated melody & vamp accompaniment. Blue - Jazz style, developed from black American folk songs. Tells a story. Flattened notes. Swing - A jazz style performed by a big band. Jazz - American music from in the early 20th century. Rock - Music with a heavy, driving beat. Features electric guitar, bass guitar and drum kit. Pop - Popular music (chart music) Rock n roll - 1950 s style music, think Elvis Presley. Musical - A vocal work, like a modern opera. Scottish - Music traditionally from Scotland. Latin American - Dance music from South America. Rapping - Rhyming lyrics that are spoken. African music - Much African music features voices and/or African drums. Opera - A drama set to music with soloists, chorus, acting, and orchestral accompaniment Romantic - 1810-1900; big orchestras and thick texture. Baroque - 1600-1750; harpsichord and ornaments
SCOTTISH MUSIC Dance Speed Beats Other features Waltz Medium 3 I LOVE YOU: Only 3 beat dance Jig Fast 2 6/8 time STRAWBERRY: Compound time Reel Fast 4 COCA COLA: Simple time, flowing Strathspey Medium 4 porridge PORRIDGE: Jumpy, Scotch Snap March Marching speed 2 or 4 MARCHING: Steady, strong pulse. Song Who? Where/About? Accomp? Other? Mouth Music Both Nonsense made up Gaelic words Maybe Imitating melody of bagpipes Scots Ballad Both Telling story Maybe Lots of verses and chorus, Strophic VOCAL Voices Highest to lowest Vocal concepts Soprano Alto Tenor Bass FEMALE MALE Voice Lead Vocal Backing Vocal Choir
TONALITY MAJOR MINOR STRUCTURE TERNARY FORM RONDO FORM THEME & VARIATION PERIODS OF MUSIC BAROQUE CLASSICAL ROMANTIC EFFECTS DISTORTION SCALES MAJOR MINOR PENTATONIC BLUES
3. LITERACY Symbol Name Length (beats) Semibreve 4. Dotted Minim 3 Minim 2 Crotchet 1 Quaver Semiquaver ½ ¼ Paired Quavers 1 Grouped Semiquavers 1 Repeat Signs Start End KEY SIGNATURES C Major = 0 sharps or flats A Minor = 0 sharps or flats BUT watch out for G#s in the music! F Major = 1 flat b (Bb) G Major = 1 Sharp # (G#)
Lines Every Good Boy Deserves Football Spaces F A C E Notes below the stave Notes above the stave Octave: Time Signatures go right at the beginning of the first line, between the treble clef and key signature. = 2 crotchet beats per bar = 3 crotchet beats per bar Simple time Simple time = 4 crotchet beats per bar Simple time
4. NATIONAL 3 & 4 CONCETPS You also need to know all of the National 3 and National 4 concepts. NATIONAL 3 CONCEPTS Melody/Harmony Rhythm/Tempo Texture/Structure/Form Timbre/Dynamics Ascending Chord Chord change Descending Discord Improvisation Leap (leaping) Question & answer Repetition Sequence Step (stepwise) Accent/accented Adagio Allegro Bar; 2, 3 or 4 beats in a bar Beat/pulse Drum fill Faster March On the beat/off the beat Pause Reel Repetition Slower Waltz Accompanied Harmony/chord Ostinato/riff Round Solo Unaccompanied Unison/octave Accordion Acoustic guitar Bagpipes Blowing Bowing Brass Choir Drum kit Electric guitar Fiddle Folk group Orchestra Organ Percussion (tuned/untuned) Piano Plucking Scottish dance band Staccato/legato Steel band Striking (hitting) Strings Strumming Voice Woodwind Style Blues Jazz Latin American Musical Pop Rock Rock n Roll Scottish
5. EXAM PAPER LAYOUT & QUESTIONS Question 1a-f: Multiple Choice - 6 Marks with a few write the word questions. Question 2: Box question (musical map) - 4 Marks 4 numbered boxes. Voice says the number over the music & you must answer the question in the related box when the number is said. Question 3: Literacy Question 6 Marks Eg. Name the key of this piece, insert the time signature, insert missing notes, insert repeat sign, identify octave leaps, write dynamics, write tempo marks.
Question 4: Multiple Choice 8 Marks Question 5: - 4 Marks Tick one box from each section. Question 6: Fill in the missing words 3 Marks Question 7: - 4 Marks - Reason Question: Multiple choice plus write reason for answer. Question 8: - 5 Marks Write about the prominent features you hear in the music. Fill out this box then transfer it to the lines on the next page. Rhythm/tempo Melody/harmony Instruments/voices Dynamics (Italian terms)
Melody Harmony Broken Chords Chords/ Discords Imitation Legato /Staccato Major/Minor Ornaments Pedal Question & Answer Repetition Sequence Unison/Harmony Scales: Major/Minor scale, Pentatonic scale Rhythm Tempo Beats in a bar / Time Signature: 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, Simple Time Speed: Allegro Fast Adagio Slow Andante walking pace Speed Changes: Accelerando faster Rallentando slower Rubato with freedom Anacrusis Ostinato Repetition Scotch Snap Syncopation Instruments and how they are used Brass Trumpet, Trombone Woodwind Flute, Clarinet, Bassoon, Saxophone, Recorder Strings Violin, Cello, Double Bass, Harp Percussion Xylophone, Glockenspiel, Timpani, Triangle, Snare Drum, Drumkit, Bass Drum, Tambourine, Castanets Keyboard Piano, Synthesizer, Harpsichord, Organ Guitars Electric, Acoustic, Bass, Banjo Solo, Melody, Countermelody Accompaniment, Chords, Broken Chords, Arpeggios Arco bowed, Grace notes, ornaments Muted, Pizzicato - plucked Female Voices: Soprano, Alto Male Voices: Tenor, Bass Solo; Accompaniment; Melody; Countermelody Dynamics p piano quiet mp mezzo piano moderately quiet mf mezzo forte moderately loud f forte loud Changes of dynamic: Cres. Crescendo getting louder Dim. diminuendo getting quieter.