UNIT 1: MUSICAL LENGUAGE

UNIT 1: MUSICAL LENGUAGE 1º ) BASIC ELEMENTS SCORE (US: SHEET MUSIC) A scre is a written frm f a musical cmpsitin. Example: he studied the scre f Mzart s pian snata nº 1. 1.1 STAFF, CLEFS AND NOTES T shw the sunds n paper we use a stave r staff. A stave is made up f five hrizntal lines and fur spaces between. Each line and space represents a nte. The name f the nte is determined by the type f clef that appears at the beginning f the stave. Names f the ntes: A LA B SI* * Spanish names C D E F DO RE MI FA G SOL* The mst cmmn clefs are the treble clef and the bass clef. Treble clef r G clef: The treble clef is used fr high ntes and fr quite high pitched meldic instruments (e.g. flute, be, clarinet, vilin, trumpet, English hrn and guitar) as well as fr spran and alt vices (femalee vices). English hrn: crn inglés (también cr anglais) (n cnfundir cn French hrn: la trmpa). Bass clef r F clef: 1

The bass clef is used fr lw pitched instruments trmbne, bassn, cell and duble bass (En castellan: fagt, vilnchel y cntrabaj). It is als used fr bass vices. like the tuba, tuba, trmbón, Sme ntes have t be written abve r belw the stave using shrt lines which are parallel t the stave. These lines are leger lines. They are an extensin f the staff (like additinal lines). Each leger line cntains ne nte. In this case we use a leger line t write A. Exercises: 1º) Draw a set f treble r G clefs: 2º) Name the fllwing ntes (letters and nte names) 3º) What is the name f the extra lines abve and belw the stave? 4º) Hw many different letter names d we use t determine the ntes? 5º) What are the sets f lines and spaces called? 6º) What is the name that we give t the sign which tells us the names f the ntes? 7º) Vcabulary: Scre (sheet music): partitura Written frm: frma escrita Musical cmpsitin: cmpsición musical Stave / staff: pentagrama Snata: Snata (es una frma musical cm el cnciert la sinfnía) Musical ntatin: ntación musical Musician: músic Lines: líneas Spaces: espacis Ntes: ntas A clef: una clave Treble clef (G clef) ): clave de sl Bass clef (F clef): clave de fa Musical symbl: símbl musical T place: clcar T determine: determinar Leger lines: líneas adicinales Abve: pr encima de, más arriba de Belw: (pr) debaj de Stems: plicas tail (r flag): crchete Sharp: sstenid flat: beml accidentals: alteracines Natural: becuadr Majr scale: escala mayr minr scale: escala menr. Tnes and semitnes: tns y semitns 2

Reading exercise with sl, fa and mi: 1.2 NOTE AND REST SYMBOLS Nte and rest symbls tell yu hw many beats t hld a sund r silence fr. t hld smething fr: sstener (mantener) The stem f a nte n the middle line f a stave may be written up r dwn. The stems f ntes abve the middle line nrmally g dwn. The stems f the ntes belw the middle line g up (Bth cmments refer t a single meldy writing.) 3

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EXERCISES: 1º) READING: 2º) Cmplete the statments: A crtchet last the same as tw. A crtchet rest lasts the same as ne. A semibreve lasts the same as fur. A semibreve is tw lng. A quaver lasts the same as tw. Fur semiquavers are ne lng. 5

3º) Draw the nte and rest symbls and indicate their duratin using crtchets. A semiquaver is ne quarter f a crtchet. = 1/4 * Useful expressins fr this exercise: half f (la mitad de), t be wrth (valer, ser equivalente a) quaver: minim rest: semibreve: crtchet: minim: crtchet rest: quaver rest: 1.3 TIME SIGNATURESS If yu listen t a piece f music, yu can hear that music has in general a regular beat and that sme beats are strnger than thers. The strng beats cme at regular intervals, usually every 2, 3 r 4 beats. The strng beat is the first beat f each bar. If the strng beat cmes every 3 beats, then the piece f music yu are listening t has three beats in a bar. The time signature is a fractin that ges t the right f the clef. The tp number tells yu hw many beats there are in each bar. The bttm number tells yu hw lng each beat is. In fact, the time signature is a fractin f semibreve that indicates the length f a bar. This time signature is three-fur time (Yu can shrten this expressin and say "three-fur"). This fractin indicates that there are three beats in a bar (three is the tp number f the fractin). The bttm number f the fractin refers t the length f each beat. In this case, a 4 at the bttm means each beat is ne crtchet lng. T summarise this example, we can say that there are three beats in a bar and that each beat is ne crtchet lng. Exercises: 1º) What is the name f each time signature? Indicate the number f beats in each bar as well as the value f each beat. 6

2º) Fill in the uncmpleted bars with ne nte r rest symbl. 3º) Indicate the beats belw the rhythm and add the bar lines. 2º) THE PROPERTIES OF SOUND tiny= very small Music is an art silence. That is why it is t carry thrugh air that invlves rganized and audible sunds and imprtant fr us t study sund qualities. 7

We can define a sund with basically fur prperties r qualities. These qualities are the pitch, the duratin, the intensity and the timbre (tne). 2.1. PITCH (Altura) https://yutu.be/pc4dmkycyxs We can differentiate high sunds frm lw sunds. T measure the pitch f a sund we use the frequency. High sunds have a high frequency. On the cntrary, lw sunds have a lw frequency. Sund is the vibratin f matter, as perceived by the sense f hearing. Physically, sund is vibratinal mechanical energy that prpagates thrugh matter as a wave. The frequency is the number f sund vibratins per secnd. One vibratin per secnd represents ne hertz. The unit f the frequency is the hertz. Example: The frequency f A is F1 = 100 Hz. It means that A has ne hundred vibratins per secnd. Its frequency is (equal t) ne hundred hertz. Vcabulary: Art: arte Audible: audible T rganize: rganizar Sund: snid (se utiliza también cm verb "snar") Silence: silenci Sund qualities: cualidades del snid Prperties: prpiedades High sunds / lw sunds: snids aguds / snids graves Vibratin f matter: vibración de la materia T perceive: percibir Sense f hearing: sentid del íd Physically, sund is vibratinal mechanical energy that prpagates thrugh matter as a wave: físicamente, el snid es energía mecánica vibratria que se prpaga a través de la material en frma de nda snra. Hertz: herci Lw and high ntes: ntas graves y agudas. Treble: ls aguds (se utiliza al referirse a ls equips de música: fr example yu can say t turn up the treble n the stere en el sentid de subir ls aguds, de añadir imprtancia a las frecuencias agudas en la reprducción del snid). Stere: a machine that plays CDs, etc., smetimes with a radi, that has tw separate speakers s that yu hear different sunds frm each. (Stere/ Mn) Speakers: altavces 2.2. DURATION (Duración) The duratin refers t hw lng a sund is. A sund can be shrt r lng. It can last a lt r be very shrt. T last: durar The length: la duración 8

2.3. INTENSITY (Intensidad) T refer t the intensity f a sund, we use fr example the adjectives sft r lud. A high intensity sund is a lud sund. On the cntrary, a lw intensity sund is a sft sund. T measure the intensity we use decibels (db). The intensity depends n the amplitude f the sund wave. A high intensity sund: un snid de gran intensidad Sft: suave Lud: fuerte (snid) / alt (vlumen) vlume: vlumen amplitude: amplitud 2.4. TIMBRE r TONE (timbre) Each instrument r vice sunds in a specific way. Each vice r instrument has its wn tne. This prperty f the sund is the timbre. If a sund is represented by a curve, this curve will have a particular shape. What is Timbre? https://yutu.be/blm9bbr8lc Timbre: why different instruments playing the same tne sund different. https://yutu.be/vraxk4qkj1q EXERCISES: 1º) Listen t the fllwing ntes. Indicate fr each grup f tw ntes which f them is the highest. 2º) We can hear tw different sunds, A and B. The frequency f A is F1=250 Hz and B frequency is F2= 350 Hz. D yu knw hw many vibratins will ccur in 3 secnds with A? Which is the lwest sund? 3º) Listen t this piece f music. There is a sudden change. 4º) The vilin and the guitar have different. 5º) Vices and instruments have different. 6º) Listen t the fllwing ntes. What can yu say abut their duratins? 7º) Define the fllwing sund using all the adjectives that describe its qualities. Example: This is a high, lng, and sft sund. It is the tne f the pian (r it is the timbre f the pian). Vcabulary: The tne f this instrument is el timbre de este instrument es T listen t: escuchar T invlve: implicar T fllw: seguir 9

Each grup: cada grup The highest (sund): el más agud T ccur: prducirse Musical wrk: bra musical Sudden change: cambi repentin Piece f music: pieza musical T refer t: referirse a Exercise: Cpy the curve yu can see n the digital bard and analyse its characteristics. What are the main prperties f this sund? 10

Hw the auditry system wrks The sund wave enter in the ear canal and impacts the eardrum. The eardrum is a membrane. The vibratin f the eardrum travels thrugh the middle ear and is transfrmed int nerve impulses in the inner ear. This nerve impulses are perceived by the brain that prcesses the infrmatin and determines the prperties f the sund. Fill in the blanks: The is a membrane that vibrates when the sund wave impacts it. This vibratin travels thrugh the and is transfrmed int in the inner ear. The brain analyses the characteristics f these impulses t determine the f this sund. 3º) THE ELEMENTS OF MUSIC: https://yutu.be/q-aicj2_yw https://yutu.be/cnufmsgqrqm When a musician cmpses a piece f music, he usess several basic elements. These elements are related t the prperties f sund because sund is the raw material f music. Amng the mst imprtant elements f music, we can mentin the rhythm, the meldy, the harmny, dynamics and the timbre. Later n, we will deal with the texture and the frm f music. 3.1. ELEMENT RELATED TO THE DURATION: RHYTHM - A steady pulse: the beat. - The speed f the beat is the temp. If the temp is faster, the length f the nte symbls is shrter. - Rhythm is the result f cmbining ntes and rests that have different lengths (lng and shrt sunds and silence). 11

T prperly perfrm a rhythm, yu have t take int accunt the nte symbls, the temp and the time signature t knw hw t stress each nte. (See weak and strng beats) 3.2. ELEMENTS RELATED TO THE PITCH: 3.2.1. MELODY Hrizntal dimensin f music Time A meldy is a successin f different ntes that expresses a musical idea. Each meldy has a specific shape. It can be almst hrizntal, ascending r descending, r a cmbinatin f all f these. In fact, meldy symblises the hrizntal dimensin f music n a scre. 12

Meldies are based n scales. A scale is a sequence f ntes in an ascending r descending rder, frm any nte t its ctave. We can start the scale by any nte s the scale receives the name f the nte frm which it starts. Each nte f the scale represents a degree (We use Rman numerals t indicate the degrees: I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, (I)). 3.2.2. HARMONY Mre than ne pitch at the same time creates harmny. Harmny is the vertical dimensin f music n the scre. Three r mre pitches (sunds r ntes with different pitches) sunding at the same time make chrds. When yu read the ntes f a chrd, yu start by the bttm nte and read in a vertical way. Fr instance, in the first triad f this example the ntes are C, E and G (D, mi, sl). Basic chrds: t harmnize: t write a harmny fr a tune fr example. Exercise: fill in the blanks In a rck band, the drums play the, the singer sings the, the rhythm guitar and the bass play the which are a part f the. 13

Examples f different ways f harmnizing meldies. INTERVALS: An interval measures the distance between tw ntes. We have t knw hw t identify intervals in rder t be able t identify chrds and scales. Musicians measure intervals using specifics units: tnes and semitnes (half tne). We cunt the degrees t find the interval. That is why it is imprtant t knw the rder f the ntes. Fr example, frm C t E we have a third. Frm C t G we have a fifth and s n. TONES AND SEMITONES: 14

ACCIDENTALS: Accidental: in music, sign placed immediately t the left f a nte t shw that the nte must be changed in pitch. A sharp ( ) raises a nte by a semitne; a flat ( ) lwers it by a semitne; a natural ( ) restres it t the riginal pitch. In general, the effect f an accidental lasts until the end f a bar. If yu want it t affect the same pitch during the whle piece f music, yu have t use the accidentals in the key signature. In this last example, F and C are F sharp and C sharp during the whle piece until the key signature changes. 15

Exercises: 1º) 2º) Indicate belw the ntes their accidentals, sharps, flats and naturals. 3º) Match each tune with its scre 16

Fr this exercise, pay attentin t the first interval f the meldy, the shape f the meldy, the rhythm and the time signature. ELEMENT RELATED TO THE INTENSITY: DYNAMICS These dynamic markings indicate cnstant intensities. (In Spanish we use the term "matices"). These dynamic signs indicate gradual dynamic changes. (In Spanish we use the term "reguladres"). ELEMENTS RELATED TO THE TIMBRE: INSTRUMENTS AND VOICES What is Tne Clr? (Timbre) https://yutu.be/5tgedgkzlc8 A cmpser has t decide which instruments and vices are suitable t perfrm a piece f music. 17

MUSIC THEORY: - DOTTED NOTES: One dt lengthens the nte r rest by half the value f the riginal nte r rest. S, a dtted minimm is wrth three crtchets. A dtted crtchet is wrth three quavers and s n. - TIED NOTES: In music ntatin, a tie is a curved line cnnecting the heads f tw ntes f the same pitch and name, indicating that they are t be played as a single nte with a duratin equal t the sum f the individual ntes' values. 18