A Time To Relax
(for more of our works hit the tabs above)
In the orchestra there are many ways of playing sounds. These sounds are divided into two groups: playing in staccato where the sound is briefly heard,
such as playing the strings in pizzicato; and second, playing in legato where the sound is smooth and continuous. The ear gets tired of hearing instruments playing in legato after
awhile, and there needs to be a change. Staccato then
comes into play to break and make the restful difference.
The interaction can be brief or more extended, or staccato
and legato can play at the same time, like in melody and
accompaniment.
​
This is the most important interactive technique that
works with the rule of the Harmonic Spectrum: the most important rule in music.
The rule of harmonics is the rule of clearity. It states that
notes in the bass must be spaced an octave, fifth, sixth
or seventh apart. Any closer spacing of notes, like thirds
and seconds, would cause the wave lengths to clash, buzz and irratate the ears of the listener. In the middle range notes are generally spaced in thirds, fourths, fifths, sixths,
sevenths and octaves. In the high register the notes can be spaced in dissonant seconds, as well as any other
interval. Another way to say this is: The lower register
has big sound waves. The middle register has medium
sound waves; and the high register has short sound waves.
​
In extending the music, repetition is used most often in various ways. This allows the listener to remember the
theme; or in choral music, to remember not only the
theme, but the words also.
​
A theme, or melody, is always constructed of two or
more motifs. Each motif contains two or more notes,
which form a musical idea.
​
In repetition, one or more motifs can be repeated; or
a whole theme or melody can be repeated.
​
There are various ways of repeating motifs and melodies:
They are as follows:
​
First: The motif or melody can be repeated exactly as it
is. When this happens in the orchestra, a different
instrument, or group of instruments, usually does the
repetition. This adds tonal variety to the orchestration.
​
Second: The motif or melody can be repeated a whole
step higher or a whole step lower, either in the present
key, or in another key. It can also be repeated on other
steps of the key, or out of the present key. In this case
the same instruments can play the repetition; or
different instruments can play it.
​
Third: The motif or melody can be repeated exactly as
it is with a different playing technique. For example, it
could be played legato the first time; and the second
time, or repetition, it could be played in staccato.
​
Fourth: The motifs of the melody could be interchanged,
and played as a repetition.
​
Fifth: Some intervals in the motifs or melody can be
changed. For example, if the interval was a third, it
could be changed to a fourth.
​
Sixth: The motifs or melody can be repeated in the
minor key. If the motifs or melody are played in the
major key, they can be repeated in the relative minor
key. The relative minor key of C major is A minor.
​
Seventh: The motifs or melody can be repeated with
a different style accompaniment. Where it was played
in a dance style, it could be repeated in a marching
style; or any other style. This gives variety to the
accompaniment instruments.
​
​
Musical form is usually made up of two parts:
An (A) melody and a (B) melody. It gets pretty
boring to always hear the (A) melody; so, form
usually breaks from the (A) melody and goes to a complimentary (B) melody. Once that is done, it
is refreshing to get back to the (A) melody and
hear it once again.
Between the (A) melody and the (B) melody, there
is usually a filler part that moves or runs into the
(B) melody. This filler part is composed of runs,
figurations, or scales that move the listener's ear
to the (B) melody. These runs tell the listener that
something new, great and different is coming.
They act like a build-up run to a climax; or, they
could act like a build-up run to a anti-climax, where
everything is calm and peaceful once again.
​
Usually climax runs progress up the scale; and
anti-climax runs progress down the scale; but
this sometimes is reversed. During these runs
the composer can have a lot of fun; and that is
what composition is all about: expressive fun.
​
​
​
In review we have discussed the following outline:
​
Harmonic Spectrum
Legato and Staccato
Motifs
Melody
Repetition extention techniques
(A) Melody Form
Runs for Climax or Anti-Climax
(B) Melody Form
I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It's easy.
Harmony is a major element of music. It gives a quality of
environmental mood to the melody. The melody can play
with chords in the major key or the minor key. It can play with very simple chords or very complex chords. It can play with very harmonious chords or very dissonant chords.
​
When chords move from one chord to another chord, we
call this a progression. A melody, with its chords, are
usually constructed into what may be called
"Musical Sentences." A musical sentence always ends
in what is called a cadence. The cadence can be likened
to a sentence ending in a period or a semi colon. When
the musical sentence ends in a period, the 1 chord, or
tonic chord, of the key is used. When the musical
sentence ends in a semi colon, the 5 chord, or dominant
chord, of the key is usually used. This can also be any other chord, but not the tonic chord.
​
Musical sentences can play in one key and then move
into a different key. Modern music and popular music
usually use this type of movement.
​
The best way of moving from one key to a different key
is to find a chord that is common to both keys. This acts
as a sounding bridge to the new key. For example, in the Harmonic Chart above, the major and minor keys are all listed in the far left hand column. Capital letters represent major keys and small letters represent minor keys.
The rows to the right of each key list the chords in that key, from 1 to 7. If we want to move from the key of C major to the key of D major, we should pick a chord that is common to both keys. In this case let us pick the G major chord. It is the 5 chord in the key of C major and the 4 chord in the key
of D major. After we sound the G major chord, we can
play any chord in the D major key.
With these foundational steps in mind, the composer is
on his way to creating very interesting landscapes of
harmonic color, even to his hearts imagination.