aural skills assessment task 2 question 2 the concepts of music general knowledge
TRANSCRIPT
Question 2 tests your general knowledge of the concepts of music. Study the booklet posted on Moodle to prepare for this question:
‘MUSIC 1 AURAL CONCEPTS HSC STUDENT STUDY MANUAL’
1. Give a definition of Duration.
Definition:
Duration relates to the flow of music in time, how long it takes, the types of notes/patterns used
and the speed at which it moves.
2. Time signatures divide into two categories. What are they? Explain the difference and give examples.
2. Time signatures divide into two categories. What are they? Explain the difference and give examples.
Simple and Compound are the two categories.
Simple time subdivides into 2’s.
Compound time subdivides into 3’s
2. Time signatures divide into two categories. What are they? Explain the difference and give examples.
Simple Duple is 2/42 quarter notes per bar – 2
crotchets4 eighth notes per bar -4 quavers8 sixteenth notes per bar – 8
semiquavers
2. Time signatures divide into two categories. What are they? Explain the difference and give examples.
Compound Duple is 6/82 Dotted quarter notes per bar – 2
dotted crotchets6 eighth notes per bar -6 quavers12 sixteenth notes per bar – 12
semiquavers
4. What is ostinato?Ostinato is where a motif or phrase is
persistently repeated in the same musical voice.
5. How can duration relate to the other concepts of music?
What is the rhythm of the melody? Which instrument plays each rhythmic
pattern? How does the tempo affect the
rhythm? How does the rhythm fit into the
texture? What are the dynamics of the rhythm?
1. Give a definition of Pitch.Definition: Pitch refers to the ‘highness’
& ‘lowness’ of sound. The concept of ‘pitch’ has an included
subgroup Harmony.
3. What aspects of pitch should be considered in terms of the contour of a melody? List six aspects and explain them briefly.
3.Movement by Steps (scale like)=Conjunct Movement by Leaps (intervals)=Disjunct Ascending/Descending Similar Motion – moving in the same direction Contrary Motion - moving in opposite directions Oblique Motion – one voice does not move, others move.
1. Give a definition of Structure.
Definition:
How the piece is constructed and how it is divided into sections or parts to create a
unified whole.
2. In terms of structural analysis what four points should be considered?
Repetition of themes or motifs Development of themes or motifs Old material vs new material Label the themes e.g: A, B, A1, C,
etc.
5. What is rondo form?
Rondo from consists of the repetition of a section interspersed with new sections.
A B A C A D A etc
6. What is unity and how is it achieved in terms of structure?
Rondo from consists of the repetition of a section interspersed with new sections.
A B A C A D A etc
6. What is unity and how is it achieved in terms of structure.
Unity is a sense of sameness or belonging to the one thing, ie: choosing the musical materials which make
the individual sections sound as if they belong to the one piece.
Eg: Development of motifs.
Unity is mainly achieved through repetition.
7. What is contrast and how is it achieved in terms of structure.
Contrast is showing differences or opposites in the mood or character of the music (as they apply in any of
the elements/concepts).Eg: loud vs soft, long notes vs short
notes, polyphonic texture vs homophonic texture.
Contrast is mainly achieved through variation.
2. Name the four main textures in music and give a brief description of each.
Monophonic – a single melodic line, one layer.
2. Name the four main textures in music and give a brief description of each.
Monophonic – a single melodic line, one layer.
Homophonic – melody and accompaniment, two or more layers.
2. Name the four main textures in music and give a brief description of each.
Monophonic – a single melodic line, one layer.
Homophonic – melody and accompaniment, two or more layers.
Polyphonic – two or more independent melodies combined in counterpoint, two or more layers.
2. Name the four main textures in music and give a brief description of each.
Monophonic – a single melodic line, one layer.
Homophonic – melody and accompaniment, two or more layers.
Polyphonic – two or more independent melodies combined in counterpoint, two or more layers.
2. Name the four main textures in music and give a brief description of each.
Monophonic – a single melodic line, one layer.
Homophonic – melody and accompaniment, two or more layers.
Polyphonic – two or more independent melodies combined in counterpoint, two or more layers.
Heterophonic – the same melody ornamented and embellished differently in two or more voices, two or more layers.
1. What is forte? Loud
2.What is piano? Soft
3.What is crescendo? Getting louder
4.What is diminuendo? Getting softer
1. Give a definition of timbre.
Definition: Timbre refers to the quality & ‘colour’
of sound created by various combinations of
instruments/vocals etc.
2. List six main classifications of timbre and give a brief description of each.
Chordophones, String sounds – plucked or bowed in various ways.
2. List six main classifications of timbre and give a brief description of each.
Aerophones,
Reed sounds – single or double reedsWind sounds – recorders, flutesBrass sounds – including various
mutesVocal sounds – not just singing e.g.
growls, whistles, chanting, melisma,
diction, glottal stops, portamento
2. List six main classifications of timbre and give a brief description of each.
Electrophones
Electronic sounds
2. List six main classifications of timbre and give a brief description of each.
Idiophones
Percussion sounds – anything struck or hit
2. List six main classifications of timbre and give a brief description of each.
Membranophones
Percussion – or just an instrument with a vibrating skin stretched over it
e.g. djembe drum