MUSICAL ELEMENTS

RHYTHM organisation of possible differing beats and pulses in

time, metre, grouping of notes, describe the note values within the
phrase, tempo and strength of pulse, strictness or flexibility of pulse,
use of accents regular or irregular, rhythmic roles of each
instrument, use of repetition or contrast: simple, complex,
syncopated, accented, regular, irregular, dotted, free, repetitive,
primitive, dance-like, martial, even beat division (minims, quavers
etc), uneven (dotted notes, ties, syncopation), notes of short/long
duration, ostinato, sequence, polyrhythmic
etc, tempo/speed:
allegro, andante, moderato, accelerando, ritardando, agitato,
rubato, fast, slow, meter, 4/4 etc, alternating metre, riff, straight,
shuffle, compound time, simple time, swing, latin, hemiola, even,
isometric, mixed metres, polyrhythmic, patterns,
HARMONY more than one pitch played simultaneously: harmony,
diatonic, triadic, extended, chromatic, atonal, consonant, dissonant,
unresolved, functional, modal, parallel, lush, rich, simple, sparse,
complex, mainly primary chords, use of extended chords, parallel
chords, chromatic, fast or slow harmonic rhythm, clear or dense
spacing of parts, which instruments have a harmonic function, use
of inversions, is the harmonic accompaniment continuous or
fragmented? Etc, altered chords, resolution
TONALITY a system of organisation of pitch, major, minor, modal,
pentatonic, chromatic, blues scale, gypsy scale, atonal, use of
modulation, use of microtones, key note etc, serial, atonal,
MELODY pitch and rhythm combined (tune): diatonic, chromatic,
triadic, scale-like, modal, motivic, sequential, repetitive, lyrical
balanced, jagged, modal, upbeat, serial, atonal, unpredictable,
high, low, wide range, small range, meandering, smooth or angular,
sweeping, undulating, ascending, descending, embellished,
improvisatory, speech-like, use of phrasing, ornamentation,
decoration, embellishment of notes in melody by use of trills etc
melisma, vibrato, ornamented, anacrusis, describe the range used
(large/small), use of cadences, fragmentation, augmentation,
diminution, retrograde/inversions, draw a line of the phrase shape,
which scale is it built on???
ARTICULATION accented, slurred, spiccato, staccato, tenuto,
arco, pizzicato,
TIMBRE tone/quality of instrument(s) at different times: sparking,
glittering, percussive shimmering, silvery, muffled, brassy, biting,
muddy, muted, nasal, warm, mellow, shrill, dulcet, dark, dull, icy,
rich, colourful, bright, twangy, resonant, vibrant, clean, breathy,
sweet, tinny, penetration, nasal, booming, husky etc. Number of
tone colours used, contrast or blending tone colours, describe the
attack of the sound ie. Smooth or explosive, the decay of the sound

 dies quickly or slowly or sustains, round sounds, unusual

techniques used to alter colour ie. Pizzicato, fluttertongue, falsetto,
slow or fast vibratos, acoustic or electronic
TEXTURE the layers and density of sound. Product of a number of
voices at any time. Functions of a number of voices. Interaction of
voices: transparent, closely-woven, multi-layered, flecked/speckled,
brittle, clear, sparse, thin, opaque, chunky. Tangled, thick, block-like,
cobbled, blending, open, monophonic, homophonic, polyphonic,
heterophonic, thin, busy, cluttered, clean, lush, independent
melodies, parallel, cano, cluster chords. Independent rhythms for
each voice? Are the voice parts widely or closely spaced? Does the
texture change throughout the piece?
DYNAMICS volume, decibels, describe contrasts: swells, sudden
changes, is there a range of dynamic variation? Graduated
dynamics or blocks of loud and soft (terraced dynamics), are
crescendos achieved through either more instruments entering or
the pitch becoming higher
STRUCTURE form. The order of events in the music. Repetition,
theme and variations, binary, ternary, rondo, ritornello form, sonata
form, minuet and trio, ostinato, strophic, cycle, through-composed,
antiphonal, 12 bar blues, verse/chorus form.
INSTRUMENTATION choice of instruments used, register of
instruments used, special techniques used (hitting with
wood,plucking, vibrato, mute, etc), western or non-western, use of
solos, tutti, particular scoring, idiomatic writing for particular
istruments, use of transposing instruments, musical function of each
instrument, i.e. rhythmic, melodic or harmonic.
INERPRETATION - rubato, rallentando, register, piano pedalling,
vibrato, change of register, recording techniques, effects, rev,
staccato, mezzo-staccato, marcato, accents, erb, multitracking,
ornamentation, trills, mordents, drop offs, falls, smears, pause,
harmonics, melismas, scat, articulations, legato, smooth, semilegato, tenuto, slides, bends, hammer ons, pull offs, damping,
pizzicato, double stop, mute, tempo, slow, fast, broadly, lively,
accelerando, rallentando, ritenuto, ritardando

PLEASE ..
READ THE QUESTION CAREFULLY!!!
DONT STOP WRITING
YOU WONT BE PENALISED FOR HAVING TOO MUCH GOOD
INFORMATION

USE MUSICAL TERMS WHERE POSSIBLE AND APPROPRIATE

USE APPROPRIATE TERMINOLOGY FOR THE STYLE OF THE
MUSIC (ostinato vs. riff)
WRITE FACTS!!!
(not opinions or how it makes you feel ..... or what it
reminds you of)
WRITE IN DOT POINTS
THINK ABOUT EACH DOT POINT AS GETTING YOU ONE MARK
(Therefore if a question is worth 8 marks you will need at
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BE CONCISE NO ONE WANTS TO READ WAFFLE .

.. OR DRIBBLE FOR THAT MATTER