LadyDpiano: April 2015

Musician's Vocabulary: Range-Register-Expression

RANGE

Meaning:

Range means ALL of the pitches, from lowest to highest, that an instrument can play or a voice can sing. We can also talk about the range of your speaking voice: the full extent of your voice when you talk, from the lowest sound to highest sound.

How The Word Is Used:

"The range of the piano is extremely wide. It can go lower and higher than an entire symphony orchestra."

"The flute has a great sound, but the clarinet has a wider range. It can't go quite as high, but it goes much lower."

Range Words:

small medium large
narrow average wide

How To Find Your Vocal Range

REGISTER

Meaning:

Register means a specific part of the range of a voice or instrument. A range is usually divided into three parts: a low register, a middle register, and a high register.

How The Word Is Used:

"Your voice sounds so strong and clear when you sing that melody in your high register."

"I like 'Peter and the Wolf' - especially the sound of the cat played by a clarinet in its low register."

Cat's Theme

Register Words:

high middle low
higher lower
highest lowest

Descriptive Words associated with Register:

The high register of a voice or instrument may be clear and strong, thin and weak, or piercing.

The middle register of a voice or instrument may be strong, comfortable, or neutral (neither dark nor light).

The low register of a voice or instrument may be rich and full, dark and thick, or unfocused and muddy.

EXPRESSION

Meaning:

Expression refers to the kind of feeling or emotion that a composer or performer gives to a piece of music.

How The Word Is Used:

"Your piano playing is wonderful. It is so full of expression."

"That phrase you sang was too plain for me. Could you try it again with more expression?"

Dear Singer,

If you've been watching The Voice or American Idol, then you've probably been listening to the contestants voice and singing along as well. You may be interested in Jermaine Griggs resource:

*How to sing properly from your diaphragm, last longer, and have the power to hit notes you never thought possible (without killing your vocal cords)...

Vocal Mastery System

Blessings,

"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King

Learn To Play Holy Spirit by Bryan-Katie Torwalt

photo credit: 0798 First Presbyterian Church 05_09_2010 via photopin (license)

I love this spirit filled, easy going worship song. It's fairly easy to play in the Key of D or E. You're just recycling a few chords around in the progression. Do you have a favorite Jesus Culture song?

Chords for Holy Spirit by Bryan and Katie Torwalt (2011)

Key: E
Time: 4/4 with expression

Verse 1

E Amaj7
There’s nothing worth more, that will ever come close
E
No thing can compare, You’re our living hope
Amaj7
Your Presence, Lord.

Verse 2

E Amaj7
I’ve tasted and seen, of the sweetest of Loves
E
Where my heart becomes free, and my shame is undone
Amaj7
In Your Presence, Lord.

Chorus

E
Holy Spirit You are welcome here
Amaj7 F#m7
Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere
E
Your Glory God is what our hearts long for
Amaj7 F#m7 E
To be overcome by Your Presence Lord

Bridge (many times)

Amaj7 E/G# F#m7 E/G#
Let us become more aware of Your Presence
Amaj7 E/G# F#m7 E/G#
Let us experience the Glory of Your Goodness

(Amaj7 E/G# B)

Vocal ad-lib to Chorus

Amaj7 E/G# B

Repeat Chorus

L.H. / R.H. (single notes)

E / G#, G#, G#, F#, E, G# ... G#, F#, B

Amaj7 / G#, G#, G#, E, E G#

F#m7 / G#, F#, C#

E/ G#, G#, G#, F#, E, G#, G#, F#, B, E, G#

Amaj7 / G#, G#, G#, E, G#

F#m7 / G#, F#, A, G#

E/ G#

Listen to a YouTube performance:

Jesus Culture (Holy Spirit - chords)

Intro:
D       Gmaj7           D       Gmaj7 

Verse:
D                                                Gmaj7
There's nothing worth more, that will ever come close
                                        D
No thing can compare, You're our living hope
        Gmaj7
Your Presence
D                                        Gmaj7
I've tasted and seen, of the sweetest of Loves
                                             D
Where my heart becomes free, and my shame is undone
           Gmaj7
In Your Presence
[ Tab from: http://www.guitaretab.com/j/jesus-culture/346256.html ]
Chorus:
D
Holy Spirit You are welcome here
     G                             Em7
Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere
     D
Your Glory God is what our hearts long for
      G                Em7                      
To be overcome by Your Presence Lord

Bridge:
D
Let us become more aware of Your Presence

Let us experience the Glory of Your Goodness
G          D/F#         Em7             D/F#
Let us become more aware of Your Presence
G          D/F#         Em7             D/F#
Let us experience the Glory of Your Goodness
G          D/F#         Em7             D/F#
Let us become more aware of Your Presence
G          D/F#         Em7             D/F#            G
Let us experience the Glory of Your Goodness

If you sing on a worship team and/or play an instrument while singing, you may be interested in this music resource, Vocal Mastery System from HearandPlay.com

Blessings,

"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King

Musician's Vocabulary

photo credit: throb via photopin (license)

Musician's Vocabulary

Rhythm

1. Meaning

Rhythm means the way sounds and silences relate to each other IN TIME to make a flow of musical ideas. The sounds can be long and short. The silences can be long and short.

2. How The Word Is Used

"I love that drum solo because its rhythm is so powerful and driving. It makes me want to get up and dance in time with it."

"The rhythm of Chopin's Nocturne is so gentle. It seems to flow along like a lullaby."

3. Rhythm Words

regular gentle abrupt
even flowing broken
strict smooth nervous
metronomic graceful uneven
"on the beat" unbroken stop-and-start

Meter

1. Meaning

Meter means the way beats are grouped.
It is something we feel when we listen to music;
we feel that this Strauss waltz is "in a 3 -beat meter"; we feel that this Joplin rag is "in a 2-beat meter"; we feel that this rock piece is "in a 4-beat meter."

2. How The Word Is Used

Don't confuse "meter" with "measure" or "time signature." METER is something we feel when we play or listen to music; it is a beat feeling. A MEASURE and a TIME SIGNATURE are things we see when we read a piece of music. They are visual aids for the performer, helping us to understand the music better by dividing notes and rests (rhythms!) into visual groups on the music page.

3. Meter Words

Musicians use different terms to express "meter." They may say that a piece is "in a 2-beat meter" or, more simply, that it is "in 2." We can apply this description to any meter: "in One"... "in 2"... "in 3"... "in 4"... "in 5"... etc., etc.

The adjective for "meter" is "metrical."

*****************************

So, when we're talking about time classification, patterns of stress are known as METER. Meter is the patterns produced by beats of varying degrees of stress. The pattern which results from beats of varying degrees of stress is called the meter. The most common meters are four, three, or two beats per measure.

In music, meter is the systematic grouping of beats and their divisions in regularly recurring patterns of pulsations. Meter is described as being duple, triple, or quadruple according to the grouping of beats, and simple or compound according to the division of each beat.

Meter Designations

1. duple simple
2. triple simple
3. quadruple simple
4. duple compound
5. triple compound
6. quadruple compound

Rhythm that you hear are patterns formed by the succession of long and short notes.

So, over at HearandPlay.com, Jermaine has a sale going on for music software for your computer...

For $23.50 (Half Price Sale), get Songrobot

Blessings,

"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King

Top 5 Good Friday Songs

When my children were young, we would always attend a church service nearby at a local church. It was very meaningful and a wonderful time of reflection and inspiration. I think background music and a great worship experience is an added blessing during Holy Week. Do you have any songs you could add to the list? Here are two songs with chord charts to add to your song library.

1. The Wonderful Cross: Chris Tomlin

2. The Old Rugged Cross

3. Come Thou Fount

4. Were You There?

5. When I Survey The Wondrous Cross

Chords and Lyrics to Were You There when They Crucified My Lord?

Recorded by Charlie Rich. Sung by Johnny Cash and Randy Travis

Key: G

G7       C                G7           C
Were you there when they crucified my Lord
                Em        Am           G7
Were you there when they crucified my Lord
C                             F       Fm
Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble tremble
         C                G7           C
Were you there when they crucified my Lord

G7       C                G7                C
Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree
                Em        Am                G7
Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree
C                             F       Fm
Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble tremble
         C                G7                C
Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree

G7       C                G7              C
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb
                Em        Am              G7
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb
C                            F       Fm
Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble tremble
         C                G7              C
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb

G7       C               G7               C
Were you there when the stone was rolled away
                Em       Am               G7
Were you there when the stone was rolled away
C                            F       Fm
Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble tremble
         C               G7               C
Were you there when the stone was rolled away

G7       C                G7           C
Were you there when they crucified my Lord
G7       C                G7           C

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Were You There?
Key: D

D       D A D
Were you there when they crucified my Lord
F#m Bm           A
Were you there when they crucified my Lord
D G D F#m Bm G D A
Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble tremble
         D A D
Were you there when they crucified my Lord

D D A D
Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree
F#m Bm                A
Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree
D G D F#m Bm G D A
Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble tremble
         D A D
Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree

D       D A D
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb
F#m Bm              A
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb
D G D F#m Bm G D A
Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble tremble
         D A D
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb

Modulate to E

E E B E
Were you there when the stone was rolled away
G#m C#m B
Were you there when the stone was rolled away
E A E G#m C#m A E B
Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble tremble
         E               B              A
Were you there when the stone was rolled away

Chords and Lyrics to When I Survey The Wondrous Cross

By Isaac Watts

E            A             E
When I survey the wondrous cross
             C#m   A         B
On which the Prince of glory died
           C#m A            E    B
My richest gain I count but loss
            C#m  A          E     B
And pour contempt on all my pride

Forbid it Lord, that I should boast
Save in the death of Christ my God
All the vain things that charm me most
I sacrifice them to His blood

See, from His head, His hands, His feet
Sorrow and love flow mingled down
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine
That were a present far too small
Love so amazing, so divine
Demands my soul, my life, my all



The Wondrous Cross: Isaac Watta

Key: D

Time: 4/4




D       Bm          G       D
When I survey the wondrous cross
             G          D     A
On which the Prince of Glory  died,
D          Bm       G         D
My richest gain I count but loss,
             G        A       D
And pour contempt on all my pride.

D         Bm        G        D
Forbid it Lord that I should boast,
            G        D         A
Save in the death of Christ my God.
D            Bm           G       B
All the vain things that charm me most,
        G        A      D
I sacrifice them to His blood.

D             Bm       G         D
See from His head, His hands His feet,
           G          D        D
Sorrow and love flow mingled down.
D             Bm       G      D
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
           G          A      D
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Modulate to E
E              C#m7      A      E
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
               A       E       B
That were an off'ring far too small.
E       C#m7     A     E
Love so amazing, so divine,
           A         B       E
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

Interested in the Gospel Music Training Center? Have a look...

Blessings,

"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King