The Components of Music: Part Three

The Structure of Music

The structure of an object is its organization or the way in which it is put together. Every object has an outer shape or form. Every object also has inner parts which give that object its unique character.

Music also has an outer shape or plan. Each piece of music has many inner parts too, which fit together to create the whole composition. Music has both outer and inner structure or form.

Introduction To "Motif"

A motif is a short musical figure that recurs throughout a composition. It is used to unify the piece. A motif is usually the seed of the main theme of a composition. AS few as two notes can make up a motif if they are melodically or rhythmically characteristic of the theme. The motif can be found in music as simple as a folk song or as complex as a symphony. Beethoven developed a highly skilled use of the motif in many of his later symphonies.

Creating Melodic Variation

Augmentation - Doubling the duration of notes in a melody
Altered Tones - Changing some of the pitches of a melody
Extension - Adding notes to make a melody longer
Ornamentation - Adding new tones within a melody

Music Background

A phrase in music is comparable to a sentence in a speech. It is a natural division of the melodic line. A phrase usually includes 2, 4, or 8 measures. A phrase mark (or curved line) should not be confused with a tie or a slur mark. A tie only connects two notes of the same pitch. A slur mark is used when two notes are sung on one syllable.

The Forms of Music

All music has an outer shape or form. There are very short forms of music, such as a three-part (A B A) song or instrumental piece, or a simple round. There are also longer forms of music.

Instrumental Forms

• Theme and variations
• Rondo
• Suite
• Symphony
• Concerto

Vocal Forms

• Opera
• Oratorio

Music is often built by putting phrases together in very regular ways. For example, many folk songs have an even number of phrases, with an equal number of measures in each. One or two phrases may be repeated, resulting in phrase forms such as these.

A B A B    A A B A    A B A C

Theme and variation is a musical form that uses a musical idea (theme) and a number of modifications of the theme (variations). The theme is usually a simple tune, frequently a familiar melody. If the original melody is preserved in all the variations, they are called melodic variations. If only the original harmonic structure is kept, they are called harmonic variation.

Poetry, as well as music, may be written in either regular or irregular phrase form.

So, reinforce understanding of phrases through compositional strategy. Experiment with various ways to develop the two phrases into a melody. Write words to fit one or more melodies. The melodies created should show understanding of phrase form, cadence, and musical balance.

Does your song have a regular or irregular form?
Does your song seem balanced?
Does your song end with a full cadence?

Okay. Perhaps you have missed some earlier posts on Components of Music. You can catch up here, Part Two and Part One.

You may be interested in MACMILLAN MUSIC. It's a great resource for teachers.

Wishing you all the best!


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

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

Whitney Houston: Saving All My Love For You

So, time has passed and along side millions of viewers, we said our good byes
to Whitney Houston. Her memorial service was very moving and indeed, it
is truly evident that she loved the Lord. Perhaps she is singing in the angels choir.
I believe so. With Whitney's God-given gift, her beautiful voice, we continue to
play and sing her songs and her gift goes on! Do you have a favorite? I would like
to post some of Whitney Houston's songs and perhaps you will find one to play.

Saving All My Love for You (Music by Michael Masser ©1978)

Intro
G maj7    Em7               Am7             D11
G maj7    Em7               Am7             D11                     
A few stolen moments is all that we share

G maj7    Em7               Am7             D11                     
You've got your family and they need you there. 

Em7                 A7               Em7            A7
Though I try to resist being last on your list. 

Em7 Em7/D  C  G/B  Am7    D11
But no other man's gonna do.

       C     Bm7    Am7 D11  G maj 7  Em7 Am7 D11
So I'm saving all my love for you.

 
It's not very easy living alone. 
My friends try and tell me. 
Find a man of my own. 
But each time I try I just break down and cry.
Cuz I'd rather be home feeling blue. 
So I'm saving all my love for you.


B                Bb dim              B
You used to tell me we'd run away together.
D                               A             D Dmaj7 
Love gives you the right to be free. 

F#7                                      B7
You said, be patient, just wait a little longer. 

       A9    Am9         Am7 sus 4    D11 D
But that's just an old fantasy. 

I've got to get ready .
Just a few minutes more. 
Gonna get that old feeling. 
when you walk through that door. 
Coz tonight is the night. 
for feeling alright. 
We'll be making love the whole night through. 
So I'm saving all my love. 

Yes I'm saving all my love. 
Yes I'm saving all my love for you. 

No other woman is gonna love you more. 
Coz tonight is the night.
That I'm feeling alright. 
We'll be making love the whole night through. 
So I'm saving all my love. 
Yeah I'm saving all my love. 
Darlin', yes, I'm saving all my love for you. 
For you. 
For you. 
For you 

Higher Praise.com 

I'd like to share these chords I'm using in the Key of A

Saving All My Love For You

Whitney Houston

Intro

Amaj7  F#m7  Bm9  D/E  Amaj7  F#m7  Bm9  D/E

	A	maj7	F#m7	Bm9	D/E
	A	few stol	en moments is all	that we share

	A	maj7	F#m7	Bm9	D/E
	Yo	u've got	your family and t	hey need you the	re.

	F#m7	B/F#	F#m7	B/F#
	Though I try to resi	st being last on	your list.

A		F#m7/		G#m7		C#7
	But	no othe	r m	an's	gonna d	o.

	Dmaj7	C#m7	Bm7	D/E	A	maj	7	F#m7	Bm9	D/E
So I'm	saving	all my	lov	e for	y	ou.

It's not very easy living alone.

My friends try and tell me.

Find a man of my own.

But each time I try I just break down and cry.

Cuz I'd rather be home feeling blue.

So I'm saving all my love for you.

	G#m7	C#7	F#m9	Bm9
	You used to tell	me	we'd run away tog	ether.

	E7	Amaj7
	Love gives you the right to be f	ree.

Eb7sus4	Ab7	Dbmaj7
	You said, be patient, just wait a little	longer.

	F#m7		B7	Dmaj9/E
But tha	t's ju	st an old fa	ntas	y.

I've got to get ready .

Just a few minutes more.

Gonna get that old feeling.

when you walk through that door.

Coz tonight is the night.

for feeling alright.

We'll be making love the whole night through.

So I'm saving all my love.

Yes I'm saving all my love.

Yes I'm saving all my love for you.

No other woman is gonna love you more.

Coz tonight is the night.

That I'm feeling alright.

We'll be making love the whole night through.

So I'm saving all my love.

Yeah I'm saving all my love.

Darlin', yes, I'm saving all my love for you.

For you.

For you.

For you

Music Chord Breakdown

Amaj7 = A/C#EG#

F#m7 = F#/AC#F#

Bm9 = B/DF#AC#

D/E = E/DF#A

B/F# = F#/D#F#B

G#m7 = G#/D#F#C#

C#7 = C#/BD#G#B

Dmaj7 = D/F#AC#

C#m7 = C#/ EG#B

F#m9 = F#/EF#B

E7 = E/G#DF#

Eb7sus4 = Eb/DbEbAb

Ab7 = Ab/CEbA

Dbmaj7 = Db/AbCF#

Dmaj9/E = E/F#AC#E

Awhile back I wrote about bass lines. They are definitely in this song,
Saving All My Love For You.

Did you know that Errol Garner, the jazz pianist, was left-handed? So, I got to thinking about left-hand parts on the piano and how much time I have invested in piano practice to improve and strengthen my bass lines in music.

I've always been comfortable playing a melodic line with my right hand but when it comes to playing Alberti bass or Waltz bass, I seemed to need the extra practice, playing left hand notes separately until they were polished and then adding both hands together to hear a more balanced sound.

To achieve this, let's take a look at music and see how a composer will write harmony parts in many different ways.

1. Block chords look like all of the notes are stacked together, like a snow- man, and you play them together at once. You will find many blocked chords for your left hand in rock and roll and hymns, too.

2. Broken chords are when the left-hand plays the notes of a chord but one at a time. You can approach this by playing oom-pah rhythm or some say, boom-chick, like a repeated pattern of a single note followed by a chord. You will hear this in Ragtime in Scott Joplin music.

3. Arpeggiated chords make up notes of a chord that are played one at a time, like an arpeggio. They are found in Classical piano music and Pop music.

4. Alberti bass is when the notes of each chord is played starting with the bottom note, on to the top note, middle note and then up to the top note again.

5. Waltz bass is where the first note of the chord is on the down beat, the first beat of the measure and followed by the other notes on beats 2 and 3. It is played with a strong beat in a 3/4 time signature. This ballad style allows your right hand the freedom to pull out the melody line and just let it flow.

This is the basic introduction to left-hand movement. More advanced rhythmic patterns would include off-beats, swing and slow jazz waltz, to name a few. Plus, there is Latin rhythm to learn, such as Bossa Nova, Mambo Tango, Cha Cha, Rhumba and Samba.

No matter what level you are on, with many of the left-hand parts listed above, you can incorporate them into your music for rhythm practice.

You might be interested in this music resource if you're a singer:
Vocal Mastery System  (affiliate link)

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

How To Accompany Group Singing

Image via WikipediaLadyD piano thanks the many readers who have asked for tips regarding playing the piano to accompany singers.

Here's my story.

I started playing the piano for fashion shows when I was a little one many moons ago. From there, I graduated to playing piano for choirs in Junior High and High School. Later on, I learned to accompany lead singers and church vocalists.

1. Accompanying Group Singing

Tis the season for group singing, and keyboard players will be very much in demand on such occasions. Accompanying singers is a specialized skill, so I thought that some tips on the subject might be worthwhile.


If you can transpose, or are playing by ear, you will want to chose the best key for each song. A safe, average vocal range  is the octave C to C, which can be exceeded by one or two notes in either direction when necessary. Suppose you are accompanying Auld Lang Syne. A good key would be F, which makes the lowest note C and the highest note D.

Example:

r.h. melody single notes- C, F, F, F, A, G, F, G, A, G, F, F, A, C, D...

A short introduction will serve to announce the song, establish the key, and set the tempo. This last is especially important for keeping the group together. A typical introduction can be fashioned from the last four or two bars of the song. (Since Auld Lang Syne is relatively slow, two bars are sufficient.)

Example:

CG/ CEA to G
DD/ ADF
BB/ ABbD, BbBb/ ABbD
CC/ EBbC
FF/ ACF
CC to low F
CC/ EBbC

2. When accompanying a group it is often wise to pound out the melody, doubling it in octaves if possible. 

CC/ EBbC
F/ FACF, F/FACF
DD/ FADF
DD/ ADFA
BbBb/ GBbDG
BbBb/ FBbDF
CC/ GBbEG
CC/ ACEA, to GG
F/ FACF, F/ FACF
FF/ ACEbA
AA/ CEAC
BbBb/ DFBbD

Once you are sure that the group knows the tune you can stop playing the melody and use a more rhythmic form of accompaniment. But notice that the right hand still touches on the main melody notes, to keep the singers on pitch.

Example:

CC/ EBbC
F/F, then FAC
DD/ FAD
BbBb/GBbD
CC/ GBbE
F/FAC
F/ ACEb
BbBb/D
BbBb/DFBb

When you come to the end of the tune you may want the singers to go on to another verse. You can signal them to do so by playing a "turnaround" emphasizing the dominant (i.e. the fifth note of the scale, which would be C in the key of F).

BbBb/DFBbD
AA/ CFC
FF/CFA, FF/CFA
DD/ BDF
CC/BbEG
CC/BbDF
CC/ BbEG
C#C#/ AEA, to G
DD/ADF
BbBb/ ABbD, BbBb/ ABbD
CC/ EBbC
FF/ ACF
CC/CC (3 times)


To create a final ending for the song, slow the tempo slightly, hold the last note (I have added a tremelo in the left hand),and then cut it off with a sharp "button" consisting of a tonic chord (i.e. a chord on the first note of the scale). Notice that as the tempo broadens I have provided an upper octave doubling, to give a fuller sound.

Example:

C#C#/ AEA, to G
DD/ ADF
BbBb/ DFBbD (twice)
CC/ CEBbC
FF(tremelo)/ FACF (hold it out)
F/ FACF

Now, when you follow the soloist, remember not to push the rhythm... just follow the artist. When the soloist wants to pause and hold a note, play a fill or arpeggiate a chord, hold it with the sustain pedal while she catches her breath and continues with the next phrase. You, as the piano player, can be the star at the beginning and end to the song with a few melody notes along the way.

When you are invited to play at a party, it is a good idea to do some advance preparation. Make a list of the songs you expect to use and decide on the keys for all of them. Have your music easily accessible, to eliminate fumbling between songs. Then relax, sing along as you play, and enjoy the party. 'Tis the season...

Best,
-- LadyD

P.S.  My friend Yoke Wong has a great music resource you might be interested in!


Learn To Play Your Favorite Christmas Carols Now
Covering Silent Night, O Come All Ye Faithful, and many more
www.ChristmasPianoDVD.com















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