Music Phrases

Awhile back, I wrote an Ezine Article called "Identify Music Phrases"
http://ezinearticles.com/?Identify-Music_Phrases&id=1144635
Composers usually do not show phrases in their music. Instead, they show how to play notes within phrases, using signs such as SLURS and STACCATOS. It is up to each player to decide how to phrase the music. Signs such as BREATH MARKS or BOWING can help do this.

A slur is a curved line connecting two or more notes, indicating that they are to be played legato. (smoothly)
They are also referred to as "phrase marks".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slur_(music)

Practice playing a scale on the keyboard legato by playing the next note in the scale while releasing the previous one. You must be able to play consecutive notes smoothly in order to properly play notes grouped by a slur. Take a little quiz from Ms. Garrett that she offers on her site:
http://www.musicteacher.com/quiz_ties_slurs001.htm

If you've never glanced at sheet music and have played the piano by ear for awhile, you can feel it in your playing where you want to effectively and effortlessly, play those notes in your song, one right after the other.(as smooth as glass) Here is a good visual of what these phrase marks look like.
http://www.treblis.com/Notation?Phrase.html A phrase is a section in music that express a complete idea. For example, in classical music, phrases are usually symmetrical in length. For music that is written today, a phrase can be any length. The purpose of a phrase mark is to define sections expressing complete ideas.

Another excellent resource describing the fundamentals of music notation can be found here:
http://www.music.msu.edu/musicnotation/index.php?page=slurs
If you have the time and would like to take a look at video instruction on Understanding Musical Phrases, here you go!
http://video.aol.com/video-detail/understanding-phrases-in-music/1946173533

And if you're passionate for the Classics, here's a great video that gives you a sense of slur application in this piano style:



What I find refreshing in this young man Lypur is his words, mini rainbow and chained links in reference to slurs:





I hope you've enjoyed this little blog blurb on Phrases to help you along the way with your dynamics in playing music on the piano or keyboard. Best wishes to you!

http://www.LadyDpiano.com

Identifying Phrases

IDENTIFYING PHRASES

For a tune to make sense, it needs a structure, just as writing needs sentences and punctuations. Tunes are built from groups of notes that sound as though they belong together as an idea. These groups are known as PHRASES, and are usually separated by a tiny silence when the music is sung or played.

IDENTIFYING PHRASES: Musicians often disagree about where phrases start and finish. This is because there is often more than one possible INTERPRETATION. When you play music, try to hear which notes belong together. Phrases may be the same length, or start on the same beat of a measure. Songs may have a phrase for each line of words.

ANSWERING PHRASES: In some music, pairs of phrases of the same length sometimes seem to match each other. The first phrase seems to ask a question, and the second phrase to answer it. For example, the second phrase may seem to answer the first by ending on the tonic when the first phrase did not.

RHYTHM PATTERNS: Phrases often have a strong rhythm structure. A pattern may be repeated or varied within a phrase, between phrases, or even throughout a whole piece.

MELODIC PATTERNS: Phrases often contain patterns of notes that are repeated exactly, or changed by transposing them to a different pitch or varying the intervals.

SHOWING PHRASES: Composers usually do not show phrases in their music. Instead, they show how to play notes within phrases, using signs such as SLURS and STACCATOS. It is up to each player to decide how to phrase the music. Signs such as BREATH MARKS or BOWING can help do this.

PHRASES THAT MODULATE: Sometimes a phrase may end in a different key from the one it began in, such as the relative minor or major key. This is called MODULATION. For a tune to modulate clearly, it has to use a note that is in the scale of the new key but not in the scale of the original key.

http://www.LadyDpiano.com