National 5 Music
Key Signatures • Copy down the key signatures from the board. • Note how each can mean two keys – a major or a relative minor. • There is more information on key signatures on p43 of your blue literacy workbook.
Time Signatures • Time signatures tell us how many beats are in the bar. • Music can be in simple time or compound time. • Simple time signatures have beats which can be split into 2 quavers and the bottom number is 4. • Compound time signatures have beats which can be split into 3 quavers and the bottom number is 8.
. In simple time, each beat is split into two quavers – you can count “apple apple” along with it. In compound time, each beat is split into three quavers – you can count “strawberry strawberry” along with it. Simple and compound time
Anacrusis • An anacrusis is where the piece does not begin on the first beat of the bar, eg in Happy Birthday. • Memory tip: sing the word “anacrusis” to the beginning of happy birthday.
Dynamics Crescendo– gradually getting louder Diminuendo– gradually getting quieter Sforzando – suddenly loud (sfz) Fortissimo Forte Mezzo forte Mezzo piano Piano Pianissimo Very loud Loud Moderately loud Moderately quiet Quiet Very quiet
Tempo Adagio Slow Andante Walking pace Allegro Quick, lively A tempo – the direction given to return to the original speed Accellerando – gradually getting faster Rallentando – gradually getting slower
Other Italian terms Legato, indicated by a curved line above or below the notes, means smooth. Staccato, indicated by dots above or below the notes, means short and bouncy. A pause instructs the player to hold the note for longer than its value. A repeat sign instructs the player to repeat from the beginning or the last repeat sign. An accent instructs the player to play the note with more force.
Major and Minor • Major and minor describe the tonality of the music. • Major keys sound happier and brighter. • Minor keys sound darker or sad. • Major and minor can also describe chords (as in your compositions). • Major and minor are also scales: try playing them on the keyboard and listen to the difference in sound.
Consonance and Dissonance • Consonance is the term to describe notes which go well together. Major and minor chords are both consonant. • Dissonance is the term to describe notes which clash. Adjacent notes played together are dissonant.
Ascending and Descending • Ascending is when the notes get higher. • Descending is when the notes get lower.
Moving by Step and Moving by Leap • When the melody moves to adjacent notes (eg C – D – E), we say it moves by step. • When the melody moves to notes further away, we say it moves by leap.
Repetition, Imitation and Sequence • Repetition is where a bit of the music is played again. It could be a short pattern or an entire section. • Imitation is where one instrument/voice copies another immediately and exactly. • Sequence is a pattern of notes repeated higher or lower.
In this piece… • Write down what concepts you can hear. • Instruments/ensembles • Melody (step, leap, ascending, descending, repetition, imitation, sequence) • Tonality (major and minor) • Tempo and time signature • Dynamics • Other features (legato, staccato, consonance, dissonance, accents etc)
Chords • We have already looked at the most common kind of chords (triads) in our composition. • A chord is quite simply two or more notes played together. • A broken chord is the notes of a chord played one after another. • An arpeggio is a type of broken chord where the notes are played ascending or descending.
Scales • A scale is a pattern of notes which can be played ascending or descending. • The notes of a scale are used to write melodies of songs / pieces. • All the scales you need to know are on p16 of your National 5 concept booklet – play each of them and listen to what they sound like.
Cadences • A cadence is the final two chords in a phrase of music. • The two you need to know are: • Perfect: sounds complete. V-I. • Imperfect: sounds incomplete. I-V.
