Music Terms & Videos

Most often used music terms and Vocal production videos

Music Terms 1:  

In Western musical notation, the staff is a set of five horizontal lines and four spaces that each represent a different musical pitch.  The staff is used to clearly communicate musical notation. (plural: staves)

Notes are written on and between staff lines, but when they "fall off "of the staff, they’re placed on ledger lines that lay below and above the staff. 

The treble and bass clef staves are the most well-recognized staves in use today, but many musicians learn how to read other clefs as well.  

A music clef is a symbol that is placed at the left-hand end of a staff, indicating the pitch of the notes written on it.


When the treble clef is indicated, the lines and spaces represent the following pitches

When the bass clef is indicated, the lines and spaces represent the following pitches (bottom illustration)

The importance of BODY ALIGNMENT

Music Terms 2:



A bracket is used to connect two or more lines of music that sound simultaneously such as multiple vocal parts.


A brace is used to connect two or more lines of music that are played simultaneously, usually by a single player,  such as an accompanist. 


A system is an entire notation of a line of music for all the parts and voices involved, presented in a group of two or more staves which are joined together by a vertical bar and a brace at the left side; a collection of staves occurring together on a page. 




Understanding Breathe in Singing Part 1

Music Terms 3:  

In music, DYNAMICS are defined as the different volume levels of a piece of music at any given moment. Dynamics markings and symbols are written to show a performer how loud to sing/play and when to change volume. 

Dynamics are one of the expressive elements of music.  Dynamic changes are a crucial part of musical pieces.  Dynamics are used to express emotion, to "set the scene" or to convey a story.

In sheet music, dynamics markings are letters or words (usually Italian) written by the composer to tell the performers how loud to play a section of music.

Understanding Breathe in Singing Part 2

Music Terms #4  


Unison comes from the Latin root words uni, meaning "one," and sonous, meaning "sound." So unison literally means one sound, and in music, it still retains that meaning. Unison occurs when two or more people play or sing the same pitch or in octaves. 

Why is unison important in music?  Going from multiple singers in harmony to multiple singers in unison can emphasize the melody in a way that is somewhat more intimate than the harmonized melody without sacrificing much forcefulness.


In music a KEY is the major or minor scale around which a piece of music revolves. A song in a major key is based on a major scale. A song in a minor key is based on a minor scale. A song played in the 'key of C major' revolves around the seven notes of the C major scale – C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. 

Understanding Phonation and Vocal Resonance

Music Terms #5  

Falsetto is a method of voice production used by male singers to sing notes higher than their normal range with a lighter tone.

A descant is an additional vocal part above the main melody, sung at a higher pitch than the melody.  This is traditionally performed by Sopranos. 


A fermata is a mark over a note or rest that is to be lengthened by an unspecified amount. It is often called a "birds eye". 


Staccato to perform with each note sharply detached or separated from the others. It derives from the past participle of the Italian verb staccare, meaning "to detach,"  or happening in an abrupt or disjointed way.


Legato  It indicates that a passage should be performed “smoothly and connected,” from one note to the next, so that the melody flows together. 

A Pick Up is one or more notes preceding the first downbeat of a musical phrase  

Articulation: Understanding  the Soft Palate, Lips, Tongue and Jaw

Music Terms #6 

Solfege is a system where syllables are assigned to the notes of the scale and enable the musician to audiate*, or mentally hear, the pitches of a piece of music.

do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, and ti 

Solfège is a great tool for learning music, for sight-reading, and for understanding music theory. It’s been part of the language of music for many centuries.  

The system of Solfege can be traced back to the 11th century where theorist Guido D'Arezzo (990-1035) created it as a way to teach simple melodies at a fast pace to singers who at the time did not read, nor had access to, what little music was notated. 

There are two current ways of applying solfège:

1) Fixed Do, where the syllables are always tied to specific pitches (e.g. "do" is always "C-natural") 

2) Movable Do, where the syllables are assigned to scale degrees, with "do" always the first degree of the major scale.

Adirondack Voices uses the Movable Do system

  

*To audiate is to think music with understanding, in much the same way we think when we use language.  It can occur whether or not the sounds are physically present - Understanding musical tones in one's head.

Where does the term 'audiate' come from? Music Learning Theory is an explanation developed by Dr. Edwin Gordon of how we learn when we learn music. The term combines the prefix "aud," which pertains to sound or hearing, and the verb "ideate," which means to form an idea or to think. 

Audiation: The Foundation of Music Learning (link to article)