Part A: Please watch the uploaded links.
Write a brief review of each as what you began to understand and which parts you which pars were more difficult for you.
Remember separate and address them by title.
(10 pt.) Melodic and harmonic intervals
(10 pt.) Musical phrase, or what is a music phrase, but only from timestamp 3:34 to 6:13
(10 pt.) Chords Harmony and form:
I am extending the due date for this assignment through Saturday 7/17 midnight.
Very few people have ever truly learned about a piece of music by hearing it only once unless they have written or played music for years. Even then, the more interesting pieces of music will be challenging:
Form in music may be a new concept for many, but it is found in any traditional Western culture music. It is and has been the basis of pop and folk music for centuries. It may not be found in “rap” as that relies on a different and unique art form akin to but not exactly like, Secco recitative in 17th century Italian opera and Sprechstimme in German/Austrian opera early 20th century opera. The form we will be looking at may not be as obvious in certain 20th and 21st century “classical music” styles or music from other parts of the world.
Catching up to the subconscious is not always easy as we now must rely on the part of the brain that makes logic of form formulas. It will become easier as we learn to listen, but don’t be surprised if you will need to listen to examples more than once.
Let’s tackle something easy and familiar:
Song #1: Old Mac Donald. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1nLh_p4Mcc Each music phrase or stanza, is similar to a sentence in grammar, and is labeled by letters such as, Phrase A then B as a contrasting phrase with a different melody and rhythm. Once you identify the two phrases by sound, and not by words, it will be quite easy to comprehend form.
In this song, Old Mac Donald, phrase A ends with E.I.E.I.O every time: The form of this song is typical form in most “pop” songs. One hears phrase A then phrase A again followed by phrase B then back to phrase A just once. The AABA Phrase grouping repeats again and again until the song is over. A, melody is then repeated. Phrase B in this song, begins with the Animal sounds such as “with a quack, quack here” or whatever animal it might be. Then phrase, A, returns with “Old Mac Donald”. This happens throughout the song, and is super easy to follow and comprehend. Keep in mind that most pop songs throughout our American pop music history contain the same form of AABA formula. PS, instrumental music uses the same format as well, but often in a larger display. Copy and paste to browser.
If you, the listener, can identify when the first melodic, phrase, (phrase A) and again when it returns after the B phrase, then 90% of your critical listening problem is solved. Remember that form is repetition and contrast. Normally the most often repeated part of a melody is “phrase A” the very first phrase of a song or piece. Remember melodic intervals? One can identify a song often by the first interval of two notes. Did the beginning of the melody in phrase (A) leap of, step up, leap down or step down? Apply that to the second melody of phrase B.
(5 pt.) Answer this: How many times did it take you to be comfortable understanding and identifying the music form in Old Mac Donald? Please answer by writing complete sentences.
(5 pt.) Can’t take my eyes off you: With phrase analysis.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-110qMKPEj0