Key Words

Accompaniment

A part or parts, usually instrumental, supporting the main melody. Listen for the piano accompanying the voice.

Arrangement

An adaptation of an existing piece of music / melody. This is an arrangement of Men of Harlech.

Bar

Vertical lines on a sheet of music which divide notes into groups of equal numbers of beats

Call and Response

Two distinct phrases, usually performed by different musicians, where the second phrase is a response to the first

Crotchet

A note with a value of one beat.

Dotted Rhythms

Notes which are followed by a dot to increases its value by half the value of the original note.

Dynamics

Gradations of loudness and quietness

Folk Song

A traditional song that is sung by people of a country or region and forms part of their culture

Home notes

The first or home note of a scale (tonic)

Homophony

A texture in which all parts move together rhythmically

Improvising

Creating and developing musical ideas spontaneously while performing; an important feature of jazz and popular music

Lyrics

The words of a song

Male Voice Choir

A body of male singers who perform together as a group.

Melodic movement

A melody can move up or down in step, leap or repetetive movement.

Melody

A succession of notes combining pitch and rhythm; also known as the tune

Mode / Modal

A type of early scale, used before major and minor keys were developed

Modulation

A change of key

Orchestra

A large ensemble comprising strings, woodwind, brass and percussion

Phrase

A short musical idea; part of a melody

Pitch

The highness and lowness of sounds in relation to each other

Polyphony

A texture in which two or more melodic lines, possibly of equal importance, weave independently of each other

Quaver

A note with a value of half a beat.

Rhythm

A variety of notes of different length shaped into patterns

Sequence

A melodic phrase immediately repeated at a higher or lower pitch

Solo

One instrument or voice

Structure

The way a piece of music is organised or put together

Texture

The result of combining timbres, melodies, rhythms and chords.

Transposing instrument

A musical instrument whose music is notated different to the pitch that actually sounds (concert pitch).

Tuned instrument

Any instruments that can play a variety of pitch (piano, flute, trumpet, xylophone)

Unaccompanied

Singing or playing without accompaniment

Unison

Two or more parts or voices sounding at the same pitch

Variations

A technique where the main theme is repeated in a varied way e.g. with added notes, different rhythms, etc.(see Theme and variations)

Verse

Part of a song, heard after the introduction; each verse has more or less the same melody, but different lyrics

What will you do?

Compose a
call and response song

Performing suggestions

Performing suggestions

  • Hen Ferchetan
  • Migldi Magldi
  • Wrth fynd efo Deio i Dywyn
LYRICS
SCORE
FULL SONG
RESPONSE
INSTRUMENTAL

Information

Listen to this vocal arrangement of ‘Dacw ’Nghariad’ and follow the lyrics.

It is a call and response love song, and the melody uses the notes of the ancient Dorian mode.

Clap the rhythm of each response, then rehearse and perform the response (vocally or on an instrument).

When you are familiar with the response, sing or play the call and response.

LNF

8.OS4 /

8.OL1

  • How can you improve your vocal / instrumental performance?