Learning Higher Music Concepts
Melodic concepts
Mode | Harmonic Minor | Melodic Minor | Acciaccatura | Apoggiatura | Turn | Mordent | Microtone | Tritone |
Tone row
Mode : Usually refers to any of the early scales eg the Dorian mode, but can also be used more generally to describe music in the Major mode (Major key) and Minor mode (Minor key). Listen to an example - The Dorian Mode
Harmonic Minor: As the title suggests this is the “version" of the Minor scale used in harmony. It is different from its melodic counterpart in that the interval between the sixth and seventh degrees of the scale is an augmented second in both the ascending and descending forms. Listen to an example.
Melodic Minor : As suggested by the name, this version is used when writing a melody in the minor key. Formed by raising the sixth and seventh degrees of the scale a semi-tone in the ascending form and by lowering the sixth and seventh degrees in the descending form. In this way the ungainly augmented second of the harmonic scale is avoided. Listen to an example.
Acciaccatura : A crushed dissonant note of the shortest possible duration played before or after the main note or chord and immediately released. Listen to an example. - played
Apoggiatura : A musical ornament (chiefly from the 18 century) of an auxiliary note falling or rising to a harmonised note. There are two possible ways of writing this as you can see from the examples below. Listento an example - played
Turn : An ornament or grace note in which the music ‘turns’ around an original note.i.e. the note itself, the note above the note itself, the note below. Listen to an example using turns and trills.
Mordent : An ornament or grace note consisting of a single rapid alternation of the principal note, a note a semitone lower and the note itself. There is also an inverted mordent.
The principal note, a note a semitone higher and the note itself. Listen to an example from Bach.
Mordent Inverted Mordent
Microtone : An interval of less than a semitone and used frequently in Eastern music and modern music particularly that of Stockhausen. Listen to an example from Indian Music.
Tritone : An interval of three whole tones or an augmented 4th. Listen to an example.
Tone row : The name used to describe the selection of notes chosen by the composer and then used as the basis of a twelve tone composition. This is the tone row for Berg’s violin Concerto of 1935. See inversion, retrograde and Serial music. Listen to an example
