Category

Music Theory

Category

Have you just started playing a musical instrument? Perhaps a piano, or even a clarinet? Well, chances are that you may be muddled by the symbols and notes on the music sheet given to you by your instructor. Despite being guided on what each note is and what each accent has to offer, there may still be some questions in your mind. No need to stress out too much here – this is something every beginner goes through as music notes and accents can be a handful to deal with. All you need in such a situation are the right resources and information – one where the intricate details of music composition are broken down into easy-to-understand terms.

Knowing about the intricacies of music and what all it has to offer is what every great musician has had an inkling for. If you are curious about the nuances that go into making music, you’re in luck! Here you are sure to find all you need to know about music notes and accents, particularly the marcato. To find out all about it, keep reading ahead. This is sure to be your first step towards understanding and becoming aware of the various music accents and notes in the music sheet.

What Is Marctao in Music?

When it comes to music, learning and knowing about music composition is important. This is something that skilled and competent musicians have in common. The most common accent marks in music in this regard, are the staccato, tenuto, accent, staccatissimo, and marcato. They are found on music sheets – you may have seen this during the orchestra, or even while playing the piano. Here, we will be focusing on the marcato. This accent mark is one of the notes that instructors give special attention to.

The marcato in particular is a wedge shaped accent mark. It is vertical and is derived from an Italian word that translates to “hammered” and looks like an arrowhead which can be above or below the music note. Any note that has a marcato attached to it is expected to be as loud as the notes with the standard accents. It is also as short as the staccato notes. This is what makes the marcato stand out and brings the music to life!

Marcato Vs. Accent

To further add to this, let’s look at what sets the marcato and accent apart. People often get confused between the two as they look quite similar in nature. Here are some of the similarities and differences to get started.

1. The Symbol Itself

While the marcato is an upturned arrowhead that can be placed above or below the notes, the accent is a similar arrowhead that is pointed to the right. This too can be placed above or below the note.

2. How It Is Approached

The marcato and accent are approached a bit differently when it comes to different musical instruments and music genres. For instance, for jazz and clarinet, the marcato would be played with a sharp delivery or the tongue. This would be followed by a shortening of the notes. For jazz, the delivery would be even harder. For the piano, the technique would be the same, but the articulation may vary.

To learn more about the different music articulations and accents, click here to watch a detailed video. This is sure to help you get an idea of the other accents as well.

Playing Marcato On The Piano

Marcato can be played on the piano to make your playability pop out. It is sure to help you take your performance up a notch! And who doesn’t want that? If you are an avid piano player or a beginner, then you can observe the marcato on the piano as well.

To listen to what a marcato on the piano sounds like, click here to watch a video that explains the differences between the marcato and tenuto, in particular. Once you are done watching it, any remaining confusion and queries about the marcato are sure to be cleared out! From then on, you can practice playing the piano by keeping an eye out for the marcato in mind. In this way, it won’t be long before you can pick up on the marcato in any type of music going forward! This is how renowned musicians make their name in the industry, they have a sharp ear for picking up unique music notes!

Getting the Right Rhythm!

If you wish to keep up with the different notes and music accents, especially the marcato, then all you have to do is pull out your music sheet and give it a good observation. You should be able to identify the marcato on the notes right away. The next step is to practice playing the piano, soprano, or whichever music instrument that you desire from the relevant music sheet. Trust us, by being wary of this music accent, you are sure to add vigor and dimension to your performances. It is going to leave the audience in awe and sway their emotions right away!

To further increase your knowledge about music and everything related to music, you can head on over to Musician Authority. Here, you are sure to find a wide range of articles, blogs, and guides on a musical instrument, different types of music notes, reviews, and music related content. Having us as your trusted partner is going to help you kick start your music journey with the right mindset. Our content is catered to all types of audiences, especially beginners. So, what are you waiting for? Head on over to our website and get started today! You can even share some of the articles forward to your friends who may be interested, they will surely thank you for it.

Are you just starting on your music journey and want to learn all about the intricate details that go into composing music? Well, you have reached the right article. Here you are sure to find the answers to all your confusions.

Trying to understand the details that go into making a song come to life and learning all about what a refrain is and what makes it different from the chorus is the first step. Let’s, have a look at what the refrain is in music. Once you are done reading this article, the world of music is going to seem a lot less complicated.

What is Refrain in Music?

In simple words, the refrain is the repetition of a verse in a song. It can be further divided into two categories. The first is the melody of the song, essentially the music itself. The second is the written part known as the lyrics of the song. The refrain is present in all types of songs, be it jazz, pop, or even rock music.

It can be one line or up to two lines at max. For instance, if you observe the song Blowin’ in the Wind by Bob Dylan, the last two lines at the end of each verse are the same. This is the refrain in the song.

How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man?
How many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
Yes, ‘n’ how many times must the cannonballs fly
Before they’re forever banned?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind

Yes, ‘n’ how many years can a mountain exist
Before it’s washed to the sea?
Yes, ‘n’ how many years can some people exist
Before they’re allowed to be free?
Yes, ‘n’ how many times can a man turn his head
And pretend that he just doesn’t see?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind

Yes, ‘n’ how many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
Yes, ‘n’ how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, ‘n’ how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind

Historical Perspective

The word refrain itself comes from an old French word called Refraindre. This word translates to something that is repeated.

What is a Chorus?

You may be thinking that refrain is the same thing as a chorus then – since it is repeated. However, that is not the case. The chorus contains more words than a refrain and is essentially the expression of the main idea of the song. It’s the bigger picture and comes with a melody build up. It is also repeated after every verse.

Here is an example to make it easier to understand. If you have a look at the lyrics to the song Happy by Pharrell Williams, the chorus is repeated after every verse as follows:

[Verse 1]
It might seem crazy what I’m ’bout to say
Sunshine she’s here, you can take a break
I’m a hot air balloon that could go to space
With the air, like I don’t care, baby, by the way

[Chorus]
(Because I’m happy)
Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof
(Because I’m happy)
Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth
(Because I’m happy)
Clap along if you know what happiness is to you
(Because I’m happy)
Clap along if you feel like that’s what you wanna do

[Verse 2]
Here come bad news, talking this and that (Yeah!)
Well, give me all you got, don’t hold it back (Yeah!)
Well, I should probably warn ya, I’ll be just fine (Yeah!)
No offense to you, don’t waste your time, here’s why

[Chorus]
(Because I’m happy)
Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof
(Because I’m happy)
Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth
(Because I’m happy)
Clap along if you know what happiness is to you
(Because I’m happy)
Clap along if you feel like that’s what you wanna do

And so on….

Differences Between a Refrain and a Chorus

The refrain and chorus may seem the same and are often used interchangeably, but they are quite different in terms of their structure. Here are two main differences between the refrain and chorus. If you keep these in mind, you are sure to clear out any confusion about the refrain and chorus going forward.

1. The Length

The refrain is shorter than the chorus. It is usually one or two lines and can also be the same as the title or name of the song. On the other hand, the chorus is longer in terms of text. It can be a compilation of several verses or lines that are repeated.

2. The Build Up

The refrain has no melodic buildup. The chorus however does have a melody buildup, this makes the song quite catchy and easy to remember.

Here’s the bottom line – all choruses are refrains since they get repeated. But, not all refrains can be a chorus due to the absence of a melodic buildup.

Wrapping it Up with the Right Refrain!

There you have it, a breakdown of what a refrain and chorus are, how they are used, and what makes them stand out from each other. You can now add the right verses and rhythms to your songs to make them exciting and fun. Be sure to place the refrain strategically – this is key in making your music stand out. You can play around with different tunes, melodic buildups, and verses and see which one works best for your song. It may take a while to get it right, but you are sure to reach your music goal in no time! You can even explore and study different types of music and musical compositions from online platforms such as Coursera. Click here to go through some of the music composition courses.

If you liked the information in this article and wish to learn more about the world of music, then there is one platform you should head on over to. Musician Authority is the premier online platform that provides articles, blogs, and guides on everything related to music. We have a wide variety from which you can browse. From differences between wind instruments to tips on how to keep your guitar in top shape, and updated information on why your favorite music band split up, all are provided here. With us by your side, you can add value to your music knowledge the right way! You can even share this article forward with your friends and help them learn about the world of music the right way!

 

Music is all around us in our day-to-day lives. It emanates from the ceiling speakers at clothing stores it is projected from the portable amplifiers of street musicians busking at busy intersections. It often gets stuck in endless loops in our heads.

Many of us have grown up around music and see it as just another part of our lives. However, some believe that music serves a distinct purpose. Today we will examine various perspectives on “What is the purpose of music?” and attempt to narrow down a universal answer.

What is Music?

Before looking at the different perspectives surrounding the main topic of this article, it is worth understanding what exactly music is. Depending on who you ask, you may get different answers. For example, one person may give a simple answer such as, “The Beatles are music.”. Others may prefer to give more technical definitions such as “Music is a collection of pleasing sounds arranged and presented in a rhythmic fashion.”

The latter answer is similar to the following definition given by the Cambridge Dictionary:

Music – A pattern of sounds made by musical instruments, voices, or computers, or a combination of these, intended to give pleasure to people listening to it”.

The above definition tells us a lot about what music consists of. It contains musical instruments, voices, as well as computer-generated sounds. However, the latter portion of the definition may be up for debate depending on who you ask.

After all, many people certainly do listen to music because they find it pleasurable. However, some types of music may serve other purposes such as distracting listeners, keeping them calm, or helping them follow along during a physical task.

Music for Creative Expression

Music is considered one of the primary artforms along with literature and the visual arts. If physical artwork such as paintings or sculptures decorate space, music can be said to decorate time. This also makes music an important form of creative expression.

If art’s purpose is to invoke a reaction with those experiencing it, music certainly does fit the bill. Composers can create musical pieces using an array of musical instruments such as pianos, violins, flutes, and percussion. When put together, such arrangements could convey complex emotions that would be difficult to channel with words.

Many listeners also gravitate to music because they would like to experience another person’s creative expression. For example, one could say the entire jazz genre is held up by listeners with an active interest in getting into the musician’s mind and observing what they have come up with.

Many people may also listen to music to observe the different ways in which it has been arranged. After all, a single melody could be presented in numerous ways using different tempos, instruments, or vocalists.

Computers have also expanded the music composition and production capabilities in the 21st century. It is now possible for composers to create alternate arrangements for their compositions without having to rely on a suite of musicians. Each of these arrangements could be considered a different type of creative expression.

Music in Religious and Cultural Rituals

While most of us enjoy listening to music for the joy it brings us, it serves other purposes in certain religions and cultures. For example, many historians believe that music was used in religious functions in the pre-Christian era. In fact, certain musical instruments such as horns were specifically created for ceremonies.

Music in Religious Ceremonies

Music has been used in religious ceremonies for thousands of years. People in Zimbabwe often use music in their ceremonies to express gratitude towards their God and thank them for ushering in a fruitful harvest season.

Similarly, music has become a staple part in many Christian religious ceremonies. Many of us are familiar with musical and choir performances at different Churches. Such music may not necessarily be used for pleasure, but to elevate the spirits of church-goers and make the act of worship more exciting.

Music in Cultural Ceremonies

Music is also intrinsically linked to the cultural identities of many communities around the globe. For example, music is considered a social activity in many African communities. Locals are expected to participate in such ceremonies which feature lengthy musical performances. Music may be performed at events such as weddings, births, or ceremonial rites of passage.

Music can be a symbol of pride for different regions in Indonesia. Certain types of traditional music were born from specific tribes in the country, and therefore hold a special place for such cultures.

Music for Political Expression

Music has also been used as a tool for political expression for many generations. One of the most famous examples includes the anti-war protests in the United States in the 1960s. These protests included many musicians who composed music with anti-war or pro-peace themes. Such music was often branded as “hippie music”. However, it was a powerful tool that encouraged peaceful rebellion against a towering status quo.

In the 1950s and 1960s, writers from the “Beat Generation” aimed to sexually and spiritually liberate society and promote counterculture lifestyles. Their works inspired plenty of musicians in the UK who began creating music that could be considered counterculture. This included acts such as Steely Dan, Tom Waits, and Soft Machine.

Music for Meditation and Therapy

Music can also be used to accompany meditation or therapy sessions and assist in improving your mental health. Many artists compose works specifically for this purpose.

Such music often features a peaceful and serene feel that allows your mind to calm down. This can be useful for patients with hypertension or anxiety who have trouble controlling racing thoughts.

Many therapists also recommend that patients learn to play a musical instrument. This is because the activity can help them ward off negative emotions while learning a useful skill that they can show off.

Music for Exercise

Conversely, music can also help you get charged up and ready to move your body. Such music may be played or performed at dance events. However, it can also be used to accompany exercise sessions. You don’t have to look very hard to find music mixes designed for workout and calisthenics routines.

Exercise music is great at keeping your mind active and engaged with the exercise you are performing. It adds a touch of fun to an otherwise exhausting activity, making it the perfect accompaniment for any workout routine.

Music for Work

Scientists theorize that humans have an innate urge to follow along with musical rhythms as it helps make group activities more efficient. For example, workers in a workshop can work more efficiently if they hammer items along to a rhythm or beat. This can also be observed in army marching formations in which soldiers move in-time with a drum beat.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, music has many purposes beyond just providing a source of pleasure for listeners. The music we listen to today is an evolved form of an ancient artform. However, this music will likely continue to evolve into the future. Nobody knows how music will be used in the future, but we’re sure somebody will find new and novel uses for it.

When it comes to music, you will often come across treble, along with mid-range and bass. But do you know what treble in music actually is?

In this article, we will talk about what treble is and take a brief look at mid-range and bass too. This way, you’ll know the difference between all three! So, let’s get started.

What is Treble? When it comes to music, treble refers to the highest sound frequency, generally ranging between 6KHz and 20KHz. Increasing the sensitivity of treble in an audio system produces a more detailed and brighter sound, as it emphasizes the high notes of the tune.

The phrase treble comes from the Latin word triplum, which was used in the 1400s to denote the third and highest range of motets.

What Is Treble in Music?

Types of Treble

There are essentially three kinds of treble in music. These include:

  1. Vocal Treble: This is what you hear when someone is singing. It’s the highest pitch in a vocal range and can be heard in several rock and pop songs.
  2. Instrumental Treble: This treble is what you hear in your conventional gospel choir. It adds life to music and makes it sound exciting.
  3. Electronic Treble:As the name suggests, electronic treble is what you hear in electronic music. The high pitch is generally used to create excitement and energy in the songs.

Examples of Treble in Music

There are several examples of treble in music. If you hear a song and notice sounds like high-pitched notes ringing, that’s treble. Particularly if what you hear sounds like whistling or bells, that’s what treble sounds like in music.

Listen to the start of Taylor Swift’s “I Knew You Were Trouble” and notice how the high-pitched notes are ringing. This is treble, and it’s the sound that develops your interest in the song.

Now, listen to the start of the song “Let It Go” from the movie Frozen. You will notice that what sounds like ringing bells is actually the treble in the song. This sound sets the tone for the rest of the track and adds a playful touch to it.

Role of Treble in Music

Treble, also referred to shrill or high music, is what many people think of as “high pitched.” The sound range is higher than what we usually hear in our daily life.

This encompasses instruments like clarinets, trumpets, and many other brass instruments. It even entails most woodwinds, like saxophones and flutes. However, certain woodwinds, like contrabassoons and bassoons, don’t generally play in the treble.

Treble’s role is to offer a light, airy, and beautiful sound to the music. It generally offers music with accents, counter melodies, and the melody line.

Treble makes the music in an orchestra or band sound energetic and lively. This can particularly be seen when treble contrasts with bass instruments.

The Importance of Treble in Music

Treble is what makes music sound clear and beautiful. It lets the listener appreciate the different parts of the song. If there was no treble, the music would sound indistinguishable and muddled.

Treble is also what lets the music be heard. If certain instruments are playing more softly than others, the treble is going to make sure that the listener is able to hear what’s being played.

Treble also offers a counter-melody to the bass. It adds a sense of balance to the bass and makes it more enjoyable and interesting to listen to.

Difference Between Bass, Mid-Range, and Treble

Bass, mid-range, and treble are all used to boost or cut specific sound frequencies from your speaker.

As we mentioned above, treble relates to frequencies between 6KHz and 20KHz. Conversely, bass corresponds to frequencies going up to 150 Hz. The mid-range bass ranges between 200Hz to 5KHz.

Bass is completely different from treble. Treble is the highest point of a frequency range, whereas bass is the lowest. It represents human voices, pianos, and keyboards, all of which can create low bass notes.

In an equalizer, increasing the bass to its maximum value lets users feel the pounding bassline of a song. It makes walls and furniture rattle, particularly when coupled with hip-hop and EDM music genres. Nevertheless, too much bass can make a mix muddy and undefined.

Bass produces bigger and slower vibrations (ghost tones), whereas treble produces smaller and faster vibrations (overtones). Each note in between treble and bass is called middle, or just mid.

Turning up an equalizer mid knob emphasizes the notes that lie in the middle sound spectrum.

What Are the Perfect Treble Settings?

The perfect treble settings depend on what kind of music you listen to. For instance, if you listen to classical music, you’ll want to set the treble a little higher than if you were listening to rock music.

This is because different kinds of music require different kinds of treble. Classical music generally has plenty of high notes, which need to be heard clearly.

Conversely, rock music will have lower notes and not too many high ones. This means that you can set the treble a little softer and will still let you listen to what’s happening.

Regardless of what kind of music you listen to, it’s imperative to ensure that what you’re hearing doesn’t sound tinny. While you can set the treble high, it should never be too high that it overshadows other instruments or becomes unpleasant to listen to.

Does Treble Need to Be Higher than the Bass?

Treble always needs to be higher than bass in a song. Here are some reasons for that:

1. To Listen to the Vocals Clearly

Extremely high bass is going to overpower the sounds of the vocals. This will not be an issue if the song’s instrumental. However, if a song depends largely on the vocals to propagate its message, you might just want to set the bass lower.

2. To Eliminate Mid-Frequency Muddiness

Mid-frequency muddiness in the 400 to 800 Hz frequency range can be a significant problem for music producers. By setting the treble higher than the bass, you won’t only hear the 400 – 800 Hz sounds, thereby getting rid of the muddiness.

3. Balance the Low-End Rumble

Low-end rumble can be very overwhelming. In fact, it can end up destroying the whole song. By keeping the treble higher than the bass, you won’t be facing this problem.

Last Few Words

Now you know what treble is and how it’s different from mid-range and bass, you can freely experiment with your home’s hi-fi system’s equalizer and adapt the levels of each accordingly. Keep in mind, if you have increased the bass too much, it can make the other sounds become obscured. This ends up ruining several songs.

However, if you have set the treble too high, it’ll turn airy and free music into something that’s unlistenable because of how piercing all the high notes now are. The best idea is always to balance. Therefore, adjusting every knob slightly will offer the best listening experience.

Upon hearing someone shout “one, two, three, four!” the next thing you’ll probably hear is the guitarist, vocalist, bassist, and drummer immediately jumping in at the next beat with their own lyrics, rhythm, and melody.

On the other hand, when you hear someone shout “five, six, seven, eight!” the next thing you’ll see is a group of people kicking their feet and swinging their arms to the beat of the music. That’s kind of like the law of nature.

So, why is it that musicians use 1234 and dancers use 5678? What difference does it make? Are these count-offs interchangeable? Apparently, there’s quite a simple explanation for this. We’ll show you.

Why do musicians use 1234 and dancers 5678? The Answer

The Bars

For us to understand the differences between these two count-offs, we have to understand something called a “bar.” In a music sheet, one line, otherwise known as a phrase, is divided every four beats, called a bar. This means that when musicians count from one to four, they’re counting one complete bar.

Traditional songs usually use repetitive chord progressions and rhythm, so musicians often have to play four notes or beats repetitively in different bars. This lessens the need to count from one to eight since the notes and beats on 5678 would most probably be the same as the ones played in 1234.

On the other hand, dancers need to memorize their steps to be in sync with the other dancers. Dancing is quite diverse, and dancers often have different steps for every beat and every bar. Ergo, the reason why they count from one to eight is to have a wider and longer zone of allocating their diverse steps.

For instance, if a dancer counts from one to four just like musicians do, it would be harder to execute their steps since one bar is too short for their movements. However, counting from one to twelve or one to sixteen is just way too long, making it harder to memorize their steps.

One to eight is the Goldilocks zone for dancers, as two bars is just enough to execute their movements, and it’s much easier to connect one progression of their steps to the next.

The Count-Off

So, why would a musician start his/her song with 1234 and a dancer begin his/her dance with 5678? Well, both of them would have to start their performance at beat one. However, musicians count in one bar, while dancers count in two bars.

So, for a band to coordinate their melodies, they’d have to count 1, 2, 3, 4, and then all of them would start playing at the next “one” on the next bar.

On the other hand, a group of dancers also need to be synchronized. If they counted in 1234, that would just be the first bar, which means the next count would be “five” instead of “one.” So, for all of them to land the same steps at “one,” they have to end the countdown at “eight” instead of “four.” Ergo, 5678 is used by dancers instead of 1234.

To make it simpler, musicians count a bar with four beats while dancers count in two bars with eight beats. This means that a phrase for a musician would be 16 beats, while a phrase for a dancer is 32 beats.

Why Dancers Count in Eights

Aside from easy memorization, there’s another reason why dancers count in eights. Dancers have two feet and two hands, so they’d have to count in eights. That’s not to say that musicians are some sort of mutants with one foot and arm.

However, dancers often execute one movement on one side of their bodies in four counts. What that means is that counting 1, 2, 3, and 4 often only accommodates steps with their left foot and left arm.

They would then have to repeat the same movements with their right foot and right arm, but since it’s the same steps, it would be confusing to count 1, 2, 3, and 4 again. So, dancers continue the count with 5, 6, 7, and 8.

Ergo, counting from one to eight completes one movement, with each half of the count being performed by the two halves of the body subsequently.

Why Musicians Count in Fours

It’s rather difficult to determine why musicians count in fours. Perhaps it’s just what we’ve been practicing since the beginning, and that’s what we’ve gotten used to. However, there seems to be an effect to practice and memorization when musicians count in 4/4 timing.

Instead of steps that are easier to remember in eight counts, the notes in a music sheet seem to be easier to remember in four counts. That’s probably because a musician needs to READ a music sheet instead of simply memorizing the steps with his/her hands and feet as dancers do.

Ergo, a music sheet would be harder to memorize in eights compared to fours. This is kind of like when we try to remember a cellphone number. It’s particularly easier to remember two four-digit numbers instead of remembering one eight-digit number.

So, before a musician is able to engrave the music sheet into his/her muscle memory, he/she first needs to interpret and continuously practice what’s in the music sheet. This becomes a little easier when the phrase is broken down into bars with four counts each.

For instance, if a musician is having trouble playing it, he/she can simply return to the specific bar where the difficult note is located instead of going back two bars behind (since this is how dancers count) or going back to the beginning of the sheet or phrase altogether.

What this means is that, since musicians have to read the music sheet, dividing it into chunks of four would make it easier to memorize and translate into muscle memory.

When Do Musicians and Dancers Stop Counting in 1234 and 5678?

There are cases, however, where musicians and dancers don’t count in 1234 and 5678. That’s because there are certain songs and dances that don’t use the traditional four beats per bar. For instance, waltz only uses three beats in every bar.

Nonetheless, musicians and dancers tend to count this differently as well. For musicians, a waltz beat would be 1, 2, 3, and 1, 2, 3, counting each beat in every bar. On the other hand, dancers still use the same mechanics of memorization and left-and-right coordination. This means they often count waltz in 1, 2, 3, and continue to 4, 5, 6, counting all the beats every two bars.

There is one dance where musicians and dancers seem to use the same countdown, and it’s cha-cha. When a musician plays cha-cha music, and when dancers dance cha-cha steps, they both count 1-2-3-chacha.

Conclusion

Since the dawn of time, musicians and dancers seem to have taken their pick on whether to count in fours or in eights.

There are multiple reasons for this but don’t worry; there’s not a rule set in stone that you should count in fours if you’re a musician or in eights if you’re a dancer.

However, don’t blame us if your bandmates suddenly start dancing their minds off after you count them off with 5678. Maybe some things are better left the way they currently are, eh?

Like many things in the world, musical texture has evolved over the years and done so in a swinging pendulum kind of way. In the earliest days of music, when we weren’t writing anything down, and there weren’t very many people in the world, it was simple. Sometimes it was just one person playing the drum or one voice singing.

Then we started experimenting and coming up with more complex musical ideas until it got really complicated. Some music of the Renaissance period is so thickly layered and complex that it’s hard to tell what’s going on.

Composers like J.S. Bach started writing what would come to be known as Baroque music. This music was rife with rules, precision, and math until composers like Beethoven, Brahms, and Berlioz bucked those rules to express the inexpressible during what we now call the Romantic period.

Composers rebelled against more and more musical rules until some 20th-century compositions relied on random elements and sounded like noise in many ways. All these changes through the millennia have directly affected musical texture.

What Is Texture?

When you touch sandpaper, you feel its grit against your skin and say that it’s rough. A kitten’s fur has a soft texture. Rotting wood might have a spongy texture.

Since we can’t touch music, the texture we’re discussing is how the music sounds. We don’t usually call music soft or rough (soft rock and hard rock don’t refer to texture so much as to the kind of rocking you do while listening to or playing the soft or hard rock), but instead use words like “monophonic,” “polyphonic,” and others. So let’s start with those two.

Monophony

While monophony was the texture of the very first music, it’s still quite common today. Very simply, monophonic music consists of just one melody line and no accompaniment.

When early humans sang, they didn’t have a guitar to strum, and once people started figuring out how to write music, we made a way to preserve music that we could look back on and see that it consisted of one note at a time.

Now, before you remark about how boring that sounds, think about 95% of the sporting events you’ve attended. Before the game started, somebody probably came out and sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” a capella. That’s monophony.

Sure, when Whitney Houston did it at Super Bowl XXV, it was accompanied and didn’t count as monophony, but when Demi Lovato sang at Game Four of the 2015 World Series, that was a monophonic rendition.

Polyphony

Here’s where music starts to get complicated. Polyphony comes from the Greek words for “many” (poly-) and “sounds” (phono). But it’s not just lots of notes. Polyphony occurs when more than one melodic line coincides. The most common occurrence of polyphony today is when people sing a canon, also known as a round.

Each melody does its own thing completely separate from the others, but they fit together and create harmony. It gets complicated when the different lines aren’t carbon copies of the original. It can get muddy enough with singers who can’t understand the words, but you don’t have that problem with instruments.

J.S. Bach wrote many polyphonic music pieces called fugues in which one instrument (an organ or a piano) plays several different voices together. They can be really tough to play, but they can sound really cool.

His so-called “Little” fugue is an excellent example of polyphony. In this video, as the music scrolls by, note how, in the sixth measure, the melody starts again in a different voice while the first voice goes on doing its own thing. Then Bach adds more voices and plays around with all of them, and this all gets played by one person— ten fingers and two feet, and that’s it. No overdubs back then.

Modern Music

Composers left polyphony behind as their primary musical texture, and the music that most of us know and love is neither monophonic nor polyphonic.

Homophony

Where “mono” means “one,” “homo” means “same.” So homophony doesn’t have a bunch of different voices singing different things at once, but instead, it is the singing of the same rhythms at a different pitch.

A church hymn such as “Holy, Holy, Holy” is a lovely example. Most hymn composers wrote for four voices (soprano, alto, tenor, and bass). All four voices sing the same rhythm and words simultaneously, but each voice group has its own pitch. When they sing their parts, each note has a full chord under it.

More familiar might be pretty much any rock or pop song you listen to regularly. When David Bowie sings “We can be heroes just for one day,” he’s singing a melody, and the guitars, bass, keyboards, and background vocals all play and sing along with him to create the accompaniment.

No, the bass doesn’t play the same rhythm Bowie sings, but the band plays one chord at a time beneath his vocals to create a homophonic sound.

The Police, the Beatles, Oliva Rodrigo, Public Enemy, Barry Manilow, Keith Urban, Letters to Cleo, Ariana Grande, Vince Gill, and Cake all perform mostly homophonic music. It’s the overarching musical form of modern Western Civilization.

Heterophony

Heterophony isn’t necessarily a hallmark of modern music, but most of us can recognize the texture. Heterophony means “different sounds,” which is a bit misleading.

Like polyphony, different voices sound together, but unlike polyphony, the voices sing the same melody together, but each harmonizes with its own little flair. It’s big in non-Western music, but anyone who’s ever been to a Mardi Gras party has heard heterophony.

When a Dixieland jazz band plays, the banjo and bass provide rhythm and chords, but very often, each of the other instruments gives its own version of the melody at the same time. It’s recognizable as “When the Saints Go Marching In,” but not everyone is playing the same thing.

Textures in Music

Many times, a piece of music has several different textures. Even the Dixieland example above has some homophonic sections, like when the singer does the verse. A selection of music can start off monophonic, like with an unaccompanied solo, then add a guitar behind it to become homophonic. Adding another singer can continue the homophony, or it can be a polyphonic element if that voice runs in counterpoint to the original melody.

So, in short, we have four main types of texture in music (there are others, but these are the four most commonly used):

  • Monophony is one voice or a group of voices performing the same melodic line. There is no harmony in monophony by definition, although a well-written melody will create implied harmony.
  • Polyphony occurs when different voices perform independently of each other. A round or canon is the most familiar type of polyphony. The voices sounding together create harmony.
  • Homophony is often a melody with a chordal accompaniment. It constitutes the majority of popular music and a good deal of so-called classical music. Homophony is the texture with which most of us are most familiar.
  • Heterophony sees several voices performing the same melodic line at the same time. This texture isn’t the same as voices playing or singing in unison, though, because each voice adds different flourishes, embellishments, and alterations to that melody in heterophony.

Wrapping Up Texture in Music

Music has so many options available to composers and performers alike. Different textures are only one small part of those. Using various musical textures in different situations opens up a lot of worlds for musicians and composers.

In music, the bridge is a standard section that you can hear in almost every style of song. Starting from pop songs to jazz—and even way back to the classical era—the bridge plays an important role.

Its function, however, differs from one music style to another. Some songwriters even used it unconventionally and experimentally. But whatever its use is, one thing is certain; and that is the popularity of bridges in music.

The Role of Bridge in Songs

The bridge, in terms of music theory, is a musical shift that connects two verses or sections of a song. It is a musical material that prepares transitions for the original material or to return to. In application, you will find this section after a chorus and introduces a change in the chord progression, a new key, shift in tempo’s speed, or a meter change.

In essence, the bridge presents a different light or color contrasting the overall mood of a song or a piece.

Here’s a video explaining what is a bridge in a song:

Where Did It Originate?

The use of bridges in songs and musical pieces originated from German medieval music. It was first introduced in the 15th century and was sung by the Meistersingers. It was originally called “Steg” as well, which basically means bridge in German.

Before and during World War II, however, German composers fled to America. And with their knowledge of what and how to use the bridge, the musical material eventually spread and was used by songwriters across the country.

How Long Should Bridges Be?

While musical bridges’ length may vary from one songwriter to another, its length is usually four to eight bars. In fact, music enthusiasts often refer to it as the “middle eight” because it is typically placed in the middle of a song on a time scale of eight bars.

Why Do Songwriters Add Bridge?

There are various reasons as to why a songwriter adds a bridge (or bridges) to a song aside from it does, by definition, connect two verses in a song. Essentially, the common reason is that it improves the song’s entire mood or color.

But oftentimes, bridges are used to provide variety.

A song that contains a variety of music materials and spreads throughout the whole song makes it more interesting and exciting. On the contrary, a song that toggles back and forth between two or three verses with the same tempo and key could sound boring and may fall the audience into a lull.

You can add variety to a song by introducing a new key, a change in pace or meter, or a shift in the chord progression. And all these can be done by integrating a bridge or bridges.

Apart from that, another common—and perhaps noticeable—purpose of adding a bridge is to build tension. Skid Row’s ballad song “I Remember You,” for example, uses a bridge to introduce a guitar solo, before it goes back again to the original material or the chorus.

But not only that. Here are a few more roles the bridge plays in a song:

  • Builds anticipation and energy
  • Provides contrast to the entire song’s mood
  • Divides repetitive sections
  • Introduces new instrument or key
  • Creates dynamic shift

Bridges In Different Style of Music

The bridge—while it shares the same purposes no matter the song’s genre—is used differently or follows a different format for every music style. In music theory, you will learn various formats that are commonly used in every music genre. The AABA format, for instance, is typically applied in pop songs.

That being said, I will discuss below how the bridge is used in some of the major music styles.

Pop Music

Almost all pop songs today come with a bridge. From singers such as Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, and the infamous band The Beatles, the presence of the musical material in such a specific genre has proven that it makes the song more interesting and exciting.

That said, pop music has a standard song structure and placement of the bridge. Typically, it follows a format like this:

Verse 1 – Chorus – Verse 2 – Chorus – Bridge – Chorus

As you can see, the bridge is placed near the end which is often used to build tension and give away an emotional ending. In terms of melody and chord progression, some bridges have the same sound like the chorus or verses. Some, on the other hand, have an entirely different melody and chord.

The AABA Song Format

In the earliest year of the pop song era, a majority of the songs were written in a song structure called AABA format. The song’s format is 32 bars long with both A and B sections having 8 bars. It is also where the term “middle eight” for the bridge has originated, as you can find it at the middle with 8 bars long.

That being said, if compared to what pop composers use today, the AABA format follows like this:

Chorus (A) – Chorus (A) – Bridge (B) – Chorus (A)

As you can see, the song’s format is completely different from what the majority of pop songs are. Still, the bridge can be found near the end of the song. One of the many popular songs that used this type of format is “Take the A Train” by Billy Strayhorn.

The ABABCB Format

Another infamous song structure pop composers use is the ABABCB.

In this format, the B is the chorus, the A is the verse, and the C is the bridge. And in essence, the function of the bridge here is to connect two choruses.

One of the popular songs that have this type of song structure is Calvin Harris’ “Blame.”

Here’s how the ABABCB format looks like:

Verse 1 (A) – Chorus (B) – Verse 2 (A) – Chorus (B) – Bridge (C) – Chorus (B)

Jazz Music

Bridges are not only used in pop songs; you can also find it in jazz music. But unlike in pop songs, it follows a different song format. And it is called AABA.

AABA is a 32-bars long song structure and is typically used in swing pieces and jazz standards. Among the popular jazz songs that have the same format are Irving Berlin’s “What Will I Do,” and Jerry Lee Lewis “Great Balls of Fire.”

On the other hand, a song format called “turnaround” can also be found in jazz music. But unlike the standard bridge, the turnaround is played at the end of a verse after a sequential chord progression.

Essentially, the bridge here serves as a channel to lead back to the beginning of the section.

Classical Music

Lastly, bridges can be found in classical pieces too. It was called a “bridge-passage” or “transition” before and was commonly found in Sonata Form. Typically, it is placed in the opening “exposition” section and serves as a transition between two primary themes of the piece.

Some examples of bridges in classical pieces are Bach’s Fugue in G Major (BWV 860) and Mozart’s Sonata in F Major (K. 332).

Conclusion

With its wide array of functions, the integration of bridge in songs has indeed become popular—if not a standard. As such, if you are a songwriter and are planning to write a song, a bridge would be a wise musical element to add.

Pin It