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MUSIC SIMPLIFIED COURSENOTE

(FOR BASIC AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS)

OWOYEMI EMMANUEL OLADIMEJI

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Music Note (Compilation)

1.1 THE CONCEPT MUSIC

Music is the combination sounds that are pleasant to the ear. Music is a composition of
sounds that have regular vibrations, put together so that they have rhythm, melody, and
meaning. In defining music, always remember that music depends on sound, the sound
requires regular organization, music is made by humans to serve man’s needs and music has
inherit meaning to communicate.

In the world of music the highest premiums go to those with the most perceptive,
imaginative, and creative minds. Creativity combined with a thorough knowledge of music is
the best guarantee for a successful career in music. You need;

 A “Seeing” Ear. The ability to hear music and determine the nature of the musical
devices, the melody, the harmony, the rhythm, and the form. Although this book does
not address itself specifi cally to the topic, the professor may utilize materials from it
for this purpose. (Additional material may be found in Ear Training: A Technique for
Listening by Bruce Benward and J. Timothy Kolosick.)
 A “Hearing” Eye The ability to look at music and determine from sight alone how it
will sound. (Additional material to develop this skill may be found in Sight Singing
Complete by Maureen Carr and Bruce Benward.)

Characteristics Of Music

1. Vibration is the periodic motion of a substance. When you play an instrument, parts of
the instrument (the strings, sounding board, etc.) and the air inside and around the
instrument vibrate.
2. Sound has four identifi able characteristics or properties: pitch, intensity, duration,
and timbre. Despite how complicated a composition may be, these four are the only
variables with which composers and performers have to work.
3. Pitch is the highness or lowness of a sound. Variations in frequency are what we hear
as variations in pitch: The greater the number of sound waves produced per second of
an elastic body, the higher the sound we hear; the fewer sound waves per second, the
lower the sound. A tone is a musical sound of defi nite pitch. Intensity (amplitude) is
heard as the loudness or softness of a pitch. In acoustics (the science of sound),
intensity is the amount of energy affecting the vibrating body, and the physicist
measures intensity on a scale from 0 to 130 in units called decibels.
4. Duration is the length of time a pitch, or tone, is sounded. For patterns of duration, the
following terms are used: meter and rhythm
5. Timbre is the tone quality or color of a sound. It is the property of sound that permits
us, for instance, to distinguish the difference between the sound of a clarinet and an
oboe. This sound quality is determined by the shape of the vibrating body, its material
(metal, wood, human tissue), and the method used to put it in motion (striking,
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bowing, blowing, plucking). It is also the result of the human ear’s perception of a
series of tones called the harmonic series, which is produced by all instruments.

2.1 HISTORY OF MUSIC

For purposes of style identifi cation, the history of music is divided into style periods. The music
within a particular style period is thought to share certain common traits, although there is a
great deal of variety in the music within each style period. The following brief summary will
introduce the style periods and place them in the context of European and American history

Medieval Period (500–1450): The medieval period or “Middle Ages” encompasses the time
following the fall of the Roman Empire to the Italian Renaissance. The early part of this
period was characterized by invasion after invasion by the Huns, the Visigoths, the Vandals,
and the Ostrogoths, who took control of large areas of Europe. Furthermore, Europe was
ravaged by the bubonic plague around 542. The Christian church and a few strong
landowners, who exchanged protection from the invaders for near slavery on the part of the
peasants who worked their land, dominated the society that emerged from these chaotic
times. Walled cities and castles were built all over Europe as further protection. As society
became more secure from outside invaders, interest in the arts fl ourished. The greatest patron
of the arts in this time was the church, and most of the medieval music we know is religious
in nature. The church preferred vocal music. Instruments were used, for the most part, to
supplement the singers, and there was no distinction drawn between vocal and instrumental
music. The earliest music notation developed around 900. The feudal courts also encouraged
the arts. Little is known of the secular music of the time, except for the body of music
composed by the troubadours of southern France, the trouvères of northern France, and the
minnesingers of Germany, Bavaria, and Austria. This music generally deals with the theme of
courtly love, the adoration of an unattainable woman from afar.

Renaissance Period (1450–1600): The term “Renaissance” refers historically to the era of
the rebirth of culture and intellectual curiosity that followed the Middle Ages. It began (1450)
at the time of Christopher Columbus (1446–1506), and its middle period saw the rise of the
Protestant Reformation movement spurred by Martin Luther. It reached its zenith at about the
time of Shakespeare (1564–1616). The overriding function of music in the Renaissance
period was sacred; that is, to contribute to worship, although secular works did exist and were
an important part of the literature. Vocal music was far more common than instrumental
music during the Renaissance, and it was during this period that choral music became fully
established. Choruses of the time were usually small groups of perhaps 12 to 15 singers,
whereas today a chorus may include several hundred. Through much of history, the choral
group has been divided into four parts—the familiar soprano, alto, tenor, and bass—and
referred to as a “mixed” chorus. Late Renaissance music often required a fi fth part, either a
second soprano or a second tenor. Works for 6-, 8-, and even 16-part choruses were not
exceptional. Choruses were frequently accompanied by instrumental groups that usually
doubled the voice parts. Most often in chapels, however, the groups sang a cappella, or
unaccompanied.
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Baroque Period (1600–1750): The baroque was a period of many changes. Baroque
composers arranged for the words of sung texts to be more easily heard. They preferred new
tonality systems to the modality of the Renaissance. Instrumental music came of age and
began to assume more importance than vocal music for the fi rst time. Improvisation of music
was a common practice, particularly in the performance of accompaniments (see fi gured bass
in Chapter 4) and in the performance of opera singers, who were expected to improvise
embellishments at certain points in their arias. Rameau, in his Traite de L’Harmonie (1722),
sought to prove the invertibility of chords and designed an entire system of harmony that
recognized the progression of triads and other sonorities. The older systems of tuning ( just
and meantone) found a new competitor in equal temperament, a system that allowed more
freedom for modulation and a method of tuning that would eventually supersede all others in
the ensuing century. The baroque period paralleled the rise of the European colonies in the
Western hemisphere. Shakespeare was still (1732–1799) was a young man at its close.

Classical Period (1750–1825): This period encompassed the lives of many of our best-
known composers, whose works are still performed regularly in concert halls throughout the
world. Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven were included in this artistically wealthy period. The
balance shifted even more in favor of instrumental music, although operas and sacred and
secular vocal music continued to be written. Chamber music, orchestral, and other
instrumental works gained the ascendancy. The sonata and the symphony developed during
the classical period, and the string quartet took the place of the older trio sonata. The
pianoforte (our modern piano), invented about 1710 by Christofori, became a popular
household instrument. The improvisatory attitude toward performance died out, except in a
few instances like the cadenzas in concertos. In the classical period the orchestral literature
grew in size and importance, and the orchestra itself acquired more color and fl exibility.
Clarinets became permanent fi xtures along with fl utes, oboes, and bassoons. The early
classical period saw the American Revolution and the formation of the United States.

Romantic Period (1825–1900): In the United States, the romantic period began with the
presidency of Andrew Jackson and ended with that of McKinley. A wrenching civil war tore
at the basic fi bers of the country, most of the states west of the Mississippi were admitted to
the union, railroads spanned the country, and big business became a dominant force in our
country for the fi rst time. Music of this period was dominated by a wider range of emotional
expression, more personal and individual styles, and more subjectivity. Musical forms, such
as the sonata and symphony, became longer and more involved, but shorter forms, especially
piano compositions, were also numerous. Harmony and orchestration expanded and the level
of dissonance in music increased. As against the classic ideals of organization, symmetry,
control, and perfection within acknowledged limits, romanticism sought independence,
movement, and passion, and pursued the mysterious or exotic because its ideals could not be
obtained. Romantic art was characterized by the spirit of longing and seeking after an
unattainable goal.

Post-Romantic and Impressionistic Period (1875–1920): This period in the United States
began with the Reconstruction days after the Civil War and ended at about the time of World
War I. The Spanish-American War (1898) was fought, and Theodore Roosevelt (1901–1909)
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and Woodrow Wilson (1913–1921) were presidents. As a movement among French painters,
impressionism sought to eliminate the heroic subjects, the obsession with realistic detail, and
the representational quality of romantic painting. In essence, the impressionist painter hoped
to capture the impression a subject or object made on him or her rather than to paint its literal
representation. So too, in music, composers such as Debussy aspired to renounce the clear
phrase structure and goaloriented harmonic idiom of the past and replace them with a
purposeful understatement and ambiguity that was evocative, but very different in effect from
the romantic style. The impressionist composers abandoned traditional thematic development
and became more concerned with the color or mood of a particular moment.

Contemporary Period (1920–Present): The period from 1920 to the present has seen the
development of great diversity of musical styles and techniques. Much of this development
can be traced back to the upheavals caused by World War I (1914–1918) and World War II
(1939–1945), which caused disruption of the established cultural institutions in Europe and,
at the same time, brought peoples of diverse cultural backgrounds together. The development
of recording technology, radio and television transmission, and rapid transportation created a
sense of world community in which all manifestations of human culture could freely
intermingle. In more recent times, technological advances have made possible the
development of electronic and computer instruments for the composition and synthesis of
music.

Jazz and Popular Music (1900–Present): Popular song as now found in the United States
evolved near the beginning of the twentieth century. Some notable composers of popular
song are George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers, Irving Berlin, Vernon Duke, and
Burt Bacharach. Popular songs by these and other composers were the dominant music with
mass appeal until rock music became fi rmly entrenched in the 1960s. African American
music is among the most notable expressions of religious, folk, and art music in the United
States. The blues refers to an African American song of sorrow. The blues, which arose from
the gospel and country music of the deep South, has not only been perpetuated as a unique
style of its own but has infused and inspired nearly all types of African American music,
some twentieth-century classical music, and the popular songs and rock music of the present
day. Jazz, the general term for various music of African American creation, has undergone
many changes from its beginning and interpretations in its brief history, and its acceptance as
a substantive art form has at last been accomplished. Since the1960s, rock music, which
developed out of the traditions of the blues, jazz, and popular music, has become the
dominant form of music with mass appeal.

3.1 MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

Musical instrument can be said to be any living or non-living source from which musical
sounds are produced. Musical instrument is an object used for producing musical sounds. The
human body is a source of music, especially the voice. Thus the human voice is considered a
living musical instrument. From our definition above, two kinds of musical instruments are
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discernible: natural and man-made. The human voice, for instance, falls into the category of
natural musical instruments. On the other hand, man-made musical instruments are the
physical materials contrived by man for the production of musical sounds.

Functions of musical instrument

i. Musical instrument may perform musical or nonmusical roles

ii. Musical instruments may serve as symbols of authority of a king or some other
important personalities, or families
iii. Musical instruments provide accompaniment to singing, and rhythmic incentives
for dance or movement
iv. Some musical instruments function as speech surrogates where their rhythms or
tones are imitative of spoken statements.
v. Musical instruments enrich musical performances.
vi. It is also a way of demonstrating knowledge of one’s culture and those of others

3.2 The Voice as a Musical Instrument

The voice is often regarded as the most natural and primary musical instrument man has. It is
probably the most universal of all musical instruments. The voice ranks as the only unique
instrument owned by everyone. Humans differ in a number of ways. The voice is one of the
areas where humans are different from one another. The basic difference that is most easily
noticeable amongst individual voices is the pitch. Hence we can say that one voice sounds
higher than another. Consider, for instance, the voice of a toddler and that of an adult male –
the former is high in pitch, while the voice of the latter is low. Comparatively, female voices
are higher than those of males in general. These differences account for why human voices
are classified.

Voices are classified into soprano, mezzo-soprano, and alto or contralto (for the female
voices), and tenor, baritone, and bass (for the male voices). However, the most common
voices are soprano and alto in the female category; in the male category, they are tenor and
bass voices. The female voices are higher than those of the males: the soprano voice is higher
than the alto, and the tenor voice is higher than the bass.

3.3 Categories of musical instruments

Generally, musical instruments are grouped into four broad categories. The classification is
done on the basis of how sounds are produced on the instruments.

i. Idiophones: are musical instruments that produce sounds from their own bodies.
In other words, they are selfsounding instruments. Idiophones are further
subdivided into primary and secondary idiophones. Primary idiophones are those
instruments that are held by the player and played directly. Secondary idiophones,
on the other hand, are instruments that are attached to other instruments or the
bodies of dancers or instrumentalists. Examples of primary idiophones are metal
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gong, beaded-gourd rattle, triangle, wood clappers, etc. Secondary idiophones

include waist-bells, and anklets, among others. Apart from the generic names,
musical instruments have local/indigenous names by which they are known in the
respective cultures where they are used
ii. Membranophones: are musical instruments, which produce sound when a skin
parchment, etc, is struck or set into vibration. All types of drum fall into this
category. Drums appear to be the commonest musical instrument found in almost
all the cultures of the world. Drums may be single-headed or double–headed, and
in different shapes. Drums are known by some local or indigenous names, like the
other instruments. In some cases, they are called by the functions or roles they
play within a given musical/instrumental ensemble. Examples of drums are bass
drum, conga, kettledrum, talking drum, etc
iii. Aerophones: are instruments that produce sound when air is blown into them.
They are often made of hollow materials, sometimes with openings for the fingers
and the mouth. Pitch is varied on the instruments by the manipulation of the lips
and by covering and opening certain holes. Flutes, horns, whistles, etc, are
examples of instruments in this category
iv. Chordophones: are musical instruments that produce sounds when one, or more
strings are set into vibration by plucking, or bowing. These instruments often have
resonating boxes (resonators), which amplify the sounds produced on these
instruments. The strings can be made of steel wire, the fibrous parts of some
plants, twine, etc. Examples of instruments in this category are guitar, violin,
double bass

3.4 Modern Western Symphony Orchestra Classification of the Instruments

In addition to the above, it is important to note that in the modern Western symphony
orchestra, the classification of the instruments is done according to families. These include
the String family, the woodwind family, the brass family, and the percussion family.
While the string family falls under chordophones, the brass and woodwind families fall under
aerophones. The percussion instruments fall under either membranophones or idiophones.
Some of the instruments in each of the families are: violins and viola (string family); flute
and clarinet (woodwind family); trumpet and trombone (brass family); and kettledrum and
triangle (percussion).

Foreign Names for Instruments (Western Classification)

 Woodwinds (Piccolo, Flute, Oboe, English Horn Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Basson,
Saxophone).
 Brass (Horn, Trumpet, Trombone, Tuba, Euphonium)
 Percussion (Timpani, Xylophone, Marimba, Orchestra Bells, Vibraphone, Celesta,
Tubular Chimes, Snare Drum, Bass Drum, Cymbals, Triangle, Tam-tam).
 Bowed Strings (Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass)
 Plucked Strings (Harp, Guitar)
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4.0 CATEGORIES OF MUSIC

The categories of music in which musical instruments functions include; traditional music,
popular music and art music.

1. Traditional music is the indigenous music of any given people or culture. It is the
music that evolved with the emergence of any indigenous group or people. It is the
music of ethnic nationalities. It is said to have existed before the era of colonial rule.
In a nutshell, it is the democratic music of a people, which is made by them and
primarily for their use. Traditional music is a daily experience in the life of the
people who own and practice it. The music maintains its identity through the use of
indigenous language, locally made musical instruments, and the distinctive ways
singing and instrumentation are done. Traditional music is the most widely used
medium of expression for all manner of occasions and at all times and periods of life.
It is preserved and transmitted by means that require learning songs from memory
rather than from notated, printed music.

Types of Traditional music

 story songs or narrative ballads
 lyric songs
 work songs
 children’s songs
 political songs
 religious songs

2. Popular Music: Popular music (pop music, for short) is music that is popular among
a good number of people. It is the music enjoyed or patronised by many people,
irrespective of age, class/status race/ethnicity, etc. Popular music is music used in
social occasions with less complexity of vocal and instrumental involvement or
demand. Popular music “…is visceral, foot-tapping, emotional, and immediately
understandable music. Popular music is able to appeal to a wider audience because of
certain peculiar attributes or features, which it possesses.
 First, the language used is very easy to understand, usually the
ordinary language spoken by the people.
 Second, the melodies of popular music are interesting and easy to sing.
 Third, it exhibits direct intimacy between the artistes and the listener.
 Fourth, popular music is easy to dance to.
 Fifth, it provides a form of entertainment in social contexts.

One of the earliest types of popular music was Highlife. Other popular music types
are Reggae, Calypso, Gospel music, Rap music, Hip-hop, Rhythm & Blues, amongst
others. Today in Nigeria, popular music forms the bulk of entertainment music
available to the people. Through airplay on the radio and television as well as the
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inclusion of popular Nigerian music as ring tones on mobile phones, the

dissemination of music is assuming a greater dimension that was never witnessed
earlier.

3. Art Music: Art music is music composed and performed according to the music
traditions and practices of Western Europe. It is different from much of folk music.
While folk music is primarily transmitted through oral means, art music is written
down using certain systems of notation; it involves adherence to certain rules. It is
Western European music. It is thought of as music that is formal, sophisticated, urban,
sometimes complex, and appreciated by an educated elite. It grows out of a cultivated
tradition based largely on notated music. The ever-growing consciousness on the
importance of art music in Nigeria today began with the efforts of the early Christian
missionaries who first came to Nigeria. They trained certain church members to play
the organ or teach choirs from notated music. These initial influences were later to
produce some Nigerians who went overseas to study music, and others who were later
trained in Nigeria.

5.0 MUSIC NOTATION

Music is a language of sounds. As a language, its message is communicated through written

and unwritten forms. In order to aid towards the reading, writing and “speaking” of the music
language, a vocabulary of music terms and concepts has been developed. Like any other
language system, the fundamental stage in learning the music language begins with an
understanding of the music alphabet, and other basic signs and symbols. Music notation is
much more precise and complicated than written language. When we notate music, we use
symbols that show three of the four properties of sound described in the introduction: pitch
and duration are given accurately, and relative intensity is indicated.

 An interval is the relationship between two tones. In Western music, the half step is
the smallest interval used. It is the interval between any two adjacent keys—black or
white— on the keyboard.
 Improvise To extemporize; to play on the spur of the moment. To perform without a
prepared text or composed material.

The Music Alphabet

The music alphabet is a set of letters, which are derived from the first seven letters of the
English alphabet. The first seven letters of the English alphabet are A, B, C, D, E, F and G,
and these constitute the music alphabet. We could re-arrange these letters beginning from any
one of them to form different series. The letters of the alphabet are employed to identify or
indicate the pitch of sounds.

A scale is a collection of pitches in ascending and descending order. Musicians use a scale as
a convenient way of displaying the notes used in a melody or harmony. In Figure 2.1, the
melody consists of 24 notes but only seven different letter names.
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The major scale is a scale of seven different pitch classes with whole steps separating
adjacent tones, except for half steps between the third and fourth degrees and between the
seventh and eighth (or first) degrees. The eighth pitch has the same letter name as the first
and thus is treated as a duplication.

Here are different ways the music alphabet are been represented or written:

 Alphabet: C D E F G A B C
 Tone: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 Solfiege: do re mi fa so la ti do
 Roman: I II III IV V VI VII VIII

Note: With the above details, you should be able to know how the diatonic scale is been
represented regarding any form you might come across among those listed. For instance, if
you notice some instrumentalist in Nigeria churches mostly they do make hand signs to
themselves as a means of communication. In a situation whereby the vocalist makes a sign by
raising his index finger up as a way of telling the instrumentals what to play. What he just did
simply means the instrumentals is to play (doh). If the index and middle finger was raised,
then it simply refers to the intrumentals to play (reh). because 2fingers were raised. Likewise
if it was 3fingers that was lifted then it simply means telling someone to play (mi) . About the
Roman way of writing the diatonic scale is actually simple to understand as you are going to
come across it mostly as you journey in playing the guitar with ease.

6.0 THE MEANING OF MUSIC

 Music can be defined as the combination of sounds that are pleasant to the ear.
 Music may also be defined therefore as an organized sound in time.
 Thirdly, music may be defined as
the combination of Rhythmic and harmonious sounds which is appreciated by
our sense of hearing.

6.1 USES OF MUSIC

Music is known to play a vital part in the life of the Africans from the cradle to the grave.
Music plays a very important role in the following ways;

1. Healing purposes
2. Electioneering campaigns
3. Informative purposes
4. Children s game
5. Recorder of history
6. Funeral ceremony.
7. It makes us happy.
8. It turn our sorrowful situation into a happy one.
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9. It is used for relaxation. When we are tensed up, it

can relieve nerve tension and restore a fatigued mind.
10. It is used in Wartime (tribal war)
11. Music is used for advertisement on the radio and television.
12. It serves as a means of worship God or whatever we believe in
13. It is used to educate the society, some song tells us ways of doing things
14. Music is used to entertain people.
15. Music make baby to sleep. (lullaby

6.3 SOUND

Sound can be defined as sensation detected by the ear, caused by the vibration of air
surrounding it. Sounds are produced by the things that can be heard such as, sounds coming
or produced by the clapping of our hands, sound produced by recorder etc Medium of sound
can be defined as the means through which sound is produced or communicated e.g the use of
our hands in clapping, the use of recorder to produce sound, the use of flute, the use of Agogo
(gong), sekere(rattle) or the use of udu (pot drum) etc. All this instruments mentioned, are
medium through which sounds are made.

TYPES OF SOUND

There basically two (2) types of sound namely:

 Musical sound: this has to do with music, any sound produced musically is musical
sound and can also be known as Regular sound. Examples are singing, clapping and
drumming.
 Non-musical sound : this type of sound has been said to be noise and not musical. It is
generally called irregular sound.

QUALITIES OF SOUND

The quality of a person are those things that would distinguish him from other person. Some
of the qualities of a person may be: height, complexion and size. There are also qualities that
distinguish music from other sounds:

 Pitch: is the degree of highness or lowness that we hear in a sound

 Duration: is the length of time for which a sound lasts. It could be short or long.
 Intensity: is the degree of loudness or softness of sounds. Loudness is related to the
amplitude of the vibration that produces the sound e.g the harder a drum is struck, the
louder the sound, or the harder the key of a piano is struck, the louder the is its
sound
 Tone Colour (Timbre): is the quality that distinguishes the sound of instrument from
one another. the sound of violin is different from that of human voice, or flute from
the piano even when they are playing the same tone at the same dynamic level.
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6.4 TYPES OF MUSIC

1. Folk Music : is the music that is passed from one generation to the other, the
original composers are not known e.g moonlight/game song, war songs,
work songs, traditional festival songs.
2. Sacred Music : this is a religious music. Any music used
in worshiping God or whatever we believe in.
3. Secular Music : this is the type of music used in praising ourselves, or
entertaining.
4. Popular Music :this is the type of music used today by
our musicians for entertainment, e.g juju music, Apala, Afro beat, high life, Fuji
music. hip hop.
5. Art Music : this is compositions of trained composers like akin-Euba ,
Fela sowande.

ELEMENTS OF MUSIC

1. MELODY: Melody is one of the elements of music, and can be defined as the
arrangement of words put to songs or tune. It is the main part within a piece of
harmonized music, e.g, Arise O Compatriots Nigeria`s call obey is a melody but been
harmonized with other parts
2. FORM: form can be defined as the shape or plan of a piece of music. Form has four
elements. They are motive, a phrase, binary form, and ternary form
3. RHYTHM: The pattern produced by emphasis and duration of notes in music or by
stressed and unstressed syllabus in words. Playing the same tune in or with a different
rhythm
4. TEMPO: In a piece of music, the speed or rhythm of a piece of music is called tempo.
The tempo can be slow or fast.
5. DYNAMICS: The variation or the amount of loudness in music is called dynamics.
There is always rise and fall in the loudness of a piece of music.

6.5 THE FOUR FAMILIES OF THE NIGERIAN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

1. Aerophone : These are the instruments that can be played when air is blown in
them. They are of three types : Horn , Trumpet and Flute. Examples : kakaki , Oja,
Algaita , Etsu , Farai , Upe (from Ondo)
2. Chordophone : This group of instrument produces sound by the vibration of a
stretched string. The string can be plucked , bowed or struck. Examples : Goje , molo,
Gurumi, Gwari
3. Membranophone : These are the group of instruments made from Animal skin. The
skin is used to cover the end or both ends of the hallowed wood. The skin are held
with small pegs, which are used to tune the drum. Examples : Dundun, tomtom,
batakoto, Omele , gudugudu, adamo
4. Idiophone : instruments in this group produce sound by the vibration of their body,
when they are struck, shaken. They are commonly used musical instruments in
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Nigeria and very easy to play. Examples : sekere, gong , Xylophone , Ekwe , pot
drum, wooden clapper, Agidigbo

6.6 NATURE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF MUSIC

Music is a vital means of self-expression. It is more or less a ubiquitous phenomenon

associated with humankind. Music appeals to people of different ages, sexes, groups, or
social status, etc. Hence it has continued to feature in most events associated with living.
Music means different things to different people - people see music differently from several
perspectives. The definitions of music provide some insight on how music affects people and
cause them to respond in particular ways. Although it can be easily recognised, the subject of
its nature, however, is somewhat intractable. it is not easy to determine the nature of music.
The above notwithstanding, music manifests itself basically as regularised sounds. In other
words, music is revealed in the patterned or structured sounds that embody the musical ideas,
whether vocal or instrumental music, or a combination of both. Generally speaking, music is
distinguished from other sounds or noise by its nature. Meaning in music, consists in the
ideas and feelings (or intentions) of the composer, which are communicated in the music. The
characteristics of music includes;

Melody: Music also has melody. Simply put, melody is the particular order a composer
arranges the notes or tones in his/her work to convey his/her ideas. The melody becomes the
tune by which a composition is known. For instance, the Nigerian national anthem has a
distinct melody or tune, which can be hummed without mentioning the words. From the
humming of the melody an informed listener could easily identify the work.

Vibration: Music has regular vibration. Although every sound is a product of vibration,
musical sounds essentially possess regular vibrations. Noises have vibrations that are
irregular. The irregularity of vibration produces unstable or indefinite pitch, which may not
be amenable to musical arrangement.

Rhythm: Music has regular rhythm. Music is measured against time. Rhythm refers to
repeated or patterned beats. Music depends on ordered and regular flow of beats for its life.
The subject of rhythm is addressed later in more detail.

Sound: Sound is the sensation perceived by the organs of hearing when vibrations (sound
waves) reach the ear. Musical sounds or tones differ from noise (a form of sound) in that
musical sounds possess certain attributes that can be manipulated or varied for use in musical
organisation. These features are pitch, volume, timbre, and duration.

 Pitch refers to the highness or lowness of sound. It is the product of frequency –

frequency being the rate at which a sound-producing body vibrates. The pitch of
sound becomes high if the frequency is high and low if the frequency is low. A high
pitch may be exemplified by the sound of a one-year old baby contrasting with the
low pitch of its adult father.
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 Volume: Volume is the loudness or softness of a musical sound. It is also referred to

as the power or the intensity of sound. One way of demonstrating this is by reference
to the volume control of your music player. As you push up or turn clockwise the
control, the sound becomes louder, and you hear it more. To do the contrary makes
the sound less audible.
 Timbre: Timbre is the quality of the sound. It is also known as the tone colour. This
feature helps us to distinguish between sounds, as well as ascribe particular qualities
to them. For instance, we are able to recognise the voices of people we are familiar
with from the crowd. We are also able to differentiate between the sound of a trumpet
and that of a flute. Furthermore, we are able to describe one sound as harsh and
another mellow. Timbre gives sound a distinctive identity.
 Duration: Duration is the length of time a pitch, or tone, is sounded. Music sounds
can be manipulated to last long or short, depending on the preferences of the creator
or composer. Time occurs in the duration of the sounds and the silences between
sounds.

7.0 PERIODS IN MUSIC

BAROUQE PERIOD (1600 – 1750)

The baroque period flourished from 1600 to 1750. The two giants of the baroque era
were George Fredrick Handel and Johann Sebastian Bach. Bach’s death in 1750 marks the
end of the period. The early baroque composers favored homophonic texture over the
polyphonic texture of Renaissance music. They felt that the word could be better projected
more clearly by using one main melody with a chordal accompaniment. By late baroque,
polyphonic texture had return as this was the texture favored by the two giants of the era. By
1680, the church modes – scale that had governed music for centuries had given way to major
and minor scales.

The late baroque period 1680 – 1750 produced most of the music of this era heard today. It
was in the baroque period that instrumental music became as important as vocal music for the
first time. The main vocal form of the Baroque period includes the Operas, Oratorios,
Cantatas, Passions. The main instrumental forms of the Baroque period were the Sonata,
Concerto Grosso, Solo Concertos and the Chorale preludes. Apart from Bach and
Handel, the other composers of the era includes: Claudio Monteverdi, Henry Purcell,
Arcangelo Corelli and Antonio Vilvadi.

CLASSICAL PEROID (1750 – 1820)

The transition from Baroque period to the classical is called pre – classical period; it
extends roughly from 1730 to 1770. Among the important pioneers of this style were Bach’s
sons, Carl Philip Emanuel (1714 – 1788) and Johann Christian (1735 – 1782). These two
became more popular than their father before his death. By the middle of the century,
composers had discarded the polyphonic texture and concentrated on simplicity and clarity.
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The new texture was tuneful melody and simple harmony. The term classical, no doubt mean
many things to mean different people. Many, for example, take classical music to mean
anything that is not rock, jazz, folk or popular music. Classical composition has a wealth of
rhythmic patterns unlike the Baroque. In contrast to the polyphonic of late baroque texture, it
is basically homophonic. Classical music was very tuneful and easiest to remember. The
instrumental composition of the period consisted of about 4 movements in the following
order.

1. Fast movement.
2. Slow movement
3. Dance related movement
4. Fast movement

The master composers of the era were Joseph Haydn (1732 – 1809), Wolfgang Amadeus
Mozart (1756 – 1791), and Ludwig Van Beethoven (1770 – 1827). Haydn was affectionately
known as the “father of the symphony”.

ROMANTIC PERIOD (1820 – 1900)

Romantic period in music extended from about 1820 – 1900. The composers of the period
continued to use the musical forms of the preceding classical era. Their preference for
expressive song like melody grew out of the classical style. There are many differences
between the romantic and classical music. The romantic works have greater ranges of tone
color, dynamics and pitch. Romantic music is so diverse that generalization can be
misleading. For example, piano work by Chopin and songs by Schubert lasted for only e few
minutes while works by Berlioz and Wagner, calls for huge number of performers and lasted
for several hours. Mendelsohn and Brahms music were rooted in classical traditions while
others like Berlioz, Liszt and Wagner were more revolutionary. The art song is one of the
most distinctive forms in Romantic era. It was a composition for solo voice and piano. Poetry
and music are intimately fused in the Art song. Though they were written to be sung and
enjoyed at home, they are now performed in the concert halls.

Some of the major composers of the era are listed below:

1. Franz Schubert 8. Johannes Brahms

2. Robert Schumann 9. Giuseppe Verdi
3. Clara Wieck Schumann 10. Richard Wagner
4. Fredrick Chopin
5. Franz Liszt
6. Felix Mendelsohn
7. Hector Berlioz
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8.0 TRANSCRIPTION FROM STAFF TO SOLFA-NOTATION

Transcription is a process of notating a piece or a sound which was previously unnotated. In

this lesson we will discuss transcription from staff to solfa-notation. Transcription from
staff to solfa-natation is a process of translating a given piece into tonic- solfa.

A clef is a symbol placed at the beginning of a line of music that establishes the letter names
of the lines and spaces of the staff

Accidentals are symbols that are placed to the left of the noteheads to indicate the raising or
lowering of a pitch.

Sharp ( # )—raises the pitch a half step.

Flat ( b )—lowers the pitch a half step.

Natural ( n )—cancels any previous sharp or fl at and returns to the natural, or unaltered,
pitch.

Double Sharp (‹)—raises the pitch two half steps.

Double Flat (∫)—lowers the pitch two half steps.

Look at the following two scales:

C MAJOR

d r m f s l
t d

A MINOR

l t d r m f
se l
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In tonic solfa

 When doh is raised by a semitone it becomes de

 When ray is raised by a semitone it becomes re
 When fah is raised by a semitone it becomes fe

 When soh is raised by a semitone it becomes se

 When lah is raised by a semitone it becomes le (taw)

In transcribing, the knowledge of the following is very important

 Clef and letter – names of the lines and spaces.

 Knowledge of the key signature

 Musical notes and their values

Example 1

Transcribe the music below into tonic – solfa

s m l s d d
t d

From above music, you will notice that the music is on C major since there is no sharp or
flat indicating the key signature. Also the home note (doh) could be traced to the 3rd space of
the staff.

Example 2
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d m r m f s fe
s

Exercises

Transcribe the music below

1.

Songs and Solfa Notations

What a friend we have in Jesus m d l f…. m r d d d r m m r r d.

sslsmddl

sdmdsmr Immortal, invicible God

sslsmddl dlf rtsdmmrd

sdmrdtd dlfrtsdmmrd
rrmrmrmfs dmmsmddmmsr
llsmfmr dlfrtsdrmmrd
sslsmddl

sdmrdtd You are the mighty God

Standing on the promises of Christ d d r m r d ….d r d l
hymn(refrain)
l r r.. d m r d
ssslsfmssdd
Olorun To to bi
llltdtdllss
ssmlls
ssslsfmfsdd
msmrsd
mmmdrrdtd
ssmlls
Chorus: m d l d
msmrsd
r r r r r r d r m (d l s)
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msmlls Oh, When The Saint Are Marching

smsrdrm dmfs-dmfsmdmr
msmlls mmrd-dmsssf
smsrssdd d m f s m r r d.
ddlrrd Nigeria National Anthem
msmrsd sdsdms

mfmrrd
Doh doh doh ...Oghene Doh sdsdms

l ..s m: d d s m: d d s r mfmrrd

rrmfrmfsslsfmr

Jehovah you are the most high dsssml

rrmfrls
m r d ...l l l l l d
fmrrd
m r d....t t t t t m r d

Lord I Lift Your Name On High

msdtlss

msdtlsls

mmsfmdr

sfmm

mmfmrdr

s f.. f f m

mmfmrdr

rrmrdtd

ldrdtdd

We Wish A Merry Christmas

sddrdtll

lrrmrdts

smmfmrdtl

sslrtd