Pitch
Pitch is possibly my favourite concept because there is
so much to say! If you get a plain pitch question ‘Discuss the use of pitch in
this excerpt’ you have to show off as much of your pitch knowledge as possible.
Of course, you should only discuss pitch aspects that are relevant to the piece.
I don’t suggest that you show off your knowledge by saying things like ‘There
are no augmented chords, the piece is not based on a mode, the piece never uses
a drone’… Its great that you know what all those things are but if they aren’t
used you can’t mention them.
Examiners select repertoire because there is a lot to say about the pieces. If you get a pitch question there will be a lot of things for you to discuss. The repertoire selected will have obvious pitch features but you should listen carefully because there are bound to be some things that the ‘band 6’ kids will here. If you study the PITCH section of this book and know all your terms and listen to all the examples you will have an excellent chance of picking up on the subtle pitch details that not everyone hears or understands.
You want to make yourself stand out to the marker. You know how excited I get when you come up with an exciting word, particularly if it is right! The examiners are the same, they will be marking the one question over and over and over. If you can correctly identify and describe some ‘exciting’ pitch elements you have an excellent chance for scoring above 6 out of 8 for a question.
Here is a suggested plan of attack for pitch questions.
The AVERAGE response will discuss:
Tonality – Simply state that the piece is major or minor and not even use the word tonality.
Definite and indefinite pitch – Will state the pitch types that are used without any following statements.
Melody – Will mention the melodic instrument.
Range – May state or generalize the range of the melody
Register – May state the register that the melody is in. The student may generalize
about the register and not discuss the many changes in register.
Steps and leaps – Steps and leaps will be discussed, everyone knows that.
Ascending/descending – Ascending and descending pitch may be discussed without
specific reference to how for pitch ascends or descends.
Harmony
Chords – May mention that major and minor chords are used without providing any
further specific detail.
If a student discussed the above terms they would pass and score scrape a 3-5/8.
Here is what YOUR answer will discuss:
You should be methodical when constructing a pitch answer as there is so much to cover. Below is my advice on how you should approach a pitch question. You should also practice using this advice so that you can comfortably use it in the exam.
Pitch is generally separated into MELODY and HARMONY. You may be asked to focus on melody or harmony separately but this will be explicitly stated.
Make sure you take every opportunity to throw in your musical terms. ‘The piece is in a major key’ should say ‘The piece has a major tonality as it is based on the major scale’
Harmony Tonality – What is the tonality and are there any changes. Make sure you use the word tonality. If the piece is atonal try and discuss the pitch elements that contribute e.g. Chromaticism, dissonance, non standard chords etc… Is there a modulation, where, what is the relationship of the keys (major to minor, higher keys, lower keys). Is the tonality modal or based on whole tonality? Is there any pedal points or drones used to help reinforce the tonality?
Scales – Is the blues scale, pentatonic scale, whole tone scale or a mode used? If so where and in what instrument part. Does the scale lend its self to steps/leaps. The chromatic scale is made up of semitone steps.
Chords – Is the harmony consonant or dissonant. If the harmony is dissonant can you say why? Is there a lot of cluster chords or are there melodies that are played very closely together to create dissonance. Try to spot the use of any specific chords like major 7th, minor 7th and diminished. A diminished chord stands out like a sore thumb so try and state where in the song the chord is used. Does the dissonance resolve to a consonance or is there a string of dissonant chords in a row. Describe the rate of chord change. This is something that is usually neglected so you look good if you do it! Listen for any repeating chord patterns and try and write the chord progression. Cadence: Is there any cadences that stand out? At least describe the last cadence.
Melody
What I say can be discussed in relation to all instruments parts not just the melodic line. Steps/leaps are the steps scalic movement (major or minor or chromatic) are the leaps large or small leaps, is arpeggio movement creating the leaps. Is there any use of blue notes if so in that part of the melody. Discuss the range of the melody, does the range increase/decrease, if so where is it widest etc… discuss the various registers used. Best answers always discuss change! Here is your chance to show off by discussing the ‘exciting’ melody features. Here is a list of things that may pop up: Alberti bass, Cadenza (What are the pitch features of the cadenza, what pitch material is reused, how is pitch material changed), Call and response (Discuss the pitch features of the call and the response they will likely be different), Canon (Is there an overlapping of a melody. Discuss the registers that the melody is in), Counter melody (What instrument performs the counter melody. How does this melody differ from that main melody: range, register, scale, movement etc), Imitation (Are fragments of the melody thrown around different instruments (It is important to describe the imitation by discussing the pitch features of the phrase that is imitated – Does it step? Use arpeggio? What is it’s range? Does it get used in different registers, Does it create a sequence? Etc), Ornamentation (This often gets forgotten – Trills, grace notes, mordent, trills etc. When is the ornamentation used) Riffs/Ostinato (If you hear any repeating melodic material it is very important that you describe it and notate it), SEQUENCE (is there any use of melodic sequence, is it long or short, ascending/descending?).
Notating
It may seem silly to sketch some pitch movement. You are more than welcome to use diagrams to support your answers. If you hear an ostinato or riff it is an excellent idea to notate the pitch. It shows the examiners that you understand the pitch movement and direction. You can use lines to represent pitch contour
It is very good if you can sketch any sequences. Once you have the first pattern you just have to replicate it higher or lower once or twice.
Clearly it is impossible to fit all of the above info into one answer. You should grab some music and practice writing about pitch. Follow this guide and discuss the whole song. You should then select new music and then only analyse 2 minutes of the song and discuss the important pitch elements. You should make your own pitch summary organised under headings so that you can remember the important terms. You can then practice pitch questions following your guide. The only way you will ever remember the pitch words is to use them. You can use the word list on the first ‘PITCH’ page at the start of this book.
Examiners select repertoire because there is a lot to say about the pieces. If you get a pitch question there will be a lot of things for you to discuss. The repertoire selected will have obvious pitch features but you should listen carefully because there are bound to be some things that the ‘band 6’ kids will here. If you study the PITCH section of this book and know all your terms and listen to all the examples you will have an excellent chance of picking up on the subtle pitch details that not everyone hears or understands.
You want to make yourself stand out to the marker. You know how excited I get when you come up with an exciting word, particularly if it is right! The examiners are the same, they will be marking the one question over and over and over. If you can correctly identify and describe some ‘exciting’ pitch elements you have an excellent chance for scoring above 6 out of 8 for a question.
Here is a suggested plan of attack for pitch questions.
The AVERAGE response will discuss:
Tonality – Simply state that the piece is major or minor and not even use the word tonality.
Definite and indefinite pitch – Will state the pitch types that are used without any following statements.
Melody – Will mention the melodic instrument.
Range – May state or generalize the range of the melody
Register – May state the register that the melody is in. The student may generalize
about the register and not discuss the many changes in register.
Steps and leaps – Steps and leaps will be discussed, everyone knows that.
Ascending/descending – Ascending and descending pitch may be discussed without
specific reference to how for pitch ascends or descends.
Harmony
Chords – May mention that major and minor chords are used without providing any
further specific detail.
If a student discussed the above terms they would pass and score scrape a 3-5/8.
Here is what YOUR answer will discuss:
You should be methodical when constructing a pitch answer as there is so much to cover. Below is my advice on how you should approach a pitch question. You should also practice using this advice so that you can comfortably use it in the exam.
Pitch is generally separated into MELODY and HARMONY. You may be asked to focus on melody or harmony separately but this will be explicitly stated.
Make sure you take every opportunity to throw in your musical terms. ‘The piece is in a major key’ should say ‘The piece has a major tonality as it is based on the major scale’
Harmony Tonality – What is the tonality and are there any changes. Make sure you use the word tonality. If the piece is atonal try and discuss the pitch elements that contribute e.g. Chromaticism, dissonance, non standard chords etc… Is there a modulation, where, what is the relationship of the keys (major to minor, higher keys, lower keys). Is the tonality modal or based on whole tonality? Is there any pedal points or drones used to help reinforce the tonality?
Scales – Is the blues scale, pentatonic scale, whole tone scale or a mode used? If so where and in what instrument part. Does the scale lend its self to steps/leaps. The chromatic scale is made up of semitone steps.
Chords – Is the harmony consonant or dissonant. If the harmony is dissonant can you say why? Is there a lot of cluster chords or are there melodies that are played very closely together to create dissonance. Try to spot the use of any specific chords like major 7th, minor 7th and diminished. A diminished chord stands out like a sore thumb so try and state where in the song the chord is used. Does the dissonance resolve to a consonance or is there a string of dissonant chords in a row. Describe the rate of chord change. This is something that is usually neglected so you look good if you do it! Listen for any repeating chord patterns and try and write the chord progression. Cadence: Is there any cadences that stand out? At least describe the last cadence.
Melody
What I say can be discussed in relation to all instruments parts not just the melodic line. Steps/leaps are the steps scalic movement (major or minor or chromatic) are the leaps large or small leaps, is arpeggio movement creating the leaps. Is there any use of blue notes if so in that part of the melody. Discuss the range of the melody, does the range increase/decrease, if so where is it widest etc… discuss the various registers used. Best answers always discuss change! Here is your chance to show off by discussing the ‘exciting’ melody features. Here is a list of things that may pop up: Alberti bass, Cadenza (What are the pitch features of the cadenza, what pitch material is reused, how is pitch material changed), Call and response (Discuss the pitch features of the call and the response they will likely be different), Canon (Is there an overlapping of a melody. Discuss the registers that the melody is in), Counter melody (What instrument performs the counter melody. How does this melody differ from that main melody: range, register, scale, movement etc), Imitation (Are fragments of the melody thrown around different instruments (It is important to describe the imitation by discussing the pitch features of the phrase that is imitated – Does it step? Use arpeggio? What is it’s range? Does it get used in different registers, Does it create a sequence? Etc), Ornamentation (This often gets forgotten – Trills, grace notes, mordent, trills etc. When is the ornamentation used) Riffs/Ostinato (If you hear any repeating melodic material it is very important that you describe it and notate it), SEQUENCE (is there any use of melodic sequence, is it long or short, ascending/descending?).
Notating
It may seem silly to sketch some pitch movement. You are more than welcome to use diagrams to support your answers. If you hear an ostinato or riff it is an excellent idea to notate the pitch. It shows the examiners that you understand the pitch movement and direction. You can use lines to represent pitch contour
It is very good if you can sketch any sequences. Once you have the first pattern you just have to replicate it higher or lower once or twice.
Clearly it is impossible to fit all of the above info into one answer. You should grab some music and practice writing about pitch. Follow this guide and discuss the whole song. You should then select new music and then only analyse 2 minutes of the song and discuss the important pitch elements. You should make your own pitch summary organised under headings so that you can remember the important terms. You can then practice pitch questions following your guide. The only way you will ever remember the pitch words is to use them. You can use the word list on the first ‘PITCH’ page at the start of this book.