Music Around Us is a PowerPoint about photos which remind you of music. You can click on the heading for a link to the music files I have chosen which would be suitable for the situation. The next slide contains a description of two musical elements which are important in making the music recognisable.
3. Record Player This piece has a very light timbre all through the song. The only instruments played are the horn, piano and vocals. These few instruments keep the piece light and cheerful. The composer has used the timbre to make this tune merry and traditional to this era of music. The tempo of this song is very fast and jumpy. It is a bit uneven and broken, adding to the feel of being transported back in time. It makes the piece exciting, happy and makes me want to jump up and dance along. The composer has used the tempo to keep the mood light and jumpy.
5. Creepy Street The tempo of this music is fairly slow, leading you to assume that it is building up to something big and scary. The tempo does not really change throughout the piece; the main differences are in the dynamics and timbre. The composer has cleverly used the tempo to make the music creepy and bone chilling. It definitely suits the dark street and lone person. Dynamics are very important in this scary music. Different instruments are played at different dynamics, though the overall dynamic is fairly soft at the start. It builds up to a forte in the middle of the piece making it all the more creepy. This continues until the end, letting us imagine that something bad is happening. The composer has managed to use the dynamics to send shivers down the spine. Dynamics are essential in making this piece scary; the soft music tells us that something big is about to happen and the loud dynamic lets us know that it is happening.
7. Irish Dancing The instrumentation is very important in making this piece sound Irish and suitable for dancing a jig. The main instrument used is a fiddle (violin). A piano and a guitar are also used to back up the fiddle. The composer has used these instruments to make the piece sound traditionally Irish and The melody of this Irish jig is very high, with short, slurred notes. It is very jerky, with big jumps between the notes. Some notes, usually at the end of phrases, are staccato. The composer has used the melody to make sound very Irish and interesting for dance moves.
9. Moonlit Couple At the start of this piece, the timbre is very light. There are only two instruments playing; a drum kit and a piano. As the piece progresses, the timbre becomes slightly heavier with a violin and other string instruments introduced. The composer has used minimal instruments to make the piece intimate, romantic and fun to dance to with a partner. The tempo of this tango piece is quite fast to begin with, but it speeds up after the violin solo. The speed makes the music exciting and entertaining to listen to. Towards the end of the piece, the tempo slows down again, building to a fast finish. The composer has strategically changed the tempo, so that the listener and dancers do not get bored and the piece is not too repetitive. There is a strong beat, making for an exciting dance, especially with a partner in the moonlight.
11. Aboriginal cultural dancing The tempo of this Aboriginal song is very fast. There is a definite beat being played by the claves all the way through the song. The tempo is consistent and very customary for an Aboriginal piece. The composer has used the tempo to make the song sound indigenous and easier to make an Aboriginal dance to. There are a few very different instruments being played during this Aboriginal music. The piece starts with wildlife sounds and a pair of claves. It builds up timbre, with a didgeridoo and vocals starting. The song is very repetitive, with no other instruments introduced. The composer has used traditional Aboriginal instruments for that cultural affect.
