Folk Music Terminology

407 Words2 Pages
Folk Music Terminology Joe Ryan 1) Folk Music- The music of the common people of a society or geographic area. 2) Ethnic Music- Music that is characteristics of a particular culture or group of people, but not of the music of the common people of that culture. 3) Oral Tradition- The process in which music is preserved by people through hearing the music, remembering it, and then performing it. 4) Pentatonic Scale- a five-note scale, usually with the pattern of whole steps and half steps encountered on the black keys of the piano. 5) Dulcimer- Looks like a long, flat violin with three strings. 6) Strophic Form- A song in which several verses of words are sung to the same melody. 7) Ballad- A English narrative song told in simple verses. 8) Broadside- A ballad printed on one sheet of paper, with a text often discussing political matters. 9) Hoedown – A portion of a square dance. Were also in fast tempo with two beats to the measure 10) Arrangement (Musical) - Composers find songs that they consider worth arranging for concert or recital hall performance. They leave the original melody largely intact and devise accompaniment for piano or orchestra. 11) Spiritual- A religious song unaccompanied by a choir, usually associated with African American churches. 12) Gutbucket- Is an inverted washtub with a rope pulled through it, which is connected to a stick. The pitch is varied according to the tension the player exerts on the stick and thereby the rope. 13) Corrido- A Mexican narrative song. 14) Mariachi Band- Consist of from three to twelve performers playing violins, guitars, trumpets, and other instruments. 15) Bolero- A Spanish dance adapted by the Cubans, who made its rhythm more complex. Is a dance in four beats

More about Folk Music Terminology

Open Document