MEDIUMS OF MUSIC

PROPERTIES OF MUSICAL SOUNDS

1. Pitch – location of a tone in the musical scale (high or low). All sounds are caused by vibration but sounds of
definite pitch are created by regular or periodic vibrations.
- this is determined by the rate of vibration.
2. Duration – length of time over which vibration is maintained (short or long).
3. Volume – force or percussive effects as a result of which the tone strikes (loud or soft)
- Forte means loud; piano means soft
4. Timbre of tone color – individual quality of the sound produced by other instruments. This depends on how the
instrument accentuates the overtones within the sound wave.
5. Range – total number of tones it can produce from highest to lowest.

MEDIUMS OF MUSIC
Vocal Medium – Human voice is the most natural form of music
Vocal Register
 Soprano (high register female voice)
 Mezzo-soprano (medium register female voice)
 Alto/contralto (low register female voice)
 Tenor (high register male voice)
 Baritone (medium register male voice)
 Bass (low register male voice)
Vocal Qualities – according to timbre
 Coloratura soprano – highest and lightest. Full runs, trills, and light ornaments.
 Lyric soprano – less high and flute like. Suited to sweet melodies.
 Dramatic soprano – heavier and can convey strong emotions.
 Mezzo-soprano – between soprano and contralto.
 Contralto – low and rich
 Tenor – highest male voice
 Lyric tenor – suited to sweet melodies
 Dramatic tenor – heavier voice and convey intense emotions
 Baritone – between tenor and bass
 Bass – lowest and deepest voice

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
1. STRING – stringed instruments
- provides the basic orchestral sounds
a. BOWED STRINGS – produces tone by means of a bow of horsehair drawn across strings
Instrument Description Image
VIOLIN highest member of the string
section of the orchestra
VIOLA slightly larger than the violin.
Lower in range. Used for
harmony.
CELLO much longer than the viola.
(Violoncello Lower in range. Has to be held
) between the knees of a seated
performer.
DOUBLE largest member of the string
BASS family. The
(Contrabass performer
stands to play.

b. PLUCKED STRINGS – produce tone by plucking the strings

2. WOODWINDS – blown and made of wood

Instrument Description
FLUTE coloratura soprano of the woodwind choir. Upper register, bright, thin and stands out.
PICCOLO smaller flute. Produces the highest notes in the orchestra.
OBOE body is a tube which gets wider at the end, has a double reed in the mouthpiece. Tone
is focused and intense in all register. Plaintive, nasal and reedy.
ENGLISH HORN large oboe. Wider and longer and ends in a pear-shaped bell. Soft and mournful timbre,
richer and more plaintive.

CLARINET single reed, small elastic piece of cane fastened against its chisel-shaped mouthpiece.
Low to high and soft to loud. Upper register; clear and powerful. Middle range; smooth
or relaxed. Lower register; rich and hollow.

BASSOON & the tenor and bass of the oboe family. Tone is weighty and thick in the low register, dry
CONTRABASSOO and sonorous in the middle, reedy and intense in the upper.
N
SAXOPHONE single reed with a curved conical metal tube.

3. BRASS – blown and made of brass. Cup-shaped mouth-pieces.

Instrument Description
TRUMPET firm and brilliant timbre.
HORN French horn. Smooth, mellow tone, and very brassy. Can be loud or soft, lyrical or
dramatic.
TROMBONE “large instruments”. Bass tenor has a lower range. Tone is rich and mellow.

TUBA bass of the brass choir. Sound like bass trombone but fuller, richer and more powerful.
CORNET long looped tube, larger than a trumpet.

4. PERCUSSION – struck with special sticks or by striking or shaking their parts

Instrument Description
KETTLEDRUMS/ Set of two or three. Played with padded sticks
Timpani
GLOCKENSPIEL Consist of series of horizontal tuned plates, struck with mallets.
XYLOPHONE Consist of tuned blocks of wood.
MARIMBA Originated in South Africa. Xylophone with small tubes under the wooden blocks
CHIMES Set of tuned metal tubes of various lengths attached to a frame
HARP The strings are plucked producing a crystalline tone. The pedals are used to shorten the
strings to rise the pitch.
PIANO A piano makes a sound when each key moves a small hammer that strikes a metal string.
The inside of a piano looks kind of like a harp.
ORGAN Organ, in music, a keyboard instrument, operated by the player's hands and feet, in which
pressurized air produces notes through a series of pipes organized in scale like rows.
*LEGATO – the note is smooth and connected
*STACCATO – short and detached
*PIZZICATO – plucked
*SPICCATO – short, crisp strokes of the bow
*SALTALLATO – bouncing the bow on the string produce light detached tones
*MARTELLATO – hammering the bow quiver on the string making the note separate and emphatic
*TREMOLO – making the bow quiver on the string to produce a shimmering effect
*VIBRATO – denotes the rich, throbbing tones
*GLISSANDRO – player moves a finger rapidly along the string

COMBINATION OF INSTRUMENTS

Ensemble Media – two or more performers are equally engaged in playing or singing a piece of music. Some of
ensemble combinations:
a. ORCHESTRA – composed of any sizable group of instrumental performers usually under the direction
of a conductor. Usually divided into four sections:
- 34 violins which are divided into two groups; first and second
b. SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA – large ensemble which includes all the principal instrumental types. Has
about 100 players. Four sections; string section, woodwind section, brass section, percussion section.
c. CONCERTO – form written for orchestra and usually one solo instruments is given a prominent role in
music.
d. BAND – instrumental ensemble, large like the orchestra but consisting mainly or exclusively of wind
and percussion instruments.
e. RONDALLA – made up of mostly stringed instruments; banduria (lead part and plays the melody), laud
and Octavia (carry the alto and contrapuntal parts), piccolo (tuned above the banduria), guitarra and
banjo (give solidity to the rhythm and support the harmony). Pangkat/bandang kawayan (bamboo
instruments).
f. MIXED ENSEMBLE – opera, oratorio, cantata, mass, requiem mass, and even symphonies may employ
vocal soloist, chorus, and orchestra.
g. CHAMBER ORCHESTRA – small instrumental ensembles in which there are only a few performers for a
part.
h. CHAMBER ENSEMBLES – only a few performers; two to eight instruments.
1. Solo Sonatas – music written for a solo instrument (violin, cello, flute, oboe, horn, etc.)
2. String quartet – two violins, violins, viola, and a cello.
3. Duos, trios, quintets, and others – may consist of any combination of instruments, including
strings, woodwinds, brass, keyboard, and percussion instruments.
i. SPECIAL ENSEMBLES – electronic instruments which many contemporary composers feel are more
versatile than traditional instruments.