81.
Small assignment: Textures
Play various textures, using the coarseness and density of physical materials as examples and models.
Assignment author
Esa Ylivaara
Basics
Minimum time required
Goal and output
Pedagogical goal
Exploring textures in music.
Concrete output
Improvisation based on a given texture.
Work progress
1. Begin by considering what 'texture' means in music. You may want to have the students listen to music where texture is used as a principal element (e.g. Ligeti, Xenakis, Penderecki, Lutoslawski).
2. Play musical textures imitating the coarseness of various kinds of terrain:
- sand
- gravel
- rocks
- boulders
3. Play musical textures imitating the density of curtain fabrics:
- a sheer curtain through which you can easily see what is on the other side
- a thin curtain that lets light through and through which you can make out shapes
- a thick curtain that lets some light through but through which you cannot see
- a blackout curtain
If there are curtains in the classroom, use these as the first examples.
The idea is to play short sound examples, 10 to 30 seconds. You can continue for longer if feasible, of course.
You can also experiment with sliding from one musical texture to another and even create a piece with graphic notation using these textures.
Topics in the assignment
Musical structures and analysis
Playing an instrument & singing
Notation & music terminology
Arranging & parts
Music technology
Styles & techniques
Imagination & other arts
Tools
Further assignments
Assignment suitable for further study
