#29 LEARN FREE MUSIC THEORY
TLDRIn this 29th lesson on free music theory, the instructor explains that they have structured the content differently than the standard Canadian syllabus, putting more concepts in Level 1 and less in Level 2 to aid better understanding. They then go through numerous common Italian musical terms used in sheet music, such as tempo markings, articulations, dynamics, and more. The terms are grouped alphabetically for students to memorize in weekly sets through techniques like associating visuals, spelling words out, making example sentences, and linking terms to their definitions.
Takeaways
- 😀 The video explains Italian musical terms used in music theory, broken into groups to be learned week-by-week
- 🎵 Terms like 'accelerando' and 'a tempo' relate to tempo and speeding up/slowing down the music
- 🎹 Terms like 'brillante' and 'espressivo' relate to expression and playing with feeling
- 😟 'Grave' means to play extremely slowly and broadly, like at a funeral
- 🎼 'Loco' means to play in the original place, returning to previous material
- 👂 'Unicorda' is a piano term meaning to use the soft pedal, affecting one string
- ⏱ 'M.M.' stands for metronome markings, indicating tempo by beats per minute
- 📝 The teacher advises writing down terms, memorizing them over time, and making mental pictures
- 🔊 Some terms like 'poco' relate to volume - 'poco' means quiet or little
- 💡 Learning lots of terms upfront is hard but builds a foundation for future music theory
Q & A
Why did the instructor break the terms into groups alphabetically?
-To make them easier to learn. The idea is to tackle one group at a time over a 1-2 week period to help memorize the terms.
What techniques does the instructor recommend for memorizing the terms?
-Saying the term and definition out loud repeatedly, reversing the term and definition, visualizing what the word looks like and spelling it, and linking it to a picture or image.
What is the purpose of 'a tempo'?
-A tempo is used when the music slows down or speeds up temporarily. It tells the musician to return to the original tempo or speed of the piece.
What does 'animato' indicate?
-Animato tells the musician to play the passage with energy, drama and flair. It means to play animatedly.
What is the difference between 'meno' and 'meno mosso'?
-'Meno' means less, while 'meno mosso' specifically means less quickly or slowly. They are used to indicate changes in tempo.
What is 'rubato' timing?
-Rubato involves flexibility in timing, speeding up and slowing down expressively. It is an artistic form of playing involving 'giving and taking' rather than keeping strict time.
What does 'una corda' mean on piano music?
-Una corda instructs the pianist to use the soft pedal, affecting the sound by using only one string rather than multiple strings being struck.
Why does the instructor think Level 1 has more content than Level 2?
-He wanted to cover more foundational concepts upfront in Level 1, so that students build on that knowledge as they advance. Level 2 then reinforces those concepts with less new information.
Where can you find definitions for musical terms?
-The instructor has a musical terms list on his website under the Music Theory section. There is also musical dictionaries available.
What is the next video going to cover?
-The next video will be the exam for Level 2, testing knowledge of the terms covered in the course.
Outlines
🎵 Introducing music theory lesson plans
The instructor explains how they have structured their music theory lessons. Level 1 has the most content and is the most difficult. Level 2 has less content and is easier, with some concepts covered in Level 1 originally being part of Level 2. The next video will be the exam for Level 2.
😅 Clarifying pronounciations and spellings
The instructor acknowledges their pronounciations of musical terms may not be definitive, and welcomes alternate pronounciations. However, the spellings provided should be correct.
📝 Memorization tips and first term set
The instructor provides tips on memorizing the terms, such as repetition, visualization, making associations. The first set of terms for week 1 are introduced: accelerando, a tempo, alla, animato, assai, ben, brillante, col/colla/con, con 8va, da capo.
🎹 More musical terms
Additional terms are covered: con brio, con espressione, con moto, e/ed, espressivo, forte piano, grave, leggiero, loco, ma, meno, metronome markings, molto, non troppo.
⏰ More time and tempo related terms
More terms related to tempo and timing are explained: piu mosso, poco, poco a poco, quasi, rubato, sempre, senza, tempo, tempo primo, tempo rubato.
🐥 Remembering terms with fun associations
The instructor shares how they remember certain terms through fun associations, like 'poco' meaning little reminding them of a little baby chocobo from Final Fantasy.
🎻 Common performance instruction terms
The last set of common musical terms are covered: tenuto, tranquillo, troppo, una corda, vivace.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡music theory
💡terms
💡memorize
💡pronunciation
💡syllabus
💡pedagogy
💡explanation
💡context
💡strategies
💡summary
Highlights
Level one has the most content and highest learning curve out of all three levels
Suggested memorization technique: say the term, say what it means, reverse it, imagine what it looks like, link it to a picture or video
Accelerando means gradually getting faster, like a train accelerating
A tempo means return to the original tempo or speed
Animato means play animated, with a lot of drama, flair, energy and feeling
Forte piano means loud then suddenly soft
Grave means extremely slow and broad, like at a funeral
Loco means in the original place, like going back to the original tempo
Meno means less, meno mosso means less quickly
Poco means little, poco a poco means little by little
Robato means flexible rhythm, speeding up and slowing down expressively
Tempo means the speed of the music
8va means play one octave higher or lower than written
Suggested to learn terms in groups week-by-week and use websites for definitions
Next video will be the exam covering these terms
Transcripts
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