Please listen to the following videos using these links.
Links to Key instruments in west end blues.
Timbre Words
•Reedy
•Brassy
•Clear
•Focused or unfocused
•Breathy
•Piercing
•Strident
•Harsh
•Warm
•Mellow
•Resonant
•Dark or Bright
•Heavy or Light
•Flat
•Having much, little, or no vibrato
•Whiny
•Nasal
•Metallic
•Shrill
•Buzzy
•Tinny
•Bell-like
•Rattling
•Percussive
•Sharp
This is just a short list of words that can be used to describe timbre. There are many more ways to describe timbre, so use a dictionary and other resources to help you!
Complete the listening chart that is sent as a PDF.
Choose one of the pieces of music from the folder, listen to it, and discuss the following questions in 2 separate paragraphs:
Paragraph 1:
What genre or style of music is it and what was the song title (title of the recording)? (i.e.: ring shout, ballad, blues…)
What are the song’s unique features?
Are there singers? And how do the singers sound ? Describe the timbre of voice. (i.e.: rough, smooth, bright, nasal…)
What is the instrumentation of the music? (Use the Sachs-Horbostel categories if you don’t know the name of the instruments you hear).
What did you find interesting/surprising about this music?
Paragraph 2:
After having listened to the “West End Blues” many times, and practiced tapping to the beat with the chart, answer:
After tapping to the beat, were you able to hear the meter better? How does this physical movement help you feel the rhythm?
Were you able to hear the changes and separation among the choruses? How does counting the beat help you to hear this?
What was the most surprising thing you heard in the listening process?
