CULTIVATING ARTS AND MINDS

The Musical Line

The Musical Line

Experiment

We approached the Musical Line via a room full of props: boxes of rhythmic instruments, a piano, a decorative fan, a vase holding a bouquet feathers. Before launching into our experiment, we discussed the various musical elements at our disposal: tempo, rhythm, melody, harmony, timbre, and many more. We shared our favourite qualities of sound and contemplated the sound of silence. Then, divided into two groups, we devised and performed short musical pieces for each other before trying to guess each other's secret prompts. The rich variety of approaches and interpretations led in turn to a powerful discussion about what it means to be an artist✼academic: toeing the musical line even while dancing to the beat of our own drum.

Exhibit

Prompt #1: order

A riotous, purposeful cacophony.

Prompt #2: chaos

A steady rhythmic march, punctuated by the sound of one rebellious artist✼academic dropping their stick at irregular intervals.

Prompt #3: fears of and/or barriers for an artist✼academic

The audience members were offered a choice between sitting dutifully in their chairs (and being looked after by the musicians for the rest of the day) or moving around as much as they wished (and being attended to by the musicians during the performance but shunned afterwards). Three people chose to sit rigidly in their chairs; one lay down on the floor, closed her eyes, and relaxed into enjoyment of the sounds moving in circles around her. 

Prompt #4: hopes and/or aspirations of an artist✼academic

A piano beckoned; a pianist played a romantic tune; three other performers fanned the audience and offered them feathers, one at a time. The audience members weren't sure what to do; it took them a while before they graciously accepted the feathers and began to pass them from one person to the next, swaying in time to the music.

Invitation

The Musical Line

Some musical elements to play with:

  • Tempo: Speed or pace.
  • Rhythm: The pattern of movement in time.
  • Melody: A coherent succession of pitches.
  • Harmony: The relationship of pitches as they sound simultaneously.
  • Timbre: The character of a sound distinct from its pitch, length, or intensity; tone colour.
  • Attack/Articulation: What does the beginning of the note sound like? What is the instrument struck or played with? Is the attack soft or hard?
  • Sustained Pitch: What does the note sound like after the attack? Intensity of sound? Is there the presence of vibrato (a rapid variation of pitch adding richness to a sound)?
  • Dynamics: The aspect of music relating to degrees of loudness.
  • Texture: The pattern of sound created by the interaction of musical voices.
  • Relationship between musical voices: Independent/co-dependent? Harmonious/accompanying each other? Clashing and dissonant? Lead (dominant) or supporting roles (subordinate)? Repetitive? Call and response?
  • Dynamics: The aspect of music relating to degrees of loudness.
  • Texture: The pattern of sound created by the interaction of musical voices.
  • Qualities of sound:
    Abrasive, Booming, Brassy, Breathy, Bright, Brilliant, Brittle, Buzzy, Clear, Coarse, Cool, Cutting, Dark, Delicate, Distorted, Dry, Dull, Edgy, Ethereal, Flat, Focused, Full, Grating, Guttural, Harsh, Heavy, Hoarse, Hollow, Husky, Intense, Light, Lush, Mellow, Metallic, Muddy, Murky, Muted, Nasal, Penetrating, Piercing, Pure, Raspy, Reedy, Resonant, Rich, Ringing, Rough, Round, Scratchy, Shallow, Sharp, Shimmery, Shrill, Silky, Silvery, Smoky, Smooth, Strained, Strident, Strong, Subdued, Thick, Thin, Throaty, Thundering, Tremulous, Unfocused, Velvety, Vibrant, Warbling, Warm, Wheezy, Whispered, Wooden
  • … Don’t forget to let silence speak too!

Lines of inquiry:

  1. Break into two groups.
  2. Everyone grabs an instrument from a box containing tambourines, maracas, wood blocks etc. If other instruments and props are available, feel free to use them too.
  3. Each group is instructed to develop a short musical or rhythmic piece (10 seconds maximum) based around one of the following provocations:
    1. Group A: Chaos
    2. Group B: Order

The two groups perform for each other, and each is invited to guess what the other group has been asked to represent.

  1. Each group is instructed to develop a short musical or rhythmic piece (10 seconds maximum) based around one of the following provocations:
    1. Group A: The fears of and/or barriers for an artist✼academic
    2. Group B: The hopes and/or aspirations of an artist✼academic

Again, two groups perform for each other, and each is invited to guess what concept the other group has been asked to represent.

  1. Reflection and discussion.