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Tips for Aural Analysis

When writing aural responses,  ask yourself the questions listed.​
DURATION - rhythm, beat, metre, tempo, pulse​

 

  • Time signature? Does it change, or is it constant?

  • Simple or compound time?

  • Is the metre regular or irregular? Is the beat or metre obvious?

  • Is it syncopated? Does it use accents? Ties? Rests?

  • Is the phrasing regular or irregular?

  • Any recurring patterns or motifs? Repetition? Rhythmic ostinato?

  • Is the rhythm complex or simple? Is there a variety of rhythmic patterns?

  • Tripets/duplets? Hemiola? Cross-rhythms?

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​PITCH - melody, harmony, range
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  • Key signature? Does it change, or is it constant?

  • Definite or indefinite pitch?

  • Recurring intervals? eg. Tritone?

  • Tonal or atonal?
  • Diatonic or chromatic? Major/minor/modal/blues?
  • Does it modulate? Related chords?
  • Phrasing regular/irregular? Symmetrical/asymmetrical?
  • Identify cadence points?
  • Wide/narrow pitch range? Registers?
  • Does the melody move by step/leap? Awkward intervals?
  • Smooth or jagged/flat melodic contour?
  • Is the melodic line lyrical or rhythmic?
  • Any repeated patterns eg. ground bass, melodic ostinato, harmonic ostinato?
  • Are there sequences? Motifs? Are the motifs developed?
  • Do you recognise any chord progressions, eg. 12-bar blues?
  • Is the harmony consonant or dissonant? Linear?
  • Are the entries fugal? Canonic?
  • Notation - traditional or non-traditional? Graphic?
  • Call and response? Question and Answer?
TEXTURE - Layers of sound, performing media

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  • Is the piece chordal or linear?

  • Is the texture full/thick or thin/sparse?

  • Textural changes throughout piece?

  • Roles of instruments? melodic, harmonic, rhythmic, sound effect?

  • Monophonic/homophonic/polyphonic/heterophonic?

  • Counterpoint/contrary motion? 

  • Staggered entries? 

  • Impact of dynamics/articulation? eg. staccato

  • Impact of pitch? eg. no bass therefore, lighter texture

  • Impact of duration? eg. rests

TONE COLOUR - Quality of sound, performing media

  • Identify each of the performing media

  • Acoustic or synthesised? Electronic?

  • What shade or colour does the sound indicate to you? eg. piercing, bright, sombre, muted

  • Particular tone quality of instrument registers eg. lower register of piano: rich, chunky, upper register of piano: clear, tinkly

  • Type of Ensemble?

DYNAMICS & EXPRESSIVE TECHNIQUES - articulations, performance techniques, dynamics

  • Dynamic range? Do the dynamics change or remain constant?

  • Are the changes gradual? Terraced?

  • Are the markings specific and detailed?

  • Ornaments? 

  • Rubato?

  • Articulations - specific and detailed?

STRUCTURE - form, sections and whole works

  • Does the piece have a formal structure?

  • Are there clear sections? eg. A, B, C, etc.

  • Is there a definable form? eg. Binary, Ternary, Rondo, Theme and Variation, Additive Form (ABCDE etc), 12-bar blues form, Strophic form, through-composed form, Verse-chorus form

  • Regular phrasing?

  • How do you know when a new section starts?

  • Sequences? 

  • Motivic development? Thematic development?

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