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Analysing a piece of music can seem daunting at first, and it can be tempting to approach the problem in a haphazard and chaotic manner. Instead, breaking down the piece into 8 of its constitutive elements (the ‘Magnificent Eight’) can help to structure your thoughts, and ensure that nothing crucial is overlooked. Here are some of the questions that it might be helpful to think about:
Melody - Does it follow a regular scale, or is it chromatic? Is it lyrical or angular?
Harmony -Is there dissonance between the parts? Can you tell which chords are being used? Does the composer use diminished, augmented, or suspended chords?
Rhythm -what is the tempo? What is the time signature? Is the piece rhythmically straight, or swung?
Tonality – What key is the piece in? Is it major or minor? Is modulation frequent?
Texture -how do the different instruments fit together? Is the effect to create, for example, polyphony (where at least two independent melodies are weaved together to form the whole)?
Timbre/Instrumentation - what sounds has the composer chosen to use, and why do you think this is? Do the players do anything to affect the quality of the sound (for example, do the strings make use of tremolo)?
Form - what is the structure of the piece? Is it in binary form (AB), or ternary form (ABA)?
Dynamics - is the piece generally loud, or quiet, and does it vary often? Can you pick out any particular dynamic devices (e.g. sforzando)
