Phrasing

A phrase is a musical sentence. Music is the same as writing, it is divided into sections.

If we look at the picture below, the music consists of four bar phrases. The length of phrases can vary depending on the piece, but here they are every four bars.

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Phrasing shapes the music. It is also necessary for breathing points for performers of woodwind and brass instruments as well as singers.

The music below consists of shorter phrases. The line joining up the notes show the phrases. These shape the music in this piece to imitate the singing of a bird.

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Baxter, Harry and Michael Baxter. The Right Way To Read Music. Tadworth: Right Way, 1993. Print, p.129.

Warburton, Annie O. Basic Music Knowledge. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995. Print, p. 66.