Renaissance Music?

[Craiginnes]

As part of our coursework at our school, we have to composing two pieces from varying musical periods. One of my pieces is to be on the renaissance period.

The problem is, i don't know a great deal about the kind of songwriting involved with this period of music. What scales did they use? (if any), Rhythms? Harmony etc?

Does anybody have any experience in writing in this style as i am rather stumped.

[brandondrury]

Uh. I have no idea what renaissance music even sounds like. Do you have an example?

Brandon

[richiebee]

This should help..
Renaissance music - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[zildjohn01]

Your teacher would be a bigger help than most of us here, I'm guessing. Sorry

[Vain Melody]

Ask your teacher for clarification! Way too vague.

Do they actually want something that sounds like it is from the Renaissance (which could require a lot of study and practice on your part) or do they just want something modern with a little 16th century flavour?

Renaissance had basic music like folk tunes and much more complicated stuff, like multiple part vocals where each part was it's own melody. I studied the multi-vocal parts (modal counterpoint) and I can tell you that to get an authentic modal counterpoint renaissance sound will take you many, many hours of practice.

This is what I would do if you aren't being trained in the stuff or you don't have countless hours to devote: stick with a more folk tune inspired song. Find a traditional folk tune that dates back to that period. Add a little tambourine, mandolin, guitar, violin or whatever and you're set.

[ExSaint1379]

Renaissance usally implies Renaissance counterpoint. That's like a whole class as a music major. It would take me pages to explain. Renaissance was often, VERY OFTEN, in 3/4 time because we mostly have religious music from back then and they applied Scripture to music, so the trinity... We don't know what instruments sounded like for the most part, so the vast majority of the music was written with Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass. Or Soprano, Tenor and Bass. They used five of the modes. They hated Ionian (later known as major), so they used Mixolydian, Lydian, Phygian, Dorian and Aeolian. The dimished fifth (not an augmented fourth, and keep in mind they are not the same thing even thought the notes sound the same) was quite literally banned from music, so Locrain was not very applicable and for some reason they didn't like the sound of major (well there are pieces in major but they are more rare; the major seventh they tried to avoid because it's far away from tonic in the overtone system, Lydian also has a major seventh, but Lydian doesn't have a perfect fourth, and there is no such thing as a perfect fourth in the overtone system rather it's just the inverted fifth so to their ears both these notes sounded very dissoant and having them in one scale was unacceptable).