Quadraphony

Four channel system used in audio to try and give the listener the effect of a 360 degree sound field.

Quadrophonic

Quadraphonic sound is an early surround sound system that uses four independent audio channels to create a 360-degree auditory experience. It was developed in the 1970s as a step beyond traditional stereo, aiming to place the listener in the center of the sound field.

Characteristics:

• Channel Configuration: Quadraphonic sound employs four discrete speakers placed in the four corners of a room—front left, front right, rear left, and rear right. Each speaker delivers an independent audio signal.
• Signal Encoding: Early quadraphonic systems used various encoding techniques to distribute the four channels, such as discrete, matrix (e.g., SQ or QS systems), or a combination.

Context and Use:

• Home Audio: Quadraphonic systems were primarily marketed for home use, offering enhanced spatial realism for music playback.
• Live Performances: Some artists and bands, like Pink Floyd, used quadraphonic setups in live concerts to create immersive soundscapes.
• Music Production: Certain albums were released in quadraphonic formats, which required specialized playback equipment, such as quadraphonic amplifiers and turntables.

Examples:

• Famous quadraphonic releases include Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon and works by artists like The Who and Santana.
• Some films and experimental performances in the 1970s also employed quadraphonic sound for added immersion.

Legacy:

While quadraphonic sound fell out of favor due to its complexity and cost, it laid the groundwork for modern surround sound systems, such as 5.1, 7.1, and Dolby Atmos. These contemporary formats build upon the principles of quadraphonic sound to provide even more advanced spatial audio experiences.

Quadraphonic sound represents a pioneering moment in audio technology, bridging the gap between stereo and the immersive multi-channel formats we enjoy today.

Quantization (Quantisation)

In Midi, quantization is the process where midi notes are moved in the time domain. A Midi part will be divided into subsections (e.g. quarter notes, or sixteenth notes). The Midi notes are then moved to the time of the closest subsection.

Often quantization is used to correct timing errors as played by a performer or to change the feel of a Midi part.

Quantization is a process in music production and editing that adjusts the timing of notes or beats to align with a predefined rhythmic grid. It is commonly used in digital audio workstations (DAWs) and MIDI sequencing to correct timing errors or create a tighter, more precise rhythm.

Characteristics:

• Purpose: Quantization ensures that recorded or programmed notes are rhythmically aligned, either to correct human performance inaccuracies or to achieve a specific rhythmic style.
• Application: It can be applied to MIDI data (notes played on a MIDI controller) or audio recordings.

How It Works:

1. Setting the Grid: The user specifies a rhythmic value, such as a quarter note, eighth note, or sixteenth note, which becomes the timing grid.
2. Adjusting Notes: Notes or beats are then shifted to the nearest position on the grid, based on their original timing.

Types of Quantization:

• Hard Quantization: Adjusts notes exactly to the grid, creating a mechanically precise rhythm.
• Soft Quantization (or Groove Quantization): Moves notes closer to the grid while retaining some of the original timing nuances for a more human feel.
• Swing Quantization: Adjusts the timing to introduce a swing or shuffle feel, giving the rhythm a more syncopated groove.

Examples:

• In a drum sequence, quantization can ensure that every kick, snare, and hi-hat hits exactly on the beat for a tight rhythm.
• In MIDI piano recordings, quantization can clean up small timing errors while maintaining the expressive dynamics of the performance.

Considerations:

While quantization can improve rhythmic accuracy, overuse can make music sound overly mechanical or lifeless. Striking the right balance is key, especially for genres that rely on a natural, human feel.

Quantization is a powerful tool in modern music production, helping musicians and producers achieve the perfect blend of precision and groove.

Quintuplet

A quintuplet is a rhythmic grouping of five notes played in the time normally allotted to four notes (or another standard subdivision). It is a type of irregular division that creates a unique, offbeat rhythm, often used to add complexity or a sense of unpredictability to a musical passage.

Characteristics:

• Duration: Quintuplets divide a beat, measure, or note into five equal parts, overriding the usual binary or ternary subdivisions. For example, five notes played in the time of one quarter note or one beat in 4/4 time.
• Notation: In sheet music, quintuplets are marked with a bracket or slur above or below the group of notes, accompanied by the number “5.”

Context and Use:

• Stylistic Flexibility: Quintuplets appear in various musical styles, including classical, jazz, progressive rock, and experimental music, where they contribute to rhythmic innovation and interest.
• Expression: They often create a sense of tension, syncopation, or forward motion due to their irregular nature.

Examples:

1. In a slow classical piece, a quintuplet might divide a single beat into five soft, evenly spaced notes, adding a fluid and delicate texture.
2. In jazz or modern compositions, quintuplets might create intricate, syncopated phrases within a solo or rhythm section.

Practical Use:

• For performers, playing quintuplets accurately requires careful subdivision and a strong sense of timing. Practicing with a metronome set to subdivisions or counting aloud can help.
• In digital music production, quintuplets can be programmed using the grid settings in a DAW to achieve precise rhythmic placement.

Quintuplets challenge conventional rhythm while offering composers and performers a way to explore new dimensions of musical expression and complexity.

Quartal Harmony

Quartal harmony is a method of building chords using intervals of fourths rather than the traditional thirds found in most Western music. This approach creates a distinctive and often modern or ambiguous tonal quality, making it a popular choice in jazz, classical, and contemporary music.

Characteristics:

• Structure: Quartal chords are constructed by stacking fourths, such as perfect fourths (e.g., C–F–B♭) or a mix of perfect and augmented/diminished fourths.
• Tonality: Quartal harmony often lacks the sense of resolution associated with traditional tertian (third-based) harmony, giving it an open and non-directional sound.

Context and Use:

• Jazz: Pioneered by artists like McCoy Tyner, quartal harmony is a cornerstone of modern jazz, where it’s used to create lush voicings and modal improvisation.
• Classical Music: Composers like Claude Debussy and Arnold Schoenberg used quartal structures to explore new harmonic languages.
• Film Scores: Quartal harmony is frequently employed in cinematic music to evoke mystery, tension, or futuristic atmospheres.

Examples:

1. A common quartal voicing in jazz might be C–F–B♭, which could function in multiple harmonic contexts due to its ambiguity.
2. In Debussy’s Voiles, quartal chords contribute to the floating, impressionistic texture of the piece.

Practical Use:

• Quartal harmony is often combined with other harmonic systems, such as tertian harmony or modal scales, to create rich and complex textures.
• It is commonly used on instruments like piano and guitar, where the interval of a fourth can be easily visualized and played.

Significance:

Quartal harmony challenges traditional concepts of tonality and voice leading, offering composers and improvisers a powerful tool for creating innovative and evocative sounds.

Quarter Note

A quarter note is one of the fundamental rhythmic units in music notation. Represented by a filled-in oval note head with a straight stem, it typically receives one beat in common time (4/4 time signature). This means that in a measure of 4/4 time, four quarter notes will fill one measure.

Characteristics:

• Duration: The quarter note lasts for one beat, assuming the time signature indicates that the quarter note is the “beat unit.” For instance, in 4/4, the pulse of the music is often counted as “1, 2, 3, 4,” with each count corresponding to a quarter note.
• Notation: Its symbol consists of a filled note head and a vertical stem. The stem points upward if the note is below the middle line of the staff and downward if it is above.

Context and Use:

• In simple time signatures, like 2/4, 3/4, or 4/4, the quarter note is the standard building block for rhythm.
• In compound time signatures (e.g., 6/8), the quarter note may not directly align with the beat, but it remains an essential reference for rhythm and note relationships.

Examples:

• In a simple melody, a sequence of four quarter notes would sound evenly spaced, like the ticks of a metronome.
• Quarter notes are often used to define the “pulse” of a piece, making them essential for keeping time.

Whether you’re reading sheet music, tapping your foot to the beat, or creating a rhythm in a digital audio workstation, the quarter note is a key player in both performance and composition.

Quarter Power Points (Q)

These are the points on an audio response curve of a bandpass filter that define the Bandwidth of the filter. Commonly referred to as the ‘Q’ of the filter. Each point defines the frequency at which the amplitude of the bandpass response results in a signal power that is 1/4 of the power of that at the peak or centre frequency.

Quarter Tone

A quarter tone is a pitch interval that is half the size of a semitone, the smallest interval in traditional Western music. Quarter tones divide the octave into 24 equal parts, creating a microtonal system that includes pitches between the standard notes of the chromatic scale.

Characteristics:

• Size: A quarter tone is equal to 50 cents (where one semitone equals 100 cents).
• Notation: In music notation, quarter tones are often represented with special symbols, such as arrows, slashes, or specific accidentals, to indicate whether a note is raised or lowered by a quarter tone.

Context and Use:

• Microtonal Music: Quarter tones are a key component of microtonal music, which uses intervals smaller than a semitone to create unique harmonic and melodic textures.
• Non-Western Music: They are common in the musical traditions of the Middle East, India, and other cultures, where the use of microtones adds richness and emotional depth to melodies.
• Contemporary and Experimental Music: Many modern composers and experimental musicians incorporate quarter tones to push the boundaries of harmony and tonality.

Examples:

• In Arabic music, quarter tones are used extensively in maqamat (melodic modes), giving the music its distinct sound.
• Contemporary composers like György Ligeti and Charles Ives have used quarter tones to create complex, otherworldly harmonic effects.

Practical Use:

For performers, quarter tones require precise intonation, often achieved by bending notes on stringed instruments, using special tuning systems on pianos or synthesizers, or modifying wind instruments. Vocalists trained in quarter tones rely on subtle adjustments to their pitch.

Quarter tones expand the expressive range of music beyond the limits of the 12-tone system, offering unique possibilities for creativity and emotional depth.

Quasi

Quasi is an Italian musical term meaning “as if,” “almost,” or “in the manner of.” It is used as a directive in music notation to instruct performers to play in a style that approximates or imitates another technique, mood, or character.

Characteristics:

• Contextual Use: Quasi is typically paired with another term or instruction, indicating how the music should be approached. For example, quasi allegro means “almost fast,” and quasi pizzicato directs the player to perform in a manner similar to pizzicato (plucking the strings).
• Interpretation: The term allows for artistic flexibility, encouraging performers to evoke the indicated quality without strictly adhering to it.

Common Applications:

• Mood and Expression: Quasi is often used to suggest a general feeling or mood, such as quasi una fantasia (“like a fantasy”), directing the performer to play freely or imaginatively.
• Technique Imitation: In some cases, quasi instructs the musician to imitate the style of another instrument or technique. For example, quasi chitarra tells a pianist or harpist to emulate the sound of a guitar.
• Tempo Adjustments: It may also indicate a tempo that is close to, but not exactly, a marked speed (e.g., quasi andante, meaning “almost walking pace”).

Examples:

• Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 14 is subtitled Quasi una fantasia, indicating its free and imaginative structure.
• In orchestral scores, you might see quasi parlando (“like speaking”), asking the performer to play in a speech-like manner.

Quasi provides composers with a versatile way to convey subtle nuances of style, expression, or technique, allowing for interpretive freedom while guiding performers toward the desired musical effect.

Quaver

A quaver is the British term for an eighth note in musical notation. It represents a note that lasts half as long as a quarter note. In 4/4 time, one quaver is equal to half a beat, meaning two quavers fit into one beat.

Characteristics:

• Duration: A single quaver is worth half a beat in most common time signatures. Two quavers together make up the duration of one quarter note.
• Notation: A quaver is depicted with a filled-in oval note head, a straight stem, and a single flag attached to the stem. When multiple quavers are written in succession, their flags are often replaced with a beam connecting the stems.

Context and Use:

• Quavers are essential for creating rhythms with faster or more detailed divisions of the beat. For example, they are frequently used in melodies, accompaniments, and syncopated patterns.
• When played or sung, quavers can bring a sense of energy or movement to a piece of music, as their shorter duration adds rhythmic variety.

Examples:

• In a simple 4/4 measure, a sequence of eight quavers would divide the measure into even, rapid notes, often counted as “1-and, 2-and, 3-and, 4-and.”
• In compound time signatures (like 6/8), quavers group into sets of three to reflect the beat structure.

The term quaver is most commonly used in British English. In American English, the same note is referred to as an eighth note. Despite the difference in terminology, the notation and function are universally understood in Western music.

Quavers play a vital role in creating expressive rhythms and intricate melodic lines, making them a fundamental concept for any musician.

Quickstep

The quickstep is a lively and fast-paced ballroom dance style, accompanied by music in 4/4 time. Originating in the early 20th century, it evolved from the foxtrot and Charleston, incorporating syncopated rhythms, rapid footwork, and dynamic movement.

Characteristics:

• Tempo: The quickstep is performed at a brisk tempo, typically ranging from 200 to 208 beats per minute.
• Rhythm: Its rhythm is upbeat and energetic, with syncopated beats and a “quick-quick-slow” or “slow-quick-quick” pattern.
• Instrumentation: Quickstep music often features big band or jazz-style arrangements, with prominent brass, woodwinds, and a strong rhythmic section to drive the dance’s energetic movements.

Dance Style:

• Steps: The quickstep involves intricate footwork, including hops, skips, and quick turns, requiring precision and agility from the dancers.
• Character: It exudes a playful and joyful vibe, with a light and airy quality that makes it visually engaging and technically challenging.

Context and Use:

• Competitive Ballroom Dancing: The quickstep is one of the five International Standard dances in ballroom dance competitions, alongside the waltz, tango, Viennese waltz, and foxtrot.
• Social Dance: Although less common in casual social settings due to its complexity, the quickstep remains a favorite among experienced dancers.

Examples in Music:

• Songs like “Sing, Sing, Sing” by Benny Goodman and “Puttin’ On the Ritz” by Irving Berlin exemplify the style and energy of quickstep music.

The quickstep combines the elegance of ballroom dance with the excitement of jazz-inspired rhythms, making it a captivating and high-energy component of the dance and music world.

Quietus

Quietus is a term used in music and literature to describe a peaceful or gentle ending, often carrying connotations of finality or resolution. While not a standard term in music theory, it appears occasionally in poetic or descriptive contexts to evoke the emotional quality of a musical passage or the conclusion of a piece.

Characteristics:

• Mood and Expression: The term suggests a tranquil and serene closure, akin to a sigh or a natural fading away of sound. It is often associated with soft dynamics, slow tempos, and delicate phrasing.
• Context: Quietus might be used to describe the final bars of a composition that conclude on a calming note, bringing a sense of rest or stillness to the listener.

Examples in Music:

• A quietus might describe the closing measures of a nocturne by Chopin, where the music gently dissipates into silence.
• The term could also apply to the fading ending of a symphonic movement that resolves with understated harmonies or a dying cadence.

Literary Origin:

The term comes from Latin, meaning “rest” or “release,” and has been used in literary contexts to denote an ultimate resolution, such as in Shakespeare’s Hamlet: “When he himself might his quietus make with a bare bodkin.”

Use in Modern Music:

Though rare, composers or music critics may use quietus metaphorically to describe a moment of peaceful conclusion, particularly in programmatic or evocative music.

Quietus encapsulates the delicate beauty of a musical ending that offers rest and closure, leaving a lasting impression of calm on the performer and audience alike.