Knowing the six most common types of musical devices in poetry will help you get a better understanding for the techniques used in literature. These devices are considered musical because they use similar sounds to link each other. Learning about these devices will make you a more informed reader of poetry.
Rhyme
Rhyme is a musical device that uses vowel sounds that rhyme through similar construction. To qualify as a rhyme, the vowel sounds and all of the sounds that come after the vowel sounds must be closely related. For instance, the first part of the word can be any consonance, but once the vowel is sounded, the rhyming word must be similar. The words dream and steam both start with different consonants, but end with the same vowels and …show more content…
This technique uses a musical device to create the imagery and sound of the object being imitated. For example, a cat "meows" or a clock "ticks" are examples of onomatopoeia in literature. Words that imitate their actions are also considered onomatopoeia, such as the word "popcorn."
Refrain
The refrain consists of at least one word or words that repeat regularly in a poem. It could be just one word that is repeated or as many as an entire phrase or line. These refrains usually comes at the end of a stanza. In a song, we would call the refrain a chorus, since it is the part of the song that repeats itself. One poetic example would be the phrase, "Quoth the raven, Nevermore" in Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven."
Key Concepts
poetry musical devices musical poetry musical rhythming
References
Owensboro: Musical Devices in Poetry [http://legacy.owensboro.kctcs.edu/crunyon/E161/Net/Perchps/P11-MusDev/P11MUSICNotes.html]
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User Bio
Mark MacGregor has been writing music since 1992, as well as articles on music composition and theory. His compositions have received accolades, worldwide performances and recordings. MacGregor holds a graduate degree in electronic music composition and theory from a top tier university, and writes for music trade publications and
Rhyme
Rhyme is a musical device that uses vowel sounds that rhyme through similar construction. To qualify as a rhyme, the vowel sounds and all of the sounds that come after the vowel sounds must be closely related. For instance, the first part of the word can be any consonance, but once the vowel is sounded, the rhyming word must be similar. The words dream and steam both start with different consonants, but end with the same vowels and …show more content…
This technique uses a musical device to create the imagery and sound of the object being imitated. For example, a cat "meows" or a clock "ticks" are examples of onomatopoeia in literature. Words that imitate their actions are also considered onomatopoeia, such as the word "popcorn."
Refrain
The refrain consists of at least one word or words that repeat regularly in a poem. It could be just one word that is repeated or as many as an entire phrase or line. These refrains usually comes at the end of a stanza. In a song, we would call the refrain a chorus, since it is the part of the song that repeats itself. One poetic example would be the phrase, "Quoth the raven, Nevermore" in Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven."
Key Concepts
poetry musical devices musical poetry musical rhythming
References
Owensboro: Musical Devices in Poetry [http://legacy.owensboro.kctcs.edu/crunyon/E161/Net/Perchps/P11-MusDev/P11MUSICNotes.html]
These fields do not publish with the article
User Bio
Mark MacGregor has been writing music since 1992, as well as articles on music composition and theory. His compositions have received accolades, worldwide performances and recordings. MacGregor holds a graduate degree in electronic music composition and theory from a top tier university, and writes for music trade publications and