Burden (music)

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Highland bagpipes, with drone pipes over the pipers' left shoulders

In music, the burden is an archaic term[1] for the drone or bass in some musical instruments, and the pipe or part that plays it, such as a bagpipe drone or pedal point in an organ. Burden also refers to a part of a song that is repeated at the end of each stanza, such as the chorus or refrain.

The term comes from the French bourdon, a staff; or a pipe made in the form of a staff, imitating the gross murmurs of bees or drones.

This is what was anciently called proslambanomenos (Greek).

See also

  • Bourdon, a related term for a bass or drone note

References

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chambers, Ephraim, ed. (1728). "article name needed". Cyclopaedia, or an Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences (first ed.). James and John Knapton, et al. 

  1. ↑ Webster's Third New International Dictionary
General
F (bass) clef symbol
Instruments
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