Music: Elements of Music
Sound
Waves of energy vibrate as they pass through the air or water. Our brains interpret these waves as sound. Music is the organization of these sounds in time. The faster the vibrations, the higher the pitch will be. The slower the vibrations, the lower the pitch will be. In string instruments, pitch is related to the length and thickness of the string that vibrates.
Harmonics
A string of a stringed instrument vibrates as a whole, creating the fundamental pitch, but it also vibrates in sections of the string creating sounds of different pitches. These different pitches are the harmonics. The way the fundamental pitch blends with the harmonics gives a note its quality. While different instruments may make a note of the same fundamental pitch, they will sound different because they will have different harmonics creating a different quality.
Pitch
Pitch is the loudness or highness of sound that s determined by the frequency or speed of the vibrations of the sound. The faster the vibration, the higher the pitch will be. That pitch in music is called the tone. The range between the highest and lowest pitches attainable by voice or an instrument is the pitch range. When two like tones are separated, the distance between them is called an interval or an octave.
Accent
An emphasis placed on a particular note, either as a result of its context or specifically indicated by an accent mark. A tonic accent is an emphasis on a note by virtue of being higher in pitch than surrounding notes. An agogic accent is an emphasis by virtue of being longer in duration than surrounding notes. Dynamic accents are created when one note is louder than another.
Accents which do not correspond to the stressed beats of the prevailing meter are called syncopation.
Syncopation
The stressing of a normally unstressed beat in a bar or the failure to sound a tone on an accented beat.
Syncopation is used on occasion in many musical styles, including classical music, but it is fundamental in such styles as ragtime and jazz. In the form of a back beat, syncopation is used in virtually all contemporary popular music.
Dynamics
Dynamics refers to the loudness or softness of music. A dynamic change or accent occurs when there is a change in how loud the instruments are played and /or how many instruments are heard. These dynamics create the mood of the music. Terms used to describe dynamics are listed below:
- Pianissimo= very soft
- Piano= soft
- Mezzo piano= moderately soft
- Mezzo forte= moderately loud
- Forte= loud
- Fortissimo= very loud
Rhythm
Rhythm is the ordered beat of the music. It is the pattern of tension and release and changes in time. A regular group of this pattern is called the meter of the music.
- Duple meter= 2 beats
- Quadruple meter= 4 beats
- Sextuple meter= 6 beats
- Quintuple= 5 beats
Tempo
The tempo is the speed of the music. Terms used to describe tempo are listed below.
- Largo= very slow, broad
- Grave= very slow, solemn
- Adagio= slow
- Andante= moderately slow, walking pace
- Moderato= moderate
- Allegretto= moderately fast
- Allegro= fast
- Vivace= lively
- Presto= very fast
- Prestissimo- as fast as possible
Melody
Melody is the fundamental and predominant organization of notes and rhythm in a song. Single notes when put together add up to a recognizable movement. This movement is the main component of the music that you hear. Melody terms are listed below.
- Step= interval between two adjacent tones
- Heap= interval larger than a step
- Climax= highest tone of a melody
- Legato= tones are connected
- Staccato= tones are detached
- Phrases= shorter parts that make up melodies
- Sequence= repetition of a melodic pattern
- Cadence= resting point at the end of a phrase
- Incomplete= feeling of expectation
- Complete= feeling of finality
- Theme= a melody that is a starting point for a piece of music that will go through multiple changes as the music progresses
Key
The key encompasses the central tone that all melodies are built around, the central sound, and the scale. The basic pitches arranges in ascending order is the scale.
Form
Form is the repetition and predictability in a piece of music. The pattern of repetition and contrast also gives music form.
Tone Color
Tone is described by words like bright, dark, brilliant, mellow, and rich. Variance of tone is why a trumpet and flute sound different even when playing the same note.
Style
The style is the distinctive use of melody, rhythm, tone color, dynamics, harmony, and form during a period of history or by a composer (s) or country.
