The Elements The Elements of Musicof MusicTerms You Must Know

What Is Music?What Is Music? Scientific Definition:

“Sound organized in time.”

Actual Definition: add “For the expression of thoughts, ideas and emotions” to above

Music is special because it affects people without requiring participation

Why Music?Why Music? “The Mozart Effect”:

A 1993 study showed that student test scores improved after listening to Mozart

Retailers use music to put shoppers in a better mood so that they will spend more

Relieves stress, reduces pain, helps growth

The Elements of The Elements of MusicMusic

These are the basic parts of music that can be heard

They are used in all forms of music across all points in history and across all cultures

These are the most basic things to be heard

RhythmRhythm This is the way the beat

is broken down The center of rhythm is

the beat or pulse The way the pulse is

grouped is called the meter

When the pulse is subdivided, rhythm is created

MelodyMelody This is the main line

of music It is the part that is

sung in pop songs It moves up and down

by pitch It can move by steps,

skips or leaps This is the horizontal

placement of pitch

HarmonyHarmony This is how sounds are

blended together They can be consonant

(sound good-blend) They can be dissonant

(sound bad-clash) These are the chords The way music is put

together vertically

FormForm This is the structure of

a piece Traditional forms are

binary (AB) and ternary (ABA)

The verse, chorus form used in pop songs is binary

Other forms are round, theme & variation, sonata

DynamicsDynamics This is the volume of

music Terms are Italian Fortissimo-Very Loud Forte-Loud Mezzo Forte-Med. Loud Mezzo Piano-Med. Soft Piano-Soft Pianissimo-Very Soft

TempoTempo This is the speed of the

pulse Terms are Italian Presto-Fast Andante-Medium Largo-Slow Some music can give

different feels based on tempo

Timbre/Tone Timbre/Tone ColorColor

This is the unique sound that each instrument makes

Just like each of your friends’ voices sound different, so do instruments

Differences can be great or very detailed

StyleStyle The overall

characteristics of sound in a piece

Musical style is more diverse today than in any other time in history

Style is influences by time, culture and technology