Transcript The Elements of Music

The Elements of Music
Terms You Must Know
What Is Music?
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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?
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“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 Music
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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
Rhythm
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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
Melody
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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
Harmony
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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
Form
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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
Dynamics
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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
Tempo
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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 Color
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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
Style
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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