Transcript Sound - Warren County Schools

UNIT 1: ELEMENTS
Chapter 1: Sound: Pitch, Dynamics & Tone Color
Sound


Sounds begin with the vibration of an object.
Those vibrations are transmitted as sound waves to
our ears by a medium.
 What



mediums can be used to transmit sound?
Once the vibrations reach our eardrums, they start
vibrating.
Impulses (or signals) are then transmitted to our
brain.
There, they are selected, organized & interpreted.
Sound

Three main methods of creating sound:
 Striking
 Scraping
 Plucking

Four main properties of sound:
 Pitch
 Dynamics
 Tone
Color
 Duration
Pitch


The relative highness or lowness that we hear in a
sound.
The pitch of a sound is determined by the frequency
of its sound wave.
 The
faster the vibration, the higher the pitch
 The slower the vibration, the lower the pitch
Pitch

A sound with a definite pitch is called a tone.
 Tones
have specific frequencies.
 The number of cycles per second is called a frequency.
 A common frequency is “A-440”
 We


call the tone of 440 cycles per second an “A”
Two tones sound different when they have different
pitches.
The distance in pitch between any two tones is called
an interval.
 Example:
A-440 & C-523.3
Pitch

When you double or halve a frequency, you create
the interval of an octave.
 Example:
A-440 up an octave is A-880
 Example: A-440 down an octave is A-220

Two pitches that are separated by an octave blend
extremely well.
Pitch

There are an infinite number of pitches between
octaves.
 Demonstration

However, there are only 12 typical tones used in
western music:
 A,
A#/Bb, B, C, C#/Db, D, D#/Eb, E, F, F#/Gb, G,
G#/Ab
 These correspond with the 12 keys of the piano:
The 12 Pitches of Western Music
Pitch

Range – the distance between the lowest and highest
tones that a voice or instrument can produce
 The
average untrained voice has a range of 1 ½
octaves.
 The piano has a range of over 7 octaves
Pitch

Definite pitch – a pitch with a specific frequency
 Wind
& String instruments and voices have a definite
pitch

Indefinite pitch – a pitch without a specific
frequency
 Many
percussion instruments are based on indefinite
pitch:
 Snare
drum
 Bass Drum
 Gong
 Others?
Dynamics


Dynamics are degrees of loudness or softness in music.
Dynamics are related to the amplitude of the sound
wave.
 The
amplitude is the height of the sound wave.
 The
bigger the amplitude, the louder the sound.
 The smaller the amplitude, the softer the sound.
Dynamics Chart
Term
pianissimo
piano
mezzo piano
mezzo*
mezzo forte
forte
fortissimo
Abbreviation
pp
p
mp
m
mf
f
ff
Meaning
very soft
soft
moderately soft
moderate
moderately loud
loud
very loud
* Mezzo is very rarely used. It is most often used with piano or forte.
Dynamics

There are extremes of the dynamic range
 ppp
– pianississimo – extremely soft
 pppp – pianissississimo – almost nonexistant
 fff – fortississimo – extremely loud
 ffff – fortissississimo – bombastic

These are typically used to indicate degree of
softness or loudness. They are mainly for effect.
Dynamics
Dynamics can change either gradually or suddenly.
 Gradual changes are notated by the following
notations:
Symbol
Term
Meaning
decrescendo (decresc.) gradually softer
or dimenuendo (dim.)
crescendo (cresc.)
gradually louder

Dynamics


Unlike (definite) pitch, dynamics are NOT absolutely
precise.
Dynamics are relative to one another within the
context of the piece or situation.
Sound Waves Visualized
Tone Color


Also called timbre (pronounced tam-ber).
Timbre is how we can differentiate one type of
sound from another.
 Example:
The difference in a flute or a trumpet.
 Example: The differences in people’s voices.
 Can you tell the difference?

Used to create variety and contrast in a word
Listening

The Firebird, Scene 2 (1910)
 Igor



Stravinsky
One melody repeated over and over
Dynamics, tone color, and rhythm are used to create
musical variety & contrast
Instrumentation:
 Piccolo,
3 flutes, 3 oboes, English horn, 3 clarinets, bass
clarinet, 3 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 6 trumpets,
tuba, timpani, triangle, cymbals, bass drum, 3 harps, 1st
violins, 2nd violins, violas, cellos, double basses
Listening

C Jam Blues (1942)


8 Parts:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Duke Ellington & His Famous Orchestra
Piano, repeated note melody
Saxophone, repeated note melody
Violin alone, then accompanied
Muted cornet alone, then accompanied
Tenor saxophone alone, then accompanied
Muted trombone alone, then accompanied
Clarinet alone, then accompanied
Full group
This is a prime example of improvisation – music created at the
same time it is performed.
Chapter Wrap-Up

4 characteristics of sound
 Pitch
- The relative highness or lowness that we hear in a
sound.
 Dynamics - are degrees of loudness or softness in music.
 Tone Color
 Rhythm (discussed later)

The characteristics are used to create variety and
contrast in music.