Transcript Ch 1. What is music?

Chapter 1:
Music, Sound,
and Time
Key Terms
vibrations
pitch
frequency
scales
dynamics
amplitude
decibels
forte
Piano
Mezzo
pianissimo
Fortissimo
subito
Crescendo
Diminuendo
tone color
Timbre
overtones
duration
rhythm
What is Music?
Music can be defined many way and
means different things to everyone
For this class we will use the definition
Sound in Time
What is Sound?
How do humans experience sound?
If you said “We perceive vibrating air
molecules that are decoded by our brains”. Give your self a pat on the back
The next 2 slides will trace the steps between:
• A musician playing one note
• Our ears receiving it
• And our brains processing it
Sound Vibrations
The sound of A-440:
A Violinist plucks the “A” string on their Violin
The String vibrates 440 times each second
The Vibrations from the string forces air
molecules to vibrate at same frequency
Air waves radiate outward at about 1,000 ft. (305
meters) per second
The ear, like a satellite dish, intercepts air waves
Sound Vibrations
Vibrating air molecules set eardrum in
motion at same rate (440 cycles/second)
Vibration passes through ear bones to
corresponding auditory nerve in cochlea
Cochlear nerve sends electrical impulse to
brain
Brain perceives impulse as a specific pitch
Note power of even a single sound to
change the atmosphere in the room!
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<-- Click here to change atmosphere
Sound Vibrations
Human ear’s extraordinary sound
processing ability
Ear can process vibrations from around 20
to 20,000 cycles/second
Even complex sounds (orchestral music,
noise, environmental sound), received by
the ear as composite sound shapes, can
be interpreted by the brain and broken
down into their individual sounds
Sound Vibrations
Scientific Understanding of Sounds
Frequency
• Measured in cycles per second
Amplitude
• Measured in decibels
Overtones
• Fractional vibrations of sound-producing body
(partials)
Duration
• Measured in Minutes and Seconds
Sound Vibrations
Musical Understanding of Sounds
Frequency
• Heard as pitch
Amplitude
• Heard as loudness (dynamics)
Overtones
• Heard as tone color (timbre)
Duration
• Heard as beat and tempo
Frequency
Aspects of pitch
Definite or indefinite
High or low
Female or male voices
•
•
•
•
Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Bass
Amplitude
Aspects of dynamics
Loud or soft
• forte
• piano
Gradual changes
• crescendo
• decrescendo (diminuendo)
Sudden changes
• subito forte or subito piano
Dynamics
pp
p
mp
mf
f
ff
pianissimo
piano
mezzo piano
mezzo forte
forte
fortissimo
very soft
soft
medium soft
medium loud
loud
very loud
Tone Color: Overtones
Aspects of tone color
Sound-producing bodies (strings, air
columns, etc.) vibrate:
• as a whole (fundamental pitch)
• in fractions (halves, thirds, quarters, etc.)
Fractional vibrations are called overtones,
or upper partials
Overtones are higher pitches, much softer
than the fundamental
Some Example of Over Tones
Example of Multiple instruments on A-440
click link above to play
Tone Color: Overtones
Tone color determined by:
Number, proportion, and relative strength
of overtones
• Different for each instrument
Attack characteristic
• Noise associated with sound production
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Scraping of bow on string
Thwack of piano hammer
Buzzing of lips in brass mouthpiece
etc.
Tone Color: Overtones
Descriptions of tone color
Descriptive adjectives
• Bright, warm, ringing, hollow, etc.
Specific instruments
• Bowed strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion,
keyboard, plucked strings, or human voice
Musical ensembles
• Orchestra, chamber ensembles, choirs, etc.
Duration
Aspects of duration
Sounds (and silences) exist in time
Building block for rhythm
Can be long or short
Measured by scientists or nonmusicians in
minutes, seconds, milliseconds, etc.
Measured by musicians in measures,
beats, and fractions of beats