Southern Elementary Music Program
Elements of Music
Rhythm • Concepts: • Music may be comparatively fast or slow, depending on the speed of the underlying pulse. • Music may become faster or slower by changing the speed of the underlying pulse. • A series of beats may be organized into regular or irregular groupings by stressing certain beats.
Rhythm • Individual sounds and silences within a rhythmic line may be longer than, shorter than, or the same as other sounds within the line. • Individual sounds and silences within a rhythmic line may be longer than, shorter than or the same as the underlying steady beat or shortest pulse. • Accented sounds within a rhythmic line may sound with, before or after the accented underlying beat. http://www.empire.k12.ca.us/capistrano/Mike/capmusic/rhythm/rhythm.htm
Dynamics • Concepts: • Music may be comparatively loud or soft. • Music may become louder or softer. • Dynamics can be: Forte (loud). Mezzo forte (medium loud). Piano (soft). Mezzo piano (medium soft). Crescendo (Gradually becoming louder) Decrescendo (Gradually becoming softer) http://www.empire.k12.ca.us/capistrano/Mike/capmusic/glossary%20of%20musical%20terms/glossary.htm
Style • Concepts: • Musical elements are combined into a whole to express a musical or extra musical idea. • The expressiveness of music is affected by the way timbre, dynamics, articulation, rhythm, melody, harmony, form, tempo, and texture contribute to the musical whole. • Styles/genres: blues, pop, rock, rap, country, game songs, work songs, lullabies, marches, patriotic, folk songs. http://www.lib.virginia.edu/speccol/exhibits/music/hymns_shout.html • Cultures and periods: native American, west African, American folk, baroque, contemporary.
Timbre • Concepts: • The quality of a sound is determined by the sound source. • The quality of a sound is affected by the material, shape, and size of the source. • The quality of a sound is affected by the way the sound is produced. • The total sound is affected by the number and qualities of sounds occurring at the same time.
Timbre • Families of the orchestra: woodwind, brass, string, and percussion. • Woodwinds: flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, saxophone, English horn. • Brass: trumpet, trombone, French horn, tuba. • Strings: violin, viola, cello, double violin, harp. • Percussion: snare drum, bass drum, cymbals, xylophone, triangle. • Voice: soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, bass. http://www.empire.k12.ca.us/capistrano/Mike/capmusic/instruments/instruments.htm
Tempo • Concepts • The speed of the beat • Tempo can be : Presto (very fast) Allegro ( fast) Andante (walking speed) Adagio (slow) Largo (very slow) Ritardando (gradually slow down)
Harmony • Concepts: • Chords and melody may move simultaneously in relation to each other. • A series of simultaneous sounds may alternate between activity and rest. • Two or more pitches may be sounded simultaneously. • Two or more musical lines may occur simultaneously.
Melody • Concepts: • A series of pitches may move up, down, or remain the same. • A series of pitches may move up or down by steps or skips. http://www.empire.k12.ca.us/capistrano/Mike/capmusic/melody/melody.htm
Melody • Each pitch within a melody moves in relation to a home tone. • A series of pitches bounded by the octave "belong together," forming a tonal set. • A melody may be relatively high or low. • Individual pitches, when compared to each other, may be higher, lower, or the same.
Form • Concepts: • A musical whole begins, continues, and ends. • A musical whole is a combination of smaller segments. • A musical whole may be made up of same, varied, or contrasting segments.
Form • A series of sounds may form a distinct musical idea within the musical whole. • A musical whole may include an introduction, interludes, and an ending segment. • AB (2 part), ABA (3part), rounds, call/response, verse/chorus.
