ELEMENTS OF MUSIC

There are several key elements of music. When

combined and used correctly they express
emotion and provide us with singable,
enjoyable pieces that can represent time, place
and even become what we use to describe who
we are and what we represent.

Rhythm

Definition: The patterns of long and

short sounds and silences in music.

To create a rhythm combine any variety

of notes and rests together (see your
note and rest value chart).

Rhythms can and are performed

throughout any piece of music by any
instrument, however, we can mostly
recognize a rhythm when it is performed
on a percussion instrument.

Beat

Definition: A steady pulse contained in

music.

Music is organized with time

signatures that indicate how many
beats are found within one measure of
music.

The top number of the time signature

indicates how many beats will appear
in one measure/bar of music.

6 over 8 means 6 beats per

4 over 4 means 4 beats per

bar

4
bar

The bottom number of the time

signature indicates what type of note
receives one beat.
The 8 in 6/8 time means an eighth note receives one beat

2
4

3
4

4
4

6
8

The 4 in 4/4 time means a quarter notes receives one beat

The time signature appears at the

beginning of the music after the clef
(treble or bass).

It does not appear in any other

measure unless there is a time
change throughout the piece.

Tempo

Definition: The pace or speed at

which a piece of music is performed.

Tempo markings are traditionally given

in Italian and the words that refer to
tempo can be categorized in the
following ways:

SLOW

Grave extremely slow and solemn

Adagio very slow

Lento slow

Largo slow and broad

Larghetto less slow than largo

MEDIUM

Andante rather slow, at a moderate

walking pace

Andantino a little faster than andante

Moderato at a moderate pace

Allegretto fairly quick, slightly slower

than allegro

FAST

Con moto with movement, or a certain quickness

Allegro lively, rather quick

Vivace quick and lively

Veloce with velocity

Rapido rapid

Presto very quick

Prestissimo as quick as possible

Other words that refer to Tempo

Accelerando gradually getting

quicker

Meno mosso less movement, slower

Ritardando gradually getting slower

Rallentando gradually getting slower

Tempo rubato robbed time

DYNAMICS

Definition: The volume of the sound, as

well as the style in which the performer
plays the instrument/music.

It is important to not confuse how loud or

soft something is on a recorded
performance. It is easy to turn up (or
down) the volume using an electronic
device.

Dynamics

When dynamics are discussed in

regards to orchestration we are
referring to how loud or soft each
instrument can perform on its own,
the stylistic elements that support that
sound and finally what dynamics they
can create when combining and
performing as an ensemble or
orchestra.

Italian Terminology
Italian
Terminology
pianissimo
piano
mezzo piano
mezzo forte
forte
fortissimo

SYMBOL

Translation

pp (ppp)
P

As soft as possible
Soft

mp
mf
f

Medium soft
Medium loud
Loud

ff (fff)

As loud as possible

Variations in Volume
Italian Terminology

SYMBOL

Translation

Crescendo

Gradually louder

Decrescendo

Gradually softer

Sforzando

sfz

Forte piano

fp

or sf

Strongly accented
Loud, then immediately
soft

Terminology referring to style of

playing
Italian Terminology
brilliante or con brio

Translation
With brilliance or vivacity

cantabile
dolce
legato

In a singing style
Sweetly
Smoothly

scherzando
staccato
tenuto

Playfully
Detached
Held

vivace

Lively

TIMBRE

Definition: The unique quality or

qualities inherent in sounds that allow
us to distinguish between them.

Timber (TAMBOUR as in
tambourine) has also been referred
to as the tone colouring of an
instrument.

The distinct tone quality of an

instrument can be represented by the
colour that matches the sound.

Let us consider the Flute.

What colour(s) would you think best
represents the sound quality of this
instrument?

It is also important to consider how the

instrument is being played.

Quickly review in your notes some of

the Italian terminology that is used to
describe the styles of how one can
perform on their instrument...

At this point, depending on the style in

which the instrument is being played,
specific colours and/or descriptive
words could be used to best interpret
the sounds you hear!

There are major differences between

the families of instruments and how
they sound.

There are also differences that occur

within each family. For example Flute
vs. Bassoon (both Woodwind),
however very different tone qualities.

PITCH

Definition: The degree of highness or

lowness of a sound.

The Staff

Music is written on a STAFF of five

lines and the four spaces between

5
4
3
2
1
It is important to remember to count from the bottom
up!

Music Notation

Music notes are oval shaped symbols

that are placed on the lines and in the
spaces. They represent musical
sounds, called PITCHES.

If the notes appear higher on the staff

they sound higher in pitch.

If the notes appear lower on the staff

they sound lower in pitch.

Organizing Musical Sounds

Musical notes are named after the first

seven letters of the alphabet:

A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C ...
they keep repeating over and over and
by their position on the staff they can
represent the entire range of musical
sound.

Clefs in Music Notation

Clef signs help to organize the staff so

notes can easily be read.

Treble Clef

The treble clef is used for notes in the

higher pitch ranges. The treble clef
(or G clef) has evolved from a stylized
letter G into the present:

The curl of the treble clef circles the

line on which the note G is placed.
This G is above middle C (The C
nearest the middle of the keyboard).

Note naming patterns drawing

and naming notes!

Take out a pencil and on a new sheet

of paper create the following a blank
staff:

Use a ruler if you have one to ensure

they are straight and even!

Now draw the treble clef and create 5

notes, one on each line (leave some
space between each note so that they
do not stack on top of each other).
Somewhat like this...

Do not colour them in and only draw

them on the five lines!

Now lets name the five line notes that

appear in the treble clef...

Note naming patterns

In the treble staff the names of the line
notes from bottom to top are:
EGBDF
This order can be memorized with the
saying:
Every, Good, Boy, Deserves, Fudge

Or...

Now recreate a new staff (including

the treble clef) and fill in the four
spaces using whole notes...

Get ready to name them...

The names of notes in the spaces

spell the word:

FACE

The Bass Clef

The Bass clef (pronounced base) is

used for notes in the lower pitch
ranges. The bass clef (or F clef) has
evolved from the stylized letter f into:

The two dots of the bass clef surround

the fourth line, the line on which the
note F is played.

For a third time create a staff on your

paper only this time practice drawing
the bass clef try to place the two
dots directly in the 3rd and 4th space
surrounding that fourth line.

It is very important to indicate the dots

in those exact spaces or you are not
drawing the symbol correctly!

Now draw on the 5 line notes leaving

room in between (no snowman or
stacking!)

Lets name these notes...

In the bass staff the names of the

notes on the lines from bottom to top
are:
GBDFA
The phrase that can help you
memorize this order is:
Good, Boys, Do, Fine, Always

Or...

Finally, one last time create a staff

(including the bass clef) and draw on
the four space notes

Unfortunately the space note names

do not combine to make a word.

Do you know a phrase that can be

used as a way to identify the notes of
the bass clef?

The space notes appear from bottom

to top as:
ACEG

The phrase that can help you

memorize this order is:
All, Cows, Eat, Grass
Or...

MELODY

Definition: A series of pitches that

move forward (the sing-able part)
within a piece of music.

Types of Melody

There are two types of Melody.

CONJUNCT

A conjunct melody is a melody that

moves in stepwise motion.

DISJUNCT

A Disjunct melody is one that moves

with more leaps (jumps) than steps.

HARMONY

Definition: Combinations of pitches

sounding simultaneously.

Consider two performers presenting a

piece to an audience. If one
instrument is performing on whole
notes while the other is playing the
main melody there will be harmony.

Instruments that have strings (violin,

harp) or tuned percussion (piano,
xylophone) can play harmony on their
own.

However, instruments like Flute,

Clarinet, or Trumpet, need to have
other performers playing with them for
the harmony to occur.

FORM

Definition: The structure of a piece of

music, the way a piece of music is
organized.

There are many forms in music, but

the main elements you need to
consider when defining a piece of
music is the repetition and contrast
that occurs in the melody.

Forms have been categorized based

on letter names, for example A B form
is known as BINARY Form

ABA form is known as TERNARY

Form where there is a repeat of an
entire section the A section of the
melody.

In Modern or 20th Century music

sections or musical ideas have been
categorized using the terms Chorus
(or Refrain) and Verse.
There may even be a Bridge which is
sometimes a completely different idea
within the melody that often occurs
near the end of the song.

Example:

Verse1 Chorus Verse2 Chorus Bridge Chorus

Chorus

The text of most Modern music can

easily organize the sections of the
melody as we can (almost always)
understand the language and
therefore identify where the repetition
of the melody occurs.

TEXTURE

Definition: The fabric or layering of

sound created by melody, harmony
and tone colouring (timbre).

Consider all of the instrumentation that

can be combined to create a single
piece of music.

Each instrument is responsible for a

melodic and/or rhythmic line.

When each instrument combines

together with the ensemble (orchestra)
the texture is specific to what and how
they are performing.

Different Textures

Homophonic:
A soloist performing a melody.

Monophonic:
A soloist performing a melody with
accompaniment (for example Flute
with Piano).

Polyphonic:
Many musicians
performing/combining rhythmic and

Resources for images:

world-of-songwriting.com