Dynamics and
expressive techniques
Introduction
Emotion and personal expression can be communicated through music by using a variety of dynamics and other expressive techniques.
Each style of music has its own approach to using dynamics and expressive techniques.
Dynamics
Dynamics refer to the volume of a piece of music. The changes can be sudden or gradual.
In order from softest to loudest, western music uses the following abbreviations to describe dynamics.
ppp pp p mp mf f ff fff
Dynamics change when the performer alters the volume, or through the addition and subtraction of instruments.
Expressive techniques
When a musician or singer plays their instrument in an expressive or unusual way, they are using an expressive technique.
Common examples of expressive techniques include slurs, vibrato, accents, glottal stop, pizzicato, distortion and mute.
Conceptual links
An expressive melody usually combines at least 3 concepts:
duration (various rhythms)
pitch (melodic contour) and
dynamics (changes in volume).
Suggested activities
Teaching notes
Formative assessment
Engagement with the concept of dynamics and expressive techniques can be observed and assessed through activities that encourage students to:
create a variety of dynamics (clapping)
observe changes in dynamics, using visual representation to demonstrate the changes.
Syllabus outcomes
The student:
demonstrates an understanding of musical concepts through exploring, experimenting, improvising, organising, arranging and composing (4.4)
demonstrates an understanding of the musical concepts through listening, observing, responding, discriminating, analysing, discussing and recording musical ideas (4.7)
demonstrates an understanding of musical concepts through aural identification and discussion of the features of a range of repertoire (4.8)
demonstrates musical literacy through the use of notation, terminology, and the reading and interpreting of scores used in the music selected for study (4.9).
Music 7-10 Syllabus © NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2003, accessed 04/04/22.