The Elements of Music

Dynamics

Dynamics describes the * of music: how * (loud) or * (soft) the music is. Dynamic changes may be * (sudden) or gradual, featuring * (gradual increases) and * (gradual decreases) in *.

Crescendo Diminuendo Forte Piano Subito Volume

Timbre

Timbre describes the * or * of a sound. Each musical * has its own distinctive timbre. Musical instruments from the same * often have similar timbres. The main families of musical instruments include *, *, *, * and * (electronic instruments).

Brass Family Instrument Nature Percussion Quality Strings Synthesisers Woodwind

Tempo

Tempo describes the * of a piece of music. The tempo of a piece is measured by its * (beat), and how * or * this is. The tempo may be * (fast), * (moderate), * (walking pace) or * (slow). The tempo of a piece of music may change gradually, with an *: a gradual increase, or * (also known as * or *): a gradual decrease in tempo.

Accelerando Adagio Allargando Allegro Andante Fast Moderato Pulse Rallentando Ritenuto Slow Speed

Pitch and Melody

Pitch describes how * or * a sound is. When different pitches are played one after another, a * (tune) is created. When different pitches are played simultaneously, * is created. A melody may be * (also known as * or *): 'stepping' between notes which are close in pitch (e.g. ABCDEFG etc). A melody may be * (also known as *): 'jumping' between notes which are more distant in pitch (e.g. AEA#F. A melody may * (get higher) in pitch or * (get lower) in pitch.

Angular Ascend Conjunct Descend Disjunct Harmony High Low Melody Scalic Stepwise

Rhythm

Rhythm describes how musical * (including *) and * (known as *) of different * (lengths) are organised, one after another, to create a *. Combining * and * note lengths in different ways results in different rhythms. It is common to create rhythmic patterns from notes of equal length. These might be described as * rhythms. It is common to create rhythmic patterns from pairs of notes, the first longer, the second shorter. These might be described as * or * rhythms. It is common to create rhythmic patterns in which notes avoid the strong beats of the bar, emphasising * instead. These might be described as * rhythms.

Dotted Durations Even Off-beats Longer Pattern Pitches Rests Shorter Silences Sounds Swing Syncopated

Harmony

Harmony describes the * between sounds of different * played or sung *. Pitches which come from the same * (and therefore * each other) create * harmony when heard together. Pitches which come from different * (and therefore * with each other) create * harmony when heard together.

Chord Chords Clash Complement Consonant Dissonant Pitches Relationship Simultaneously

Tonality

Tonality describes the collection of * (notes) used to compose a piece of music, and the * of these * to each other.

Most music is composed of pitches which are * related: pitches which belong to the same * or * (that is, a pattern of related notes). This music can be described as * or *. The two most common tonalities are * keys (which usually sound 'happier') and * keys (which usually sound more 'sad' or 'angry').

Some music is composed of pitches which are * related: the pitches do not belong to the same * or *. This music can be described as *.

Atonal Closely Diatonic Distantly Key Major Minor Pitches Relationship Scale Tonal

Texture

Texture describes the * of lines of music (or pitches) heard * in a piece of music, and the * between these lines of music.

Number Relationship Simultaneously

Types of texture include:

* textures: a single line of music is heard. This texture may be played by more than one instrument in * (at the same pitch) or in * (an octave apart).

*, also known as * textures: two or more lines of music are heard simultaneously, each of equal importance, each moving independently of the other(s).

* textures: two or more lines of music are heard simultaneously. One prominent line of music is supported by other accompanying lines of music.

* : a type of homophony in which one prominent line of music is supported by other accompanying lines of music playing independent accompanying patterns.

* : a type of homophony in which one prominent line of music (usually the highest in pitch) is supported by other accompanying lines of music (usually lower in pitch) playing the same rhythm but different pitches so as to create chords.

* textures: the same melodic motif(s) are heard in two or more lines of music, but starting at different times so as to overlap. Formal types of imitation (those which follow specific rules) include * and *.

* textures: two or more musicians perform the same line of music together, but each musician ornaments (decorates) the line of music differently with different / additional notes. This texture is common in folk music.

* textures, also known as *: two or more musicians, or groups of musicians, play one after another, alternating as if in conversation.

* (also known as *): music accompanied by a sustained or repeated pitch, often in the bass (the lowest pitch). As the melody and harmony changes, the sustained/repeated pitch does not.

Antiphonal - Call and response - Canon - Chordal homophony - Contrapuntal - Drone - Fugue - Heterophonic - Homophonic - Imitative - Melody dominated homophony - Monophonic - (Parallel) octaves - Pedal note - Polyphonic - Unison