Elements of Music

Rhythm – Element of TIME in music. Beat - The beat is the basic unit of time, the pulse. Tempo - The pace of the fundamental beat. Syncopation - An "off-the-beat" sound or accent.

 Meter - Beats organized into recognizable/ recurring accent patterns. Meter can be seen/felt through the standard patterns used by conductors.

 Snare Drum solo  The Washington Post (1889) John Sousa  Waltz No. 2 – From Jazz Suite No. 2 Demitri Shostakovich  Billie Jean  Michael Jackson

Melody - T he presentation of pitch. It is a series of notes presented in succession. Many famous musical compositions have a memorable melody or theme. Pitch - The word used to describe the highness or lowness of a musical sound.

 Theme from Schindler’s List Composer: John Williams

Harmony – The quality or sound of pitches when played together in groups. Consonant - a smooth-sounding harmonic combination Dissonant - a harsh-sounding harmonic combination

 Twinkle Twinkle Little Star  Dissonant Music

All musical aspects relating to the relative loudness (or quietness) of music fall under the general element of DYNAMICS. Pp - pianissimo P - Piano Mp - Mezzo piano Mf - Mezzo forte F - Forte Ff - fortissimo

 If you play a "C" on the piano and then sing that "C", you and the piano have obviously produced the same pitch; however, your voice has a different sound quality than the piano.  Composers use timbre much like painters use colors to evoke certain effects on a canvas.

 Bolero  Maurice Ravel

Texture - Refers to the number of individual musical lines (melodies) and the relationship these lines have to one another. Monophonic Texture – Music with only one musical line sounding at a time (having no harmony or accompaniment).

Homophonic Texture - Music with two or more notes sounding at a the same time, but generally featuring a prominent melody in the upper part, supported by a less intricate harmonic accompaniment underneath.

 Polyphonic Texture - Music with two or more independent melodies sounding at the same time.

 Little Fugue in G minor ( )  Johann Sebastian Bach

Form - The overall structure or plan of a piece of music. Basic Forms Strophic Form: a design in VOCAL music, in which the same music is used for several different verses (strophes) of words. [Example: "Deck the Halls" has many verses of words sung to the same music.] A A 1 A 2 A 3 Binary Form: a two-part form A B A B A B

Aim: Musical Forms Do Now: When you go to a restaurant, what are the steps you need to take to get your meal enjoy it and leave? Rondo Form: A B A C A D A…

 Strophic  America the beautiful  Rondo  Fur elise  Ternary  Beatles - Yesterday