COLLEGE OF ACCOUNTANCY

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BURGOS ST., PANIQUI, TARLAC

MUSIC ART
(CHAPTER 3: PRELUDE: LEARNING TO LISTEN)

(NARRATIVE REPORT)

A REPORT SUBMITTED
To:

ROCEL MADLAY

TEACHER IN ART APPRECIATON

IN PARTIAL FULLFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS IN MIDTERM

By:
PATRICIA MAE D. VERGARA

STUDENT
 INTRODUCTION

We start our journey with lesson 1, which opens to the aural realm, contrasting the
concepts of sound and silence, music and noise. Lessons 2 and 3 deal with the basic elements of
music. All throughout this chapter, we will be listening to samples that will contribute toward
appreciating, understanding, and ultimately cultivating a love for music. There is no better
substitute to appreciating music than directly exposing the ears, our faculties for hearing, to the
vast world of sounds and music out here.
The sense of hearing is one of the most precious gifts God has given to man. However,
most of the time, we tend to take gifts for granted. With our busy schedules, we do not have
much time to enjoy quiet and solitude or hear and appreciate distant sounds from faraway places.
People in highly urbanized cities do not usually get the chance to be awakened by the crowing of
a rooster at dawn, but by alarm clocks or their smartphones. In the middle of a lecture, students
minds wander off hearing their teachers voice but not really listening attentively. See, listening
and hearing are two different things. Throughout the course of this module, we will be listening
a lot, not just hearing music. And that takes an active effort to pay attention to details, react, and
give meaning to what we hear.
There is no simple definition of music which covers all cases. It is an art form,
and opinions come into play. Music is whatever people think is music. A different approach is to
list the qualities music must have, such as, sound which has rhythm, melody, pitch, timbre, etc.
These and other attempts, do not capture all aspects of music, or leave out examples which
definitely are music. According to Thomas Clifton, music is "a certain reciprocal relation
established between a person, his behavior, and a sounding object".[1]p10 Musical experience and
the music, together, are called phenomena, and the activity of describing phenomena is
called phenomenology.

“Music” is one of the most difficult terms to define, partially because beliefs about music
have changed dramatically over time just in Western culture alone. If we look at music in
different parts of the world, we find even more variations and ideas about what music is.
Definitions range from practical and theoretical (the Greeks, for example, defined music as
“tones ordered horizontally as melodies and vertically as harmony”) to quite philosophical
(according to philosopher Jacques Attali, music is a sonoric event between noise and silence, and
according to Heidegger, music is something in which truth has set itself to work). There are also
the social aspects of music to consider. As musicologist Charles Seeger notes, “Music is a
system of communication involving structured sounds produced by members of a community
that communicate with other members” (1992, p.89). Ethnomusicologist John Blacking declares
that “we can go further to say that music is sound that is humanly patterned or organized”
(1973), covering all of the bases with a very broad stroke. Some theorists even believe that there
can be no universal definition of music because it is so culturally specific.

Although we may find it hard to imagine, many cultures, such as those found in the
countries of Africa or among some indigenous groups, don’t have a word for music. Instead, the
relationship of music and dance to everyday life is so close that the people have no need to
conceptually separate the two. According to the ethnomusicologist Bruno Nettl (2001), some
North American Indian languages have no word for “music” as distinct from the word “song.”
Flute melodies too are labeled as “songs.” The Hausa people of Nigeria have an extraordinarily
rich vocabulary for discourse about music, but no single word for music. The Basongye of Zaire
have a broad conception of what music is, but no corresponding term. To the Basongye, music is
a purely and specifically human product. For them, when you are content, you sing, and when
you are angry, you make noise (2001). The Kpelle people of Liberia have one word, “sang,” to
describe a movement that is danced well (Stone, 1998, p. 7). Some cultures favor certain aspects
of music. Indian classical music, for example, does not contain harmony, but only the three
textures of a melody, rhythm, and a drone. However, Indian musicians more than make up for a
lack of harmony with complex melodies and rhythms not possible in the West due to the
inclusion of harmony (chord progressions), which require less complex melodies and rhythms.

What we may hear as music in the West may not be music to others. For example, if we
hear the Qur’an performed, it may sound like singing and music. We hear all of the “parts”
which we think of as music—rhythm, pitch, melody, form, etc. However, the Muslim
understanding of that sound is that it is really heightened speech or recitation rather than music,
and belongs in a separate category. The philosophical reasoning behind this is complex: in
Muslim tradition, the idea of music as entertainment is looked upon as degrading; therefore, the
holy Qur’an cannot be labeled as music

Although the exact definition of music varies widely even in the West, music contains
melody, harmony, rhythm, timbre, pitch, silence, and form or structure. What we know about
music so far…

 Music is comprised of sound.

 Music is made up of both sounds and silences.
 Music is intentionally made art.
 Music is humanly organized sound (Bakan, 2011).

A working definition of music for our purposes might be as follows: music is an intentionally
organized art form whose medium is sound and silence, with core elements
of pitch (melody and harmony), rhythm (meter, tempo, and articulation), dynamics, and the
qualities of timbre and texture.

Beyond a standard definition of music, there are behavioral and cultural aspects to consider.
As Titon notes in his seminal text Worlds of Music (2008), we “make” music in two different
ways: we make music physically; i.e., we bow the strings of a violin, we sing, we press down the
keys of a piano, we blow air into a flute. We also make music with our
minds, mentally constructing the ideas that we have about music and what we believe about
music; i.e., when it should be performed or what music is “good” and what music is “bad.” For
example, the genre of classical music is perceived to have a higher social status than popular
music; a rock band’s lead singer is more valued than the drummer; early blues and rock was
considered “evil” and negatively influential; we label some songs as children’s songs and deem
them inappropriate to sing after a certain age; etc.

Music, above all, works in sound and time. It is a sonic event—a communication just like
speech, which requires us to listen, process, and respond. To that end, it is a part of a continuum
of how we hear all sounds including noise, speech, and silence. 
What is Music Art?

Music s an abstract form of art maybe even the most abstract and subjective of all the
arts. Music in one form or another is perceived to have an effect on many living things. As the
saying goes.”Music hath charms to soothe the savage beast. Music appeals directly to our
emotions and opens up an avenue to the subjective states of a man.

There are many different styles and music cultures around the world, and each has its
own flavor, merit, and character. Amidst this diversity, there is one thing common in all music –
the universality of its appeal, its power to communicate, and its usefulness as a means for
expression, either individually or as a collective group of person. Each type of music is reflective
of the unique traits of that particular era, region, or style. To fully appreciate music, we must
open both our ears and minds, and not be quick to judge what we hear.

CONCEPTS OF THE AURAL REALM

SOUND - is a wave , a mechanical disturbance in matter that originates from a source

and is sent outwards. When two or more objects collide they from vibrations that are transmitted
through the air or other mediums. Hearing is the sense that perceives sounds .In humans as well
as in most animals ,the ear is the sense organ that picks up sounds. The ears also relay the sounds
,to the brain which in turn processes these as information. The sounds we hear may be classified
as music,language ,noise or a mixture of all these. The spectrum of sound is wide-the human ear
can only hear a certain range from this spectrum. This called the audible range. This range
depends on two factors; volume and the pitch of the sound. Volume refers to the loudness or
softness of a sound and is measured in decibels (dB). Sounds more than 80-90 decibels may be
dangerous to human ears when exposed for long duration s . Pitch refers to how high or low a
particular sound is and is measured in hertz ( Hz). The average hearing range for humans begins
at 20 Hz and tops out at around 20,000 Hz.

Some examples of sounds that cannot be heard by humans include: ultrasound ,

planetary,and other celestial sounds.

SILENCE - is the condition or quality of being quiet,it is basically the absence of audible
sound or noise. In music,silence is also very important parts.where there is an absence of sound
are as important and meaningful as the parts where there is sound.

MUSIC - is the art of organizing and putting together an array of sounds into a
meaningful, perceptual experience. Music usually follows certain conventional patterns to
convey a message and to express aesthetic ,cultural or artistic purposes. Music may be classified
into various genres such as classical ,popular,jazz,folk and country.

NOISE - is any sound that lacks reference to musical quality and is generallyconsidered
unpleasant or unbearable to the human ear.

BASIC ELEMENTS OF MUSIC

Great melodies create good memories

The melody to the traditional song "Pop Goes the Weasel"

What is melody?

Melody is an aspect of music which is probably the first and foremost thing that we
remember when we listen to a song or instrumental pieces. The melody leaves a lasting
impression in the minds of listeners. For example, when we try to recreate a song, especially one
that we hear on the radio ,we sing the most familiar part/s of it where the melody is “ catchy”.
This is usually found in the chorus or refrain rather than in in the verses ,though some songs
mat also have remarkable melodies found in the verses. We usually sing ,hum,or whistle to
melody that appeals to us. We also can decide whether a melody is good,mediocre,or plain trash.
Why is it that we can follow a melody? It is because of its very nature. It is because of this nature
that musicians
usually refer as a line.

A melody is a group of pitches used in a coherent pattern or succession. Thousands ifnot

millions of melodies have been composed all throughout the world’s music cultures and it is in
these melodies that human sentiments have been appealed to most directly. Each melody has
different characteristics ,some may be happy and cheerful others sombre and melancholic some
convict and bring our souls closer to God while others melodies can in still patriotism and spark
great acts of courage.

What constitutes a melody?

A melody is made up of pitches. Some parts of melody are high while some are low.
Some may also be on the middle register . A pitch is the quality of the highness or lowness of a
sound . Pitch is very important in music. If sound did not have the quality of pitch,then we would
have no distinct tunes or melodies in our songs, for all would sound like a monotonous drone.
Take note that even noise has pitch ! For example,the barking of dogs,the drilling of
jackhammers or an alarm clock going off all have pitches,but they are indefinite. This is one
reason why these sounds are not normally used as musical material. However ,some instruments
such as cymbals and the tambourine have no definite pitch ,which is why these do not usually
carry a melodic
line in music.

Harmony: Am I tune or out of tune?

Many of us love to sing. It is great way to express ourselves.whether it be an a cappella

rendition of a hymn at church or a pop song we sing while we take a bath. However ,singing lone
is not as enjoyable as singing with others,or with accompanying instruments or a background
recording. The latter experience has depth,rather than singing just one line. This is where
harmony comes in. In the visual arts,such as painting,there is this concept of perspective.
Harmony works the same in music. It gives music depth and space.

Harmony is that event in which two or more pitches or notes,sound simultaneously. Of

course not all pitch combinations may sound pleasing or harmonious to the ears,hence we have
the concept of consonance and dissonance. Consonance is when two or more notes are at rest or
resolved with each other,while dissonance is when two or more pitches sound tense or
unresolved when heard together. Dissonance may also be referred to as discord.
 Harmony and chords

When musicians play three or more different notes at the same time, this creates a chord.
In Western music, including classical music, pop music, rock music, and many related styles, the
most common chords are triads– three notes usually played at the same time. The most
commonly used chords are the major chord and the minor chord. An example of a major chord is
the three pitches C, E and G. An example of a minor chord is the three pitches A, C, and E.
(Pictured is a guitar player performing a chord on a guitar).

Harmony refers to the "vertical" sounds of pitches in music, which means pitches that are
played or sung together at the same time to create a chord. Usually, this means the notes are
played at the same time, although harmony may also be implied by a melody that outlines a
harmonic structure (i.e., by using melody notes that are played one after the other, outlining the
notes of a chord). In music written using the system of major-minor tonality ("keys"), which
includes most classical music written from 1600 to 1900 and most Western pop, rock, and
traditional music, the key of a piece determines the scale used, which centres around the "home
note" or tonic of the key. Simple classical pieces and many pop and traditional music songs are
written so that all the music is in a single key. More complex Classical, pop, and traditional
music songs and pieces may have two keys (and in some cases three or more keys). Classical
music from the Romantic era (written from about 1820–1900) often contains multiple keys, as
does jazz, especially Bebop jazz from the 1940s, in which the key or "home note" of a song may
change every four bars or even every two bars.

Texture

Texture in music refers to the various layers of melodic lines and sounds happening
simultaneously in a composition.

Musical texture is the overall sound of a piece of music or song. The texture of a piece or
song is determined by how the melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic materials are combined in a
composition, thus determining the overall nature of the sound in a piece. Texture is often
described in regard to the density, or thickness, and range, or width, between lowest and highest
pitches, in relative terms as well as more specifically distinguished according to the number of
voices, or parts, and the relationship between these voices (see common types below). For
example, a thick texture contains many 'layers' of instruments. One of these layers could be a
string section or another brass. The thickness also is affected by the amount and the richness of
the instruments. Texture is commonly described according to the number of and relationship
between parts or lines of music:
 Mono phony the most basic texture ,is a single unaccompanied melody. An example is
when someone sings a tune a cappella. Monophony: a single melody (or "tune") with
neither instrumental accompaniment nor a harmony part. A mother singing a lullaby to
her baby would be an example.
 Polyphony is the type of texture when two or more tunes/ melodies are played or sung
together at the same time. Polyphony: multiple independent melody lines that interweave
together, which are sung or played at the same time. Choral music written in
the Renaissance music era was typically written in this style. A round, which is a song
 such as "Row, Row, Row Your Boat", which different groups of singers all start to sing
at a different time, is an example of polyphony.
 Contrapuntal - derived from the word counterpoint is sometimes used interchangeably
with polyphony. An example of polyphonic music is the round song, Row, row ,row your
boat ,sung imitatively in differing time intervals .
 Homo phony - wherein a melody is accompanied and harmonized simultaneously by
chords. Here the melody is of primary interest while the accompanying chords are
subordinate to the melody. A lot popular songs and church hymns have this type of
texture. Homophony: a clear melody supported by chordal accompaniment. Most
Western popular music songs from the 19th century onward are written in this texture.

Dynamics

Dynamics- which is the property of music that deals with its loudness or softness
(volume). In music Italian terms are used to label variations in the loudness or softness of a
sound. These terms are written on the score or piece the physical written/printed form of music.

pianississimo (ppp) very very soft

pianissimo ( pp) very soft
piano (p) soft
mezzo piano (mp) moderately soft
mezzo forte (mf) moderately loud
forte( f) loud
Fortissimo (ff) very loud
fortississimo (fff) very very loud
crescendo ( cresc.) gradually getting louder <
cescresendo (decres.) gradually getting softer >
subito ( suddenly) as in;

subito forte suddenly loud

subito piano suddenly soft
sforzando(sfz) sudden strong emphasis

Rhythm

Rhythm refers to the aspect of time in music.It determines how long or how short a pitch
will sound,the employment of time patterns.the length of silences in between notes and also
covers the speed of the music .Rhythm in music gives direction and
character to each piece as we will see later. In music we use beats or counts to measure musical
time. Conductors use hand gestures or their baton to wave and count the time when directing an
orchestra,choir,or band.

Rhythm is the arrangement of sounds and silences in time. Meter animates time in regular

pulse groupings, called measures or bars, which in Western classical, popular, and traditional
music often group notes in sets of two (e.g., 2/4 time), three (e.g., 3/4 time, also known
as Waltz time, or 3/8 time), or four (e.g., 4/4 time). Meters are made easier to hear because songs
and pieces often (but not always) place an emphasis on the first beat of each grouping. Notable
exceptions exist, such as the backbeat used in much Western pop and rock, in which a song that
uses a measure that consists of four beats (called 4/4 time or common time) will have accents on
beats two and four, which are typically performed by the drummer on the snare drum, a loud and
distinctive-sounding percussion instrument. In pop and rock, the rhythm parts of a song are
played by the rhythm section, which includes chord-playing instruments (e.g., electric guitar,
acoustic guitar, piano, or other keyboard instruments), a bass instrument (typically electric bass
or for some styles such as jazz and bluegrass, double bass) and a drum kit player.
Meter is a repeating pattern of strong and weak beats . In music,there are two common types of
simple meter used; duple and triple meter. In musical notation,meter is represented with
measures or bars. The meter tells us how many beats are there in a single measure.

Duple meter- type of meter where beats are grouped in twos. The best example of this is a
march ,reflecting the movement of our two feet.

ONE TWO, ONE TWO, ONE TWO; or left right,left right

121212
( one is the strong beat,two is the weak beat)
Or
ONE TWO THREE FOUR,ONE TWO THREE FOUR
12341234
( one and three are the strong beats ,while two and four are weak . Note : Beat one is slightly
stronger than beat three,even if both of them are considered strong beats.

Triple meter- type of meter where beats are grouped in threes. An example of song that uses this
meter is “ Bahay Kubo”.

ONE TWO THREE,ONE TWO THREE

123123
(one is the strong beat,while two and three are both weak beats)

Rubato is one the concept of classical music which literally means “ robbed time” . When doing
a rubato ,musicians stretch the rhythm of the music,the meter wavers. Shifting gears-the fast lane
and the slow If the meter tells us how many beats or counts there are in a measure then tempo on
the other hand lets.us know how quickly or slowly these beats happen. Tempo dictates the pace
of music,and it sets the mood and gives character to the piece. Tempo markings are written in
Italian ,for Italian music had dominated the cultural life of the European continent from around
the late 1500’s to the mid-1700’s . The tempo means “time” in Italian.

Timbre or "tone color"

Timbre, sometimes called "color" or "tone color" is the quality or sound of a voice or
instrument.[22] Timbre is what makes a particular musical sound different from another, even
when they have the same pitch and loudness. For example, a 440 Hz A note sounds different
when it is played on oboe, piano, violin, or electric guitar. Even if different players of the same
instrument play the same note, their notes might sound different due to differences in
instrumental technique (e.g., different embouchures), different types of accessories (e.g.,
mouthpieces for brass players, reeds for oboe and bassoon players) or strings made out of
different materials for string players (e.g., gut strings versus steel strings). Even two
instrumentalists playing the same note on the same instrument (one after the other) may sound
different due to different ways of playing the instrument (e.g., two string players might hold the
bow differently).
The physical characteristics of sound that determine the perception of timbre include
the spectrum, envelope, and overtones of a note or musical sound. For electric instruments
developed in the 20th century, such as electric guitar, electric bass and electric piano, the
performer can also change the tone by adjusting equalizer controls, tone controls on the
instrument, and by using electronic effects units such as distortion pedals. The tone of the
electric Hammond organ is controlled by adjusting drawbars.
 SUMMARY

Music, Art concerned with combining vocal or instrumental sounds for beauty of form or
emotional expression, usually according to cultural standards of rhythm, melody, and, in most
Western music, harmony. Music most often implies sounds with distinct pitches that are
arranged into melodies and organized into patterns of rhythm and metre. The melody will usually
be in a certain key or mode, and in Western music it will often suggest harmony that may be
made explicit as accompanying chords or counterpoint. Music is an art that, in one guise or
another, permeates every human society. It is used for such varied social purposes as ritual,
worship, coordination of movement, communication, and entertainment.

Music is the art of arranging sounds in time through the elements of melody, harmony,
rhythm, and timbre. It is one of the universal cultural aspects of all human societies. General
definitions of music include common elements such as pitch (which governs melody and
harmony), rhythm (and its associated concepts tempo, meter, and articulation), dynamics
(loudness and softness), and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture (which are sometimes
termed the "color" of a musical sound). Different styles or types of music may emphasize, de-
emphasize or omit some of these elements. Music is performed with a vast range of instruments
and vocal techniques ranging from singing to rapping; there are solely instrumental pieces, solely
vocal pieces (such as songs without instrumental accompaniment) and pieces that combine
singing and instruments. The word derives from Greek μουσική (mousiké; "(art) of the Muses").

In its most general form, the activities describing music as an art form or cultural activity
include the creation of works of music (songs, tunes, symphonies, and so on), the criticism of
music, the study of the history of music, and the aesthetic examination of music. Ancient Greek
and Indian philosophers defined music in two parts: melodies, as tones ordered horizontally, and
harmonies as tones ordered vertically. Common sayings such as "the harmony of the spheres"
and "it is music to my ears" point to the notion that music is often ordered and pleasant to listen
to. However, 20th-century composer John Cage thought that any sound can be music, saying, for
example, "There is no noise, only sound."

The creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of music vary according
to culture and social context. Indeed, throughout history, some new forms or styles of music have
been criticized as "not being music", including Beethoven's Grosse Fuge string quartet in 1825,
early jazz in the beginning of the 1900s[ and hardcore punk in the 1980s. There are many types
of music, including popular music, traditional music, art music, music written for religious
ceremonies, and work songs such as chanteys. Music ranges from strictly organized
compositions—such as Classical music symphonies from the 1700s and 1800s—through to
spontaneously played improvisational music such as jazz, and avant-garde styles of chance-based
contemporary music from the 20th and 21st centuries.

Music can be divided into genres (e.g., country music) and genres can be further divided
into subgenres (e.g., alternative country and country pop are two of the many country subgenres),
although the dividing lines and relationships between music genres are often subtle, sometimes
open to personal interpretation, and occasionally controversial. For example, it can be hard to
draw the line between some early 1980s hard rock and heavy metal. Within the arts, music may
be classified as a performing art, a fine art, or as an auditory art. Music may be played or sung
and heard live at a rock concert or orchestra performance, heard live as part of a dramatic work
(a music theater show or opera), or it may be recorded and listened to on a radio, MP3 player,
CD player, smartphone or as film score or TV show.

In many cultures, music is an important part of people's way of life, as it plays a key role
in religious rituals, rite of passage ceremonies (e.g., graduation and marriage), social activities
(e.g., dancing) and cultural activities ranging from amateur karaoke singing to playing in an
amateur funk band or singing in a community choir. People may make music as a hobby, like a
teen playing cello in a youth orchestra, or work as a professional musician or singer. The music
industry includes the individuals who create new songs and musical pieces (such as songwriters
and composers), individuals who perform music (which include orchestra, jazz band and rock
band musicians, singers and conductors), individuals who record music (music producers and
sound engineers), individuals who organize concert tours, and individuals who sell recordings,
sheet music, and scores to customers. Even once a song or piece has been performed, music
critics, music journalists, and music scholars may assess and evaluate the piece and its
performance

Music, above all, works in sound and time. It is a sonic event—a communication just like
speech, which requires us to listen, process, and respond. To that end, it is a part of a continuum
of how we hear all sounds including noise, speech, and silence. 
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