MODULE 1

MUSIC IN OUR LIVES

Lesson 1 – Uses of Music

Objectives:

By the end of the lesson, the students would be able to:

1. Identify uses and sources of music in daily life.

2. Differentiate the functions of music in varied human activities.
3. Relate music with other aspects of life.
4. Manifest appreciation for the presence of music in our lives.

Activity:
Identify 3 children’s song and state the function /purpose of the songs based on its
lyrics.

INTRODUCTION

How many of you can’t fall asleep and may need music to fall asleep? There are many other
possible uses of music. Some of these include aerobics, background, dance, discussion, exercise,
film, funerals, jazzercise, movement, party, relaxation, road trips, romance, sing along, television,
video, wedding and more.

Music for background

Music is chosen from various situations. Music is also around us – sometimes we don’t
realize it’s even there, and in some cases, we don’t have a choice.
During gatherings, such as parties and weddings, music sets the pace in motion making the
events lively and enjoyable. People huddle and converse with each other with music being played
in the background.
Aside from using music for background, it is also used for setting the mood during
conferences, films, TV, and videos. Music eases stress and tensions and is needed especially when
we are engaged in activities that need our utmost attention.
Other activities such as driving, computer work, exercise, studying are also highly motivated
by music. Some enjoys driving with music, while others work and study well while listening to
music. Exercise is enjoyable with the accompaniment of music.
As we have observed nowadays, businesses are employing music to attract customers to
visit their shops. Restaurants and coffee shops are doing the same not only to attract customers
but also making them enjoy while eating and setting their moods while listening to a background
music.
Music for moving to the beat.

Music is most obviously used for activities to motivate people to have fun, whether they’re
dancing to a beat or performing some specialized movements. Aerobics, exercise, ice skating,
jazzercise, dance movement, and tai chi are some activities that move to the beat of music .

Music for chilling out.

Music is often sought after to find peace, serenity, and relaxation. Some of us can’t keep
the dance beat forever and others need music to fall asleep.
Holistic health practitioners (acupuncturists, massage therapists, yoga masters) often use
music for the intentional use of relaxation. Lounging, bathing, sleeping, airplane travel, and
during massage are activities where music is use for chilling out.

Music for worship.

Music with lyrics content of spiritual or religious nature are for use in places of worship.
There is music for a variety of spiritual practices and religions around the world.
Foremost of all, purposes for music is to give praise to the Lord. Serve the Lord with the
songs of praise that will bring glory to His name.

Music for road trips.

Perfect for road trips on the road-any genre with both vocal and instrumental songs.
Sometimes the lyrical content or theme of ethe song makes us think that it is a great road trip
song.

WORKSHEET NO. I

Think and write instances of your own use for music: 1. at home 2. School 3. church, and 4.
public places. At the center of the figure write your most favorite use for music.
1 2
1 2

3 4
 Lesson 2 – The Sounds of Music and Musical Color

Objectives:

By the end of the lesson, the students are expected to:

1. Identify and describe the different sounds found in daily life.

2. Differentiate musical sounds from non-musical sounds.
3. Identify, define, and describe the four properties of sound.
4. Explain the concept of musical color in the classification of instrumental groups.
5. Manifest appreciation for musical color and the properties of sound.

Activity:
Go over to the sources of sounds below. Check which ones may be considered music to
your ears.

_______frog ______singing Lea Salonga

_______bird ______rock band
_______baby ______dog
_______drums _____ orchestra
_______whistling kettle ______bells

INTRODUCTION

What kind of sounds do you hear from different sources? Do you know that there are
sounds which are pleasant to the ears and there are sounds which are unpleasant. We hear
sounds everywhere – produced by men, animals, nature, environment, electronics, and
technology.
Sounds when organized and arranged well, create music. The sounds that are organized
are usually pleasant to our ears. Thus, the “composition” of music can be defined as “the
organization of sound.

PROPERTIES OF MUSICAL SOUNDS

The sounds that make up music have four properties and these are:

1. Pitch – is the highness and lowness of a tone. How high or low is the sound? It is a physical
principle that the faster the vibrations are , the higher the pitch will be, and the slower the
vibrations , the lower the pitch.
2. Duration – is the length of time a musical sound is produced. How long is the sound held? This
property of tone becomes one of the bases of rhythm.
3. Intensity – is the loudness and softness of tones heard. How soft or loud is the sound? Intensity
is fundamental to musical rhythm (as accent), and it provides the basis for a separate musical
element (dynamics).
4. Timbre – or tone quality - is the characteristic quality of sound based on the materials it is
made. What is the quality of the sound – does it sound like a piano, trumpet, violin, or what? It
enables one to distinguish one sound from another, one instrument from another.

WHAT IS MUSUICAL COLOR?

Color can be express in art by the way Artists combine colors, shapes, and designs to form an
artistic concept or idea. In music however, color is heard rather than seen. To produce musical
color, composers select basic colors, variations, and combinations of colors in a process called
orchestration.

In orchestration, composers may select a traditional tone color – string, brass, woodwind or
percussion – to use alone or in combination. They can also combine instrumental and vocal colors
in a variety of ways, arranging and rearranging them in order to arrive at an effect or a mood that
composers want their music to create.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND INSTRUMENTAL GROUPS

Idiophones are probably the oldest type of musical instruments that create sound (not
coming from the human voice). These instruments whose own material is the sound generator.
Examples are tambourine, triangle, xylophone, and maracas.

Chordophones are musical instruments that produce sound primarily by ways of vibrating
strings, stretched between two points.
Examples are banduria, banjo, double bass, guitars, harps, lute, mandolin, piano, ukulele, violins.

Membranophones are instruments which produce sound primarily by way of vibrating

stretched membrane.
Examples are Bass drums, kettle drum, snare drum, dholak.

Aerophones are instruments that produce sound primarily by causing a body of air to
vibrate, without the use of strings or membranes, and without the vibrations of the instrument
itself adding considerably to the sound.
Examples are harmonica, saxophone, tuba, trombone trumpet, accordion, and French horn.

Electrophones – generate sounds by means of electricity.

Examples are electric guitar, electric violin, organ.

Musical instruments have always been a source of wonders to both the players and the
listeners. They figure in our music either singly, in small groups (chamber music), band, or as part
of the ensemble-orchestra.
Musical instruments are of three types: the instruments which are bowed, instruments
which are blown, and instruments which are struck. These in turn are divided into four groupings.
Instrument which are bowed are the strings. Those which are blown fall into two groups: the
brasses, so called because they are usually made of brass and the woodwinds, so named because
they were originally made wood. The modern flute and piccolo are almost always made of metal.
The fourth group is made up of instruments which are struck. They are called percussion
instruments.
The most common string, woodwind, brass instruments, and percussion instruments:

Strings Woodwinds Brasses Percussions

Violins piccolo trumpet kettle drum

Viola flute French horn glockenspiel
Violoncello or cello clarinet trombone xylophone
bass oboe tuba brass cymbals
guitar English horn chimes
bass clarinet piano
bassoon
contrabassoon

COMBINATION OF INSTRUMENTS

The composer uses different instruments in any combination he wishes, but certain
combinations – or ensembles as they are usually called in music – have been found to be
particularly satisfying and consequently commonly used.

Ensemble Media – When two or more performers are equally engaged in playing or singing a
piece of music, the medium is called an ensemble and the music is called ensemble music.

Some instrumental ensembles are as follows:

Orchestra – It is the most spectacular of ensembles, composed of any sizable group of
instrumental performers usually under the direction of a conductor. In the orchestral ensemble,
several instruments of the same kind usually play a given part. This is particularly true of the
strings. The performers are divided into four sections.

Symphony Orchestra – It is a large ensemble which includes all the principal instrumental types.
It is composed of four sections corresponding to the four instrumental groupings; the string
section, the woodwind section, the brass section, and the percussion section. Each of these
sections has at least one instrument which falls into each of the four basic ranges: soprano, alto,
tenor and bass.

Concerto – The concerto is a form written for orchestra and usually one solo instrument (piano,
violin, and the like) is given a prominent role in music.

Band – A band is an instrumental ensemble, large like the orchestra, but consisting mainly or
exclusively of wind and percussion instruments. Although the band is closely associated with
outdoor events (parade, funerals, football games among others), it is also used as a concert
ensemble.

Rondalla – This is the best -known instrumental group in the Philippines today. It is a band made
up mostly of stringed instruments; the bandura, laud and octavina, the piccolo and the guitarra
and the banjo, which gives solidity to the rhythm and support the harmony. Some percussion
instruments have found their way into the rondalla to add color and varied tonal rhythmic effects.
The Conductor - Today, the size of the orchestra and the complicated music have made the
conductor essential. He is the director of the orchestra and has to know every detail of the music
and be able to give the most precise directions with his baton and hands.
 WORKSHEET NO. 2

Reflect and answer the following questions:

1. What is a musical instrument? Discuss briefly.

2. What is the most natural instrument? Elaborate why?

3. Which musical instrument is most versatile? Why?

4. From the emotions stated below, what sounds cause these feelings?

EMOTIONS SOUNDS FROM

Happy
Sad
Afraid
Excited
Calm
Romantic love songs
Nostalgic
Sleepy lullaby songs
Brave or Courageous
Unsure / Insecure
Lesson 3 – Elements of Pitch Notation

Objectives:

By the end of the lesson, the students are expected to:

1. Define the basic elements of pitch notation.

2. Identify and use common musical signs and symbols dealing with pitch.
4. Write basic musical signs and symbols clearly.
5. Manifest appreciation for pitch notation.

Activity:
As a music student, discuss briefly any idea how sounds are written down.

INTRODUCTION

Have you ever thought what music was like during our ancestors’ time? It’s quite
interesting to recall the early years of music.
Do you know that a long time ago there was no written music yet?
People then just sang songs they made up or had heard other people sing. Musicians and
composers then just relied upon oral and aural transmission of musical art. Since people sang in
different ways, naturally songs changed too. There had to be a way of writing music to help
standardized music.
The search for and efforts aimed at a graphic representation of music then was taking
place – to put music in written form, the way music is actually heard.

The Elements of Pitch Notation and Modern Pitch Notation

What is a modern staff?

Notation is a system of signs by means of which music is written down. In music, the pitch
of a note means how high or low the note is. Musical notation is written on the staff. The five
lines and the four spaces which occur between the lines are called a staff or (plural staffs or,
preferably staves). The lines and spaces are numbered upward from the bottom to the top.
fifth line
fourth space _____________________________________ fourth line
third space _____________________________________
_____________________________________ third line
_____________________________________
second space _____________________________________ second line
first space first line
How are musical pitches read?

In music, the pitch of a note means how high or low the note is.
Notation is a system of signs by means of which music is written.
The musical alphabet contains seven letters: A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. The example below
illustrates the placement of the letter-named pitches assigned to specific lines and spaces when
various clefs are used.

What are the leger lines and space?

When notes extend beyond the range of the staff, leger lines and leger spaces are
employed. Leger lines and spaces are generally short-term and extensions of the five-line staff
system. They enable one to write specified notes beyond the range of the five-line staff.
What are the grand staff and brace?

When the treble and bass are joined together with a brace, the two clefs are called grand
staff. The C between the bass and treble clef is called “middle C.” It may also be notated as the
first leger line above the bass clef. Noter that threer notes separate the treble and bass clef: B,
C, and D.

What are chromatic signs?

There are five common chromatic signs that are used to alter the pitch of a written note.
A chromatic sign affects only the pitch to which it is applied within a given measurer and only in
the particular octave in which it appears.

or

Double Flat Flat Natural Sharp Double Sharp

When placed before a note:

1. A double flat lowers a note two half-steps.

2. A flat lowers a note oner half step.
3. A natural cancels the effect of a previously-placed chromatic sign.
4. A sharp raises a note one half step.
5. A double sharp raises a note two half steps.
6. A bar line cancels a chromatic sign alteration.
 WORKSHEET NO. 3

Answer the following:

1. List and describe briefly all the elements of pitch notation.

2. How did you feel while learning pitch notation? Describe your feelings.

3. Reflect and elaborate: “How thrilling melody moves by steps, skips, and half steps.”
Lesson 4 – ELEMENTS OF MUSICAL DURATION

Objectives:

By the end of the lesson, the students are expected to:

1. Identify and define the basic elements of duration notation.

2. Identify and use common musical signs and symbols dealing with duration.
3. Differentiate the kinds of notes, symbols, rests and their values by describing each.
4. Write and use symbols dealing with duration.
5. Manifest appreciation for musical duration.

Activity:
Imagine the world of music without a variety of notes and rests. What do you think
music would be like? Discuss briefly your observation and opinion.

INTRODUCTION

To facilitate the learning of the elements and organization of music, the student should
have a knowledge of some of the rudiments of musical notation. What makes music nice is its
interplay of different notes and rests found in one given measure. The notation of music serves
mainly to indicate two properties of tone which are pitch and duration.

What are the elements of musical duration?

Measures, Bar Lines, and Double Bar Line

A measure is the space that occurs between two bar lines. A bar line is represented by a
single vertical line. A double bar line is represented by a double vertical line. The double bar
appears for the most part, at the end of a composition and may also appear at the end of
sections of a piece.
Notes, Stems, Flags, Beams

The various parts of a note are flags and beams. Note that beams are frequently used
instead of a series of flagged note values.

O O O O O O O
Stem Flag, Beam Double Double
Note head Hook or Tail Beam Flag, Hook or Tail

Notes and Rests

The names given to notes and their corresponding rests are given in the example below
which shows the range of notes and rests values from the longest to the shortest.

Notes: O O O O O

Whole Half Quarter Eight Sixteenth

Rests:

Ties, Slurs, and Phrase Marks

A tie is a curved line that connects two or more adjacent notes of the same pitch. A slur is
a curved line that connects two or more notes in a musical phrase. Slurs indicate s type of
articulation in which the notes are connected in a smooth manner. (i.e., legato)

Fermata

A fermata ( ) is a symbol that indicate one of two things:

1. The notes or rests above or below the fermata will have a longer indeterminate duration.
2. The end of a phrase in this case, the final chord or note does not necessarily receive a longer
duration.
Duration Dots

Any note or rest maybe followed by one or more dots. (i.e. placed to the right of a note
head or rest)
A single dot will increase the duration of a note or rest by half its original value.
Additional dots add one half the duration of each previous dot.
A dot placed above or below a note indicates a short or staccato articulation.

Examples below illustrates how dotted and doubly dotted notes would be represented if ties
were employed.

Application / Exercises:

Clap the time values of the following notes and rests.

 WORKSHEET NO. 4

Reflect and answer what is asked:

1. What makes music nice to listen? Discuss your answer.

2. Explain the following phrase. “ All work and no play make a dull mind; all notes and no rests
make dull music.”

3. If you are a composer, what will you do to improve your musical composition?