BUILDINGBRICKSELEMENTS For One NOte

Keyboard skills
applied to elements
of music
Year 7 lesson 1
Fill in this table as you go through the Elements of Music
Words I can use when

Element of Music Definition
describing this element
© WWW.MUSICALCONTEXTS.CO.UK
Element 1
• Listen to this musical example. What is
different about the two sounds?
What is PITCH?
• Pitch is the HIGHNESS or LOWNESS of a sound
or note.
• Usually the bigger the instrument, the LOWER
the PITCH it may be able to play.
• How to remember PITCH – kick a ball on a
football PITCH from
low to high!!
What is PITCH?
These are all the same musical note (C) but
shown as different PITCHES.
• Which do you think shows the LOWEST PITCH
note?
• Which do you think shows the HIGHEST PITCH
note?
Element 2
• What happens towards the end of this piece
of dance music?
What is TEMPO?
• Tempo is the speed of a sound or piece of
music
• Sounds or music can be FAST (we use Italian musical words to
describe these such as Allegro, Vivace, Presto)
• Sounds or music can be SLOW (we use different Italian
musical words to describe these such as Andante, Adagio,
Lento)
• Sounds or music can GET FASTER (we call this an Accelerando)
• Sounds or music can GET SLOWER (we call this a Ritardando
or Rallentando)
Sort Them Out!
Sort the following TEMPO markings out putting them in
the order: SLOWEST to FASTEST
Adagio Andante Largo
Allegro Lento Presto
Vivace
Element 3
Listen to this piece of music – a Minuet by
Mozart. How would you describe the
differences in VOLUME?
What are DYNAMICS?
• Dynamics is the volume of a sound or piece of
music
• Sounds or music can be LOUD (we use Italian musical words
to describe these such as Forte, Fortissimo)
• Sounds or music can be SOFT (we use different Italian musical
words to describe these such as Piano, Pianissimo)
• Sounds or music can GET LOUDER (we call this an Crescendo)
• Sounds or music can GET SOFTER (we call this a Diminuendo)
What are DYNAMICS?
Sort the five items below into “volume order”, from the softest
or quietest to the loudest.
Sort Them Out!
Sort the following DYNAMIC markings out putting
them in the order: SOFTEST to LOUDEST
Element 4
• What is the difference between the LENGTH
of these two musical sounds?
What is DURATION?
• Duration is the LENGTH of a sound or musical
note – LONG sounds or notes and SHORT
sounds or notes.
• Sort the sounds that these musical instruments into two
groups – those which produce SHORT sounds and those
which produce LONG sounds.
Element 5
The following images show a range of musicians performing.
Sort them out into the following order: (not volume here – think about “layers of sound”)
LEAST AMOUNT OF SOUND -------→ MOST AMOUNT OF SOUND
What is TEXTURE?
• In music, TEXTURE describes HOW MUCH
SOUND WE HEAR.
• Music or sounds that have a THIN TEXTURE
sound sparse Music or sounds that have a
THICK TEXTURE sound dense or layered
(when there are lots of instruments playing
e.g. an orchestra or rock band)
Element 6
The musical element TIMBRE, also known as
SONORITY describes the unique sound or tone
quality of different instruments, voices or
sounds.
Each individual instrument or voice has its own unique TIMBRE
or SONORITY – it’s how we can tell the difference between the
sound of a tambourine and a piano.
You can use words to describe the different TIMBRES or
SONORITIES for musical instruments and sounds e.g. Piccolo:
bright, shrill; Flute: light, airy; Oboe: warm, nasal.
What is TIMBRE/SONORITY?
Listen to this piece of music called “Music for Cymbals”. It’s
created entirely of different TIMBRES or SONORITIES from
cymbals being played in different ways. As you listen, think of
some words which describe the different TIMBRES or
SONORITIES that you hear. Some words are given below, but
feel free to use any others that you can think of.
Airy, Blustery, Flat, Grating, Hoarse, Muted,
Oily, Quavering, Syrupy, Strident, Thin, Tuneful,
Whiny, Brassy, Deafening, Dull, Full, Hollow,
Melodious, Nasal, Pounding, Sharp, Smooth,
Sweet, Tinkly, Twittery, Bass, Clinky, Gruff,
Husky, Pure, Rich, Shrill, Squeaky, Tinny,
Velvety, Screechy, Throaty, Rattling, Mellow,
Chirpy, Brassy, Sharp, Heavy, Buzzing, Crisp,
Metallic, Wooden.
Element 7
Listen to this famous waltz – “The Blue Danube” by
Strauss. As you listen, see if you can focus on the
SMOOTH melody line played by the strings contrasting
against the more DETATCHED notes of the bass line
and higher-pitched woodwind instruments.
What is ARTICULATION?
ARTICULATION describes how individual notes or sounds are
played or the techniques needed to play them. The most
common articulations are LEGATO and STACCATO.
LEGATO – playing notes in a long, smooth way, shown by a
SLUR.
STACCATO – playing notes in a short, detached, spiky way shown

by a DOT.
Element 8
Watch the opening of a piece of music called
4’33” by the composer John Cage.
What is happening here?
What Element of Music
could John Cage be using
here?
Is this “music”?
What is SILENCE?
SILENCE is the opposite or absence

of sound or no sound. In music,
silence is shown by RESTS.

BUILDINGBRICKSELEMENTS For One NOte

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Keyboard skills

Words I can use when

Adagio Andante Largo

Allegro Lento Presto

STACCATO – playing notes in a short, detached, spiky way shown

SILENCE is the opposite or absence

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