Music has been an important part of the

Music activities of humankind since the beginning

of recorded history. Today, music is
important in ways that were unimaginable
during earlier times. It plays a vital and
important role in the lives of human beings.
It is found everywhere in our world -- on
television and radio; in our homes,
automobiles, airplanes, and offices.
Humans use music in a variety of ways---
for everything from personal entertainment
to contemplative activities. Music has the
power to influence psychological aspects of
behavior both consciously and
unconsciously and acquiring a knowledge
of music may create a deeper sensitivity in
humans for their environment and social
culture and it is believed to enrich life.
The Elements of Music
Terms You Must Know
 What Is Music?
 Scientific Definition:
“Sound organized in
time.”
 Actual Definition: add
“For the expression of
thoughts, ideas and
emotions” to above
 Music is special because
it affects people without
requiring participation
 Why Music?
 “The Mozart Effect”:
A 1993 study showed
that student test scores
improved after
listening to Mozart
 Retailers use music to
put shoppers in a better
mood so that they will
spend more
 Relieves stress,
reduces pain, helps
growth
 The Elements of Music
 These are the basic
parts of music that can
be heard
 They are used in all
forms of music across
all points in history and
across all cultures
 These are the most
basic things to be heard
 Rhythm
 This is the way the beat
is broken down
 The center of rhythm is
the beat or pulse
 The way the pulse is
grouped is called the
meter
 When the pulse is
subdivided, rhythm is
created
Rhythm
Rhythm---length of notes and rests in music

Quarter note=1 beat Half note= 2 beats

Dotted half=3 beats Whole= 4 beats

1/8 note = ½ beat (2 8th notes = 1 beat)

1/16 note= ¼ ( 4 16th notes= 1 beat)

Quarter rest=1 beat Half Rest= 2 beats

Whole Rest= (do nothing for the whole measure or 4 be

8th rest= ½ rest

Staff

 5 Lines and 4 spaces that music is written

on.
 Measure
 Divides the staff into smaller units of
measure by using bar lines

Bar Line

Measure
Time Signature

 Appears at the beginning of a piece of

music right after the Key Signature.
 Tells the number of beats per measure and
which note value equals one beat.

4
4
 Melody
 This is the main line
of music
 It is the part that is
sung in pop songs
 It moves up and down
by pitch
 It can move by steps,
skips or leaps
 This is the horizontal
placement of pitch
 Harmony
 This is how sounds are
blended together
 They can be consonant
(sound good-blend)
 They can be dissonant
(sound bad-clash)
 These are the chords
 The way music is put
together vertically
 Form
 This is the structure of
a piece
 Traditional forms are
binary (AB) and
ternary (ABA)
 The verse, chorus form
used in pop songs is
binary
 Other forms are round,
theme & variation,
sonata
 Dynamics
 This is the volume of
music
 Terms are Italian
 Fortissimo-Very Loud
 Forte-Loud
 Mezzo Forte-Med. Loud
 Mezzo Piano-Med. Soft
 Piano-Soft
 Pianissimo-Very Soft
 Tempo
 This is the speed of the
pulse
 Terms are Italian
 Presto-Fast
 Andante-Medium
 Largo-Slow
 Some music can give
different feels based on
tempo
 Timbre/Tone Color
 This is the unique
sound that each
instrument makes
 Just like each of your
friends’ voices sound
different, so do
instruments
 Differences can be
great or very detailed
 Style
 The overall
characteristics of sound
in a piece
 Musical style is more
diverse today than in
any other time in
history
 Style is influences by
time, culture and
technology