Elements and Principles of Art

Elements of Art: Auditory

▣ Akin to the atoms that are defined as the units or “building blocks” of matter.
▣ Elements of art are the aspects of an artwork that can be isolated from each other.
When they are joined together, they have the ability to create an artwork.
▣ These elements of arts are generally produced when something is done to the medium
after the technique is carried out. Elements are the necessary preconditions for the
creation of art.

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Elements of Art: Visual

▣ Previous discussion about Elements of Arts pertained to visual art such as paintings
and sculptures. In the case of Auditory, music as an art form is classified as auditory.
▣ Music is the written or printed signs representing vocal or instrumental sound.
▣ Music is considered as implement to cultural activities, answering a specific role or
functions. If there is an important quality that music has, it is having the capacity to
transcend barriers even that of differences in language or conventions in sound.

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Elements of Art: Visual

1. Rhythm
2. Dynamics
3. Melody
4. Harmony
5. Timbre
6. Texture

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Rhythm

▣ Rhythm is music's pattern in time. Arrangement of time in music. It is the pulse of the
music. It’s the duration (long or short) of sound.

Elements of Rhythm
1. Beat - is the basic unit of music. Referred to count.
2. Tempo - refers to its speed (beats per minute)
3. Meter - counting the number of beats from one strong beat to the next.

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Dynamics

▣ Refers to the loudness or quietness of music.

▣ Crescendo indicates an increase in loudness while decrescendo or diminuendo
indicates decrease in loudness.
▣ Classical terms are used to refer to the different levels pertaining to:
1. Pianissimo (pp) – very quiet
2. Piano (p)- quiet
3. Mezzo-piano (mp)- moderately quiet
4. Forte (f)- loud
5. Fortissimo (ff)- very loud

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Melody

▣ A melody is a collection of musical tones that are grouped together as a single entity.
Horizontal arrangement of pitch and rhythm.
▣ Most people can hum a variety of melodies, from tunes learned in childhood, such as
“Mary Had a Little Lamb,” or “Happy Birthday”
▣ Pitch is the highness or lowness of musical sound/tone.

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Harmony

▣ The harmony is the vertical aspect of music. Harmony is what occurs when more than
one note is played or sung at the same time.
▣ Its a mix of pleasing musical notes that go together.
▣ It gives more layers and emotion to the music.

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Timbre

▣ Also known as “tone color” – quality and tone of a sound which makes it unique. It helps
you distinguish one sound/voice from another.
▣ The timbre may give a characteristic to music, much like how a painter evokes different
effects or impressions onto the canvas.
▣ Terms we might use to describe timbre: brassy, light, reedy, harsh, noisy, thin, buzzy, pure,
raspy, shrill, mellow, strained.

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Timbre

▣ Quick exercise! Guess that sound!

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 Texture
▣ In music, texture is how the tempo, melodic, and harmonic materials are combined in a musical
composition, determining the overall quality of the sound in a piece.
▣ It may be:
1. Monophonic – Mono means one/singe and phonic means sound. Monophonic has only one layer:
melody. It’s a single melodic line. With monophonic, it doesn’t matter how many instruments or
voices are present, as long as they are all singing/playing the same thing at the same time.
2. Homophonic – Homo means same. When a melody is supported by harmony, it is called
homophonic. The main melody was accompanied by chords.
3. Polyphonic – Poly means many. Multiple independent layers happening at the same time. It can
occur if you have two totally separate melodies occurring simultaneously. Polyphonic means more
than one simultaneous melody.
4. Heterophonic – Hetero means different. The term was coined by Plato and literally means “different
voices.” It occurs when two or more versions of the same melody happening at the same time. It has
different versions of the same melody.

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Texture

1. Monophonic

One singer One piano melody

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Texture

2. Homophonic

Melody (voice) + harmony (guitar)

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Texture

3. Polyphonic

Male voice melody, female voice melody, trumpet melody.

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Texture

4. Heterophonic

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