Elements of Music

Pitch

• Treble clef

Highness or lowness of sound

• Bass clef

Tempo

• Largo– Very slow

• Adagio– Slowly (listening example)

• Andante– Moving, walking speed

• Moderato– Medium speed

Speed of the music

Tempo

• Allegro– Fast (Lively, animated) (listening example)

• Presto– Very Fast (listening example)

• Prestissimo– As fast as possible

Tempo

• Accelerando (accel.)– Gradually faster (listening example)

• Ritardando (rit.)– Gradually slower

Dynamics

• Pianissimo (pp)– Very soft

• Piano (p)– Soft

• Mezzo piano (mp)– Moderately soft

Loudness or softness of music

Dynamics

• Mezzo forte (mf)– Moderately loud

• Forte (f)– Loud

• Fortissimo (ff)– Very loud

Dynamics

• Crescendo (cresc.)– Gradually getting louder

• Decrescendo (decresc.)– Gradually getting softer

Texture

Thickness & thinness of instruments/sounds used in a song

(listening example)

TimbreTone color of instruments/sounds

Instrument Classifications

• Chordophones– Any musical instrument that makes a sound by way of

a vibrating string

• Aerophones– Any musical instrument in which a vibrating mass of

air produces the initial sound

Instrument Classifications

• Idiophones– Any musical instrument which creates sound primarily

by way of the instrument vibrating itself, without the use of strings or membranes

• Membranophones– Any musical instrument in which a stretched

membrane vibrates to produce sound

• Electrophones– Any musical instrument produced or amplified by

electronic means

Chordophones

• Percussion– Piano– Dulcimer– Cimbalom– Pantaleon– Clavichord

Chordophones

• Bowed– Violin– Viola– Cello– Double Bass– Viol– Vielle– Hurdy-Gurdy

Chordophones

• Plucked– Lute– Harpsichord– Guitar– Zither– Harp– Banjo– Psaltery– Ukelele– Mandolin

Aerophones

• Woodwinds– Piccolo– Flute– Oboe– English Horn– Clarinet– Bass Clarinet– Saxophone– Bassoon– Contrabassoon

Aerophones

• Brass– Cornet– Trumpet– Bugle– French Horn– Trombone– Baritone– Tuba – Sousaphone

Aerophones

• Free Reeds– Harmonium– Accordion– Recorder– Regal– Sheng– Reed section of the organ

Idiophones

• Percussion– Triangle– Gong– Cymbals– Castanets– Bells– Chimes– Glockenspiel– Xylophone– Celesta

Membranophones

• Percussion– Snare Drum– Bass Drum– Timpani (Kettle Drum)– Tom Tom– Bongo– Conga– Kazoo

Electrophones• Amplified– Electric Stringed, Violin Family– Guitar– Piano– Carillon

• Generated– Electronic Organ– Synthesizer