Music

Music is an expressive language or art form, if you will, that uses pitch and beat to create an aesthetic experience. It can be composed for various instruments and voices and can be performed live or recorded. Different cultures and historical periods have produced their own unique styles of music. Music can be used for entertainment, religious or ceremonial purposes, or as a form of expression.

SUMMARY OF ELEMENTS

There are several elements of music that are commonly used in the study and analysis of music. These include:

• Pitch: the highness or lowness of a sound.
  •  Melody: the sequence of pitches that make up a musical line.
  • Harmony: the combination of different pitches played or sung at the same time to create a chord.
• Beat: a unit of time, the underlying pulse.
  • Rhythm: the combination of long and short beats.
  • Tempo: the speed of the music, measured in beats per minute (BPM).
  • Meter: the way in which beats are organized and grouped in a measure.
• Timbre: the unique quality or tone color of a sound; the instruments.
• Texture: the overall density and complexity of the music, whether it is thick or thin.
• Form: the structure of the music, such as the arrangement of sections and the way they relate to each other.
• Dynamics: the loudness or softness of a sound.
• Genre:  a general category that refers to the purpose of music.
• Context, Society, Politics:  The milieu in which the music develops, including teaching, notation, transmission, scholarship, censorship, freedom of speech, gender and sexuality, colonialism, diaspora, etc.

These elements can be combined and manipulated in various ways to create different musical styles and forms. Understanding these elements can also help in the analysis and appreciation of music.

Watch the following video to review the elements of music:

Pitch

Pitch, as mentioned, is the perceived highness or lowness of a musical note or sound. It is determined by the frequency of the sound wave, with higher frequencies producing higher pitches and lower frequencies producing lower pitches. Pitch is typically measured in hertz (Hz) and is an important aspect of melody, harmony, and overall musical form or structure. It is also used in tuning instruments and in determining chords and scales in different musical styles and traditions.

MELODY

Melody is one of the most important elements of music and can be defined as the sequence of pitches that make up a musical line. A melody is often the first thing that listeners will notice and remember about a piece of music, and it is often the element that carries the main theme or tune of a song.

Melodies can be simple or complex, and they can be made up of different types of intervals such as whole steps, half steps, and more complex intervals. Melodies can also be diatonic, meaning they use only the notes of a specific scale, or chromatic, meaning they use notes outside of a specific scale.

Melodies can be composed using different techniques such as stepwise motion, where the melody moves by small intervals, or skips, where the melody jumps by larger intervals. They can also be composed using motives, which are short, repeated musical phrases.

In addition, melody, harmony , and rhythm are elements that are often used to support and develop the melody and can convey various emotions and ideas, and they can also be used to create different musical styles such as folk, pop, classical, and more.

HARMONY

Harmony is the combination of different pitches played or sung at the same time to create a chord. It is an essential element of music that provides richness and depth to a piece. Harmony can be used to create tension and release, and to provide a sense of direction or movement in a piece of music.

In Western music, chords are typically built by stacking intervals of thirds on top of a root note. For example, a C major chord is made up of the notes C, E, and G. These chords can be arranged in a progression to create a harmonic structure in a piece of music. Chord progressions can be simple, such as I-IV-V, or more complex, and they can be used to create different feelings and emotions.

Harmony can also be used to create dissonance and consonance. Consonant chords are pleasing to the ear, while dissonant chords create a sense of tension and instability.

In addition to chords, harmony can also include counterpoint, which is the technique of combining different melodies in a piece of music. This is often used in classical music and can add complexity and interest to a piece.

Overall, harmony is an essential element of music that can be used to create a wide range of expressive strategies, and it’s an essential element that helps to create the form or structure and the emotional impact of a piece of music.

TONALITY

Tonality in music is a system of musical organization and composition that uses a specific key as its central element. This key provides a point of reference around which harmonic and melodic elements are organized. Tonality in music can be used to create a sense of movement, to establish a mood, or to express a particular emotion. The tonality of a piece of music is often determined by the key it is written in, but it can also be influenced by the melody, harmony, and rhythm of the piece.

Beat

The beat, in the context of this book, is a unit of time that creates the underlying pulse of the music. It is the regular pattern of strong and weak musical accents that gives a piece of music its sense of movement. Although the beat is often established by the drums or percussion instruments in a piece of music, it can also be provided by other instruments such as the bass guitar or piano.

The beat is often considered the foundation of a song, and is used by listeners to move or dance to the music. In some cases, the beat is emphasized more than the melody, such as in electronic dance music, while in other types of music, such as classical, the beat may be less prominent.

Musicians use beats to structure their compositions, with each bar of music having a fixed number of beats. The time signature indicates the number of beats per bar, for example 4/4 or 3/4. The main beats are either downbeats and upbeats. The combination of all the elements and how they relate to the beat gives the music its unique feeling.

RHYTHM

Rhythm is the combination of long and short beats, as well as the pattern of beats and the timing of the music. It is an essential element of music that provides a sense of movement and structure to a piece. The rhythm can be simple or complex, and it can be used to create different artistic purposes.

Rhythm is often created using a steady beat, or pulse, that is established by the drums or other percussion instruments. The rhythm is usually divided into smaller units, such as beats and measures, which are organized into a rhythmic pattern.

The rhythm can be further divided into different levels such as the macro rhythm, which is the overall pattern of a piece, and the micro rhythm, which is the rhythm within a single measure or phrase.

Rhythm can be used to create different styles of music, such as the steady beat of rock and roll or the complex rhythms of African music.

In addition to the steady pulse, rhythm can also include syncopation, which is the displacement of the strong beats, and polyrhythms, which is the use of multiple conflicting rhythms at the same time.

Overall, rhythm is an essential element of music that helps to create the structure and the emotional impact of a piece of music and it’s the element that gives music its sense of movement and groove.

TEMPO

Tempo is the speed of a piece of music and is measured in beats per minute (BPM). It is typically indicated with an Italian word such as Allegro (fast), Adagio (slowly), or Moderato (moderately). The tempo of a piece of music can affect the mood and feel of the piece. A slow tempo can create a peaceful, relaxed atmosphere, while a faster tempo can be used to create energy and excitement.

The tempo of a piece can have a significant impact on its overall character and can convey a range of emotions and moods. For example, a slow tempo can create a contemplative or serene atmosphere, while a fast tempo can convey excitement or energy.

METER

Meter in music is the way in which beats are organized and grouped in a measure. Meter is usually indicated by a time signature, which is written as a fraction that shows the number of beats in a measure and which note type (quarter note, eighth note, etc.) receives one beat. There are a variety of meters and time signatures in Western music, including simple meters (2/4, 3/4, 4/4) and compound meters (6/8, 9/8, 12/8).  It also refers to the regular pattern of strong and weak beats that gives a sense of structure and organization to a piece of music. It is often indicated by a time signature, which is a symbol at the beginning of a piece of sheet music that indicates the number of beats in a measure and the type of note that gets one beat.

The most common meters in Western music are duple meter, where there are two beats in a measure, and quadruple meter, where there are four beats in a measure. For example, common time (also known as 4/4 time) is a quadruple meter, with four quarter-note beats per measure.

In addition, there are compound meters, typical of many non-Western music practices, where the beats are grouped into threes and simple meters where the beats are grouped into twos.

Meter can play an important role in shaping the overall feel and character of a piece of music and can also be used to create a sense of tension or release, or to convey a particular mood or atmosphere.

It is important to note that meter is not the same thing as tempo, which is the pace or speed at which a piece of music is performed. Tempo and meter can interact and affect each other, but they are separate elements of music.

Timbre

Timbre, also known as tone color or tone quality, is the unique quality or sound of a musical instrument or voice. It is the element of music that allows us to distinguish between different instruments or voices, even when they are playing the same pitch and at the same volume.

Timbre is determined by the harmonic content of a sound, which is the combination of different frequency components that make up a sound. For example, a guitar and a piano may play the same note, but the timbre of the guitar will be different from the timbre of the piano because the harmonic content of the sound is different.

Timbre can also be affected by the way the instrument or voice is played or sung. For example, a saxophone player can produce different timbres by changing the amount of breath they use or by using different techniques such as vibrato.

Timbre can be used to create different feelings and emotions in a piece of music. For example, a bright, clear timbre can create a sense of joy and energy, while a dark, muffled timbre can create a sense of sadness or mystery.

Timbre plays a crucial role in music, as it helps to create the unique character of a piece, and it’s the element that gives a musical instrument or voice its identity.

Musical instruments can be classified in a variety of ways, but one common method is by the method of producing sound.

• Percussion instruments: produce sound by striking or shaking. Examples include drums, xylophones, and marimbas.
• String instruments: produce sound by vibrating strings. Examples include violins, guitars, and pianos.
• Woodwind instruments: produce sound by blowing air into a reed or across a hole. Examples include flutes, saxophones, and clarinets.
• Brass instruments: produce sound by buzzing the lips into a cup- or funnel-shaped mouthpiece. Examples include trumpets, trombones, and French horns.
• Keyboard instruments: produce sound by striking strings or striking hammers against strings. Examples include pianos, harpsichords, and organs.

Another way to classify instruments is by their playing technique:

• Bowed instruments: played by drawing a bow across the strings. Examples include violins, cellos, and double basses.
• Plucked instruments: played by plucking the strings with the fingers or a plectrum. Examples include guitars, banjos, and mandolins.
• Wind instruments: played by blowing air into a mouthpiece. Examples include trumpets, saxophones, and flutes.
• Keyboard instruments: played by pressing keys to strike strings or hammers. Examples include pianos, harpsichords, and organs.

And also based on their origin:

• Western instruments
• Non-Western instruments

This classification is not exhaustive, and some instruments may fit into more than one category.

The Hornbostel-Sachs classification system is a method for categorizing musical instruments by their method of sound production. The system was developed by Erich Moritz von Hornbostel and Curt Sachs in 1914.

The system classifies instruments into five main categories:

• Idiophones – instruments that produce sound by vibrating themselves, such as xylophones and cymbals.
• Membranophones – instruments that produce sound by vibrating a stretched membrane, such as drums and kazoos.
• Chordophones – instruments that produce sound by vibrating strings, such as guitars and pianos.
• Aerophones – instruments that produce sound by vibrating air, such as flutes and clarinets.
• Electrophones – electronic instruments that produce sound with the help of electricity, such as synthesizers and electric guitars.

Each category is further subdivided into subcategories based on specific features of the instruments. The system is widely used in musicology and ethnomusicology to organize and describe musical instruments from around the world.

Watch the following video to review the musical instruments:

Texture

Texture is the overall density and complexity of the music, whether it is thick or thin. It is the element of music that describes the way different parts of a piece are layered together and how they interact with each other.

There are several types of texture in music, including:

• Monophonic texture: a single melody line without harmony.
• Polyphonic texture: multiple independent melody lines played or sung at the same time.
• Homophonic texture: multiple parts moving together rhythmically, with a clear melody and accompaniment.
• Heterophonic texture: two or more parts playing or singing the same melody with variations in rhythm or pitch.
• Homorhythmic texture: multiple parts moving together rhythmically, with similar or identical rhythms.
• Counterpoint: the art of combining different melodies in a piece of music.

The texture of a piece of music can change throughout the piece, depending on the composer’s intent and the development of the piece. For example, a piece may start with a thin texture, such as a solo instrument, and then build to a thicker texture with the addition of more instruments or voices.

Texture plays an essential role in music as it helps to create the overall sound and feel of a piece, it also helps to create different moods and emotions, and it helps to distinguish different styles and genres of music.

Form

Form is the structure or organization of a musical composition. It can refer to the overall layout of a piece, as well as the arrangement of smaller sections within it. Common forms in Western classical music include sonata form, binary form, and ternary form. Form can also be found in other types of music, such as blues and jazz, which have their own unique forms. The use of form can help to create a sense of unity and coherence within a piece of music and can also provide a framework for the composer to express their ideas.

Dynamics

Dynamics is how loud or soft a piece of music is. Dynamics can be used to emphasize certain notes or sections of a piece, creating tension and release, excitement, or a sense of climax. Dynamics often change throughout a piece, gradually increasing or decreasing to create a sense of movement and emotion. Dynamics can be indicated in a score using words such as “piano” (soft) and “forte” (loud), or through symbols such as crescendos and decrescendos. Dynamic changes can also be used to give a piece a sense of structure and form.

Dynamics in music is the volume or loudness at which a piece of music is performed. The term is also used to indicate variations in loudness throughout a piece of music.

Dynamic indications are written in music using Italian terms such as pianissimo (pp) for very soft, piano (p) for soft, mezzo-piano (mp) for medium soft, mezzo-forte (mf) for medium loud, forte (f) for loud, and fortissimo (ff) for very loud.

These dynamic markings can add a lot of expression and emotion to a piece of music, and are used by composers and performers to create a desired mood or atmosphere.

Genre

Genre in music is a general category that refers to the purpose of music (dance, church, listening in concert, military, entertaining, etc.), the kind and number of instruments and voices participating in the performance (a duo, a symphony orchestra, a solo), or by its form and style.  Some general genres of music are:  folk, popular, classical, sacred (religious) or secular, etc.

Issues

There are many issues that help us understand the context, politics, and social impact of music.  Some of these will be explored in the following chapters and they include:  colonialism, history, gender and sexuality, teaching and pedagogy, and many more.  At this point, let us only consider one, notation, since it has a great importance in the teaching, study, transmission, and scholarship of music.

NOTATION

Notation is a system of symbols used to represent musical sounds, techniques, and expressions. It is used to record and communicate musical ideas to musicians so that they can perform the music accurately. Common musical symbols used in notation include clefs, staffs, notes, rests, rhythms, dynamics, and articulations.

Music notation uses a combination of notes, rests, clefs, and other symbols to indicate the pitch, duration, dynamics, and expression of the music.

The most basic element of music notation is the note, which indicates the pitch and duration of a sound. Notes are represented by round symbols, called noteheads, placed on a musical staff, which is a set of five horizontal lines. The vertical position of the notehead on the staff indicates the pitch of the note.

Rests, which indicate silences or pauses in the music, are represented by different symbols depending on the duration of the silence.

Time signatures and barlines are also used to indicate the meter of the music and to divide it into regular rhythmic units.

Modern music notation software can also include other symbols such as chord diagrams, guitar tab, drum notation and more.

Watch this video to review what you learned about musical notation: