Elements of music

• 1. Elements of Music
  

2. Let's start with an acronym:SHMRF (pronounced like Sh-murf)
SoundHarmonyMelodyRhythmForm
3. Sound
Sound can be described as three elements:
TEXTURE
timbreDynamics
Texture=the combination of melodies
Timbre=the sound of an instrument or voice
Dynamics = the volume of music
4. Monophonic or monophony - one unaccompanied melody
Texture
5. Homophonic or homophony - melody and harmony
Texture
6. Polyphonic or polyphony two or more melodies together
texture
7. Timbre
Describes how something sounds:
Bright
Tinny
Reedy
Dark
Brassy
Or the way a particular instrument sounds (even two of the same instruments)
8. Instruments of the Orchestra
Strings
violin
viola
cello
bass
Woodwinds
flute
oboe
clarinet
bassoon
Brass
trumpet
trombone
tuba
Percussion
9. Benjamin Brittens Young Persons Guide to the Orchestra
Example of different orchestral Groups
10. Dynamics
The volume of music is usually described with the Italian terms:
Forte = loud
Piano = quiet
11. Harmony
Scale horizontal ordering of pitches
Chord vertical arrangement of pitches
12. Harmony - Major
Moods:
happy, heroic, joyous, etc.
(For more read this lesson on Major Keys and Scales)
The Sea Hawk (1940)
Note change in music at 0:56 to Major when we see the ship
13. Harmony - Minor
Moods:
sad, melancholic, introspective, etc.
(For more read this lesson on Minor Keys and Scales)
Bambi (1942): Bambis mom dies
(watch from 0:40-3:02 at 3:03 there is an abrupt segue to major)
14. Harmony Dissonance
Dissonance
harmonic clash of sounds outside of Major and Minor keys
Planet of the Apes (1968)
The score for this movie is dissonant all the way through.
15. Melody
Range
Shape
Motion
Conjunct
Disjunct
Mary Had a Little Lamb
Narrow Range 4 notes!
Mostly conjunct 1 skip
16. Rhythm
Tempo
Fast
Medium
Slow
Meter
Organized pulses or beats usually 2 or 4, sometimes 3, 6, 9 or 12
1 2 | 1 2 | 1 2 |
S wS w S w
1 2 3 | 1 2 3 | 1 2 3 |
S w wS w w S w w
Mary Had a Little Lamb
Medium tempo
Groups of 4 pulses (some may also hear 2 pulses)
Mary had a little lamb,
1 2 34 |
or
1 2| 1 2
Little lamb, little lamb.
1 2 34|
17. Form
Form is fairly fluid in film, but try to listen for:
Repetition
Exact no changes
Variation slight changes
Contrast
Mary Had a Little Lamb
Mary had a little lamb,
Little lamb, little lamb.
Mary had a little lamb,
Its fleece was white as snow.
Exact repetition of 2 lines: words and music
18. Form
Motive smallest memorable musical unit
Phrase destinct melodic unit defined by cadence
Open sounds incomplete
Closed - melody ends here
Mary Had a Little Lamb
Phrase 1 open cadence:
Mary had a little lamb,
Little lamb, little lamb.
Phrase 2 closed cadence:
Mary had a little lamb,
Its fleece was white as snow.
19. Your turn
Go to the discussion forum called Elements of Music and describe what you hear in the music excerpts given there.