Download Intro to Music Theory - Hamden High School Music Program

Hamden High School
Department of Fine Arts
Musical Theatre
Introduction to Music Theory
The elements of sound that are manipulated in music include pitch, rhythm, dynamics,
and timbre.
1. Pitch can be generally defined as the high or low quality of a sound, where high
refers to sounds in the upper frequency range (such as a flute), and low refers to
sounds in the lower frequency range (such as an upright bass). Pitch can be
specifically defined using the letter names A B C D E F G. Each pitch refers to a
specific line or space on the staff or a specific note played by an instrument or
sung by a vocalist.
2. Rhythm generally refers to all things in music that deal with time such as tempo
(speed of the pulse). A rhythm can be specifically described by a pattern of
notes of various length that fit into a meter (a system of organizing beats), such as
quarter note, eighth note, eighth note, half note.
3. Dynamics refers to changes in loudness, such as piano (p) and forte (f), which
mean soft and loud, respectively.
4. Timbre refers to the property of sound that distinguishes the quality of different
instruments or voices.
This introduction to music theory will focus on pitch and rhythm, using specific meanings
given to the symbols used in music notation. A list of supplemental resources is provided
on the site http://hamdenmusic.org
The primary source for the unit is found at http://musictheory.net
The common unit that all students will
cover will include:
The Staff, Clefs, and Ledger Lines
Note Duration
Measures and Time Signature
Rest Duration
Dots and Ties
Steps and Accidentals
Simple and Compound Meter
Odd Meter
Level nine students and any others who
have completed the common unit will
also explore some or all of the following
topics:
The Major Scale
The Minor Scales
Scale Degrees
Key Signatures
Key Signature Calculation
Generic Intervals
Specific Intervals