Download The Elements of

The Elements of
MUSIC
Music is made up of many different things called elements. They are the
building bricks of music. When you compose a piece of music you use the
elements of music to build it, just like a builder uses bricks to build a house.
Using these elements correctly helps each piece of music to sound unique
and interesting. You can also think of the elements like colours in a picture.
What are the elements of music?
PITCH
Pitch means the highness or lowness of a sound. In
music, every pitch is named after letters of the
alphabet, from A to G. All pieces of music use a
range and variety of different pitches to create
melody and harmony. Pitches move in only 3 ways:
by step, by leap or by repetition.
HIGH + LOW
DYNAMICS
Dynamics means the loudness or quietness of the
music. Sometimes this is called the volume. Music
often changes volume gradually, becoming quieter or
louder. Dynamics can also change suddenly. In music,
a system of letters is used to describe the dynamics:
p (quiet); mp or mf (medium quiet or loud); f (loud).
LOUD + QUIET
TEMPO
Tempo means the fastness or slowness of the music.
Sometimes this is called the speed or pace. A piece
of music can be at any speed and may even change,
becoming faster or slower to create different effects.
FAST + SLOW
BEAT
The beat of the music can be compared to the heart
beat or pulse of the human body. It is almost always
even or steady. The beat keeps the music alive and
can also help us find the tempo of a piece. You can
find the beat of the music by tapping your foot.
MUSICAL PULSE
DURATION
Duration means the length of each sound. In music,
the sounds are written as notes. Some notes are long
and some are short. Composers often combine
different lengths of sounds for various effects.
LONG + SHORT
SILENCE
Silence is as important as sound in music. It is
written down as rests. It gives us the spaces between
each note and can also be used for dramatic effects.
NO SOUND
RHYTHM
Rhythms are the patterns created by different
lengths of notes and rests. Rhythm is not the same
as beat or tempo. A fast piece can have slow rhythms
just as a slow piece can have fast rhythms.
SOUND
PATTERNS
TEXTURE
Texture is created through the combinations of
different musical instruments or voices. If only one
sound or instrument is heard the texture is thin. If
there are many sounds the texture would be thick.
The texture often changes, becoming thinner or
thicker, during a piece of music.
THICK + THIN
ATTACK +
DECAY
Attack and decay describes the way sounds start and
stop. Some sounds can have a hard or soft beginning,
surprising you or seeming to creep up on you. Sounds
can also stop suddenly or die away gradually.
START + STOP
TIMBRE or
TONE
COLOUR
Every instrument, voice or sound has its own timbre
or tone colour. Differences in timbre are often
caused by the materials from which instruments are
made, their sizes, how the sound is produced or the
speed of the vibration that you can hear (the pitch).
SOUND QUALITY
Wood, metal, plastic,
reed, lips, skin, voice,
string, electronic