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Music Fundamentals
Pitch
• Frequency = number of times a vibrational
pattern repeats itself per unit of time
• Measured in cycles per second or “Hertz”
(abbreviated Hz) [c. 20 – c. 20,000 Hz]
• The faster the repetition of the pattern, the
“higher” the frequency/pitch
• Western standard of “A-440”
• Overtones/partials = 2:1, 3:2, 3:4, 5:4, 6:5
etc.
Volume
• Amplitude = amount of displacement of air
molecules produced by vibrating string, air
column or percussive surface
• Measured in “decibels” (dB = ratio)
• The greater the displacement, the
“higher/louder” the amplitude/displacment
Duration
• Conceptualized by patterns of meter and
rhythm
• Meter = recurring patterns of strong and
weak beats/pulses
– “symmetrical” = duple / triple / compound
– “non-symmetrical”
• Rhythm = arrangements of durations within
a meter
Timbre
• Sounds of the same pitch, amplitude, and
duration but produced by different media
can be distinguished on the basis of timbre
or “tone color”
• Different sounding media cause different
pitches in the harmonic series (“overtones”)
to be suppressed or amplified.
Scale
• Organization of pitches within an octave
(1:2 ratio of pitches)
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Pentatonic
Diatonic
Chromatic
Microtonal
• Scales generate both melodies (pitches
considered diachronically) and harmonies
(pitches considered synchronically)
Texture
• Monophonic = all sounding media produce the
same sequence of pitches with the same durations
• Heterophonic = different sounding media produce
simultaneous variations of the sequence of pitches
and durations
• Polyphonic = different sounding media produce
different sequences of pitches and durations
exhibiting common interest
• Homophonic/harmonic = different sounding media
produce different sequences of pitches and
durations exhibiting unequal interest
(melody/accompaniment)
Form
• Structural intelligibility of a particular
musical event unfolding over time
• Exact repetition (same
pitch/volume/duration/timbre)
• Variation (vary one or more of
pitch/volume/duration/timbre)
• Development (elaborate one or more of
pitch/volume/duration/timbre)
• Contrast (introduce new material)
• “Free” forms: no regular patterns of
repetition and contrast (e.g., fantasia,
rhapsody)
• “Fixed” forms: regular patterns of repetition
and contrast
– Binary (AB: AAB/AABB/AA’BB’, etc.)
– Ternary (ABA: ABA’/ABACA/ABACABA,
etc.)
– Mixed, e.g., sonata-allegro: Exposition /
Development / Recapitulation / Coda