Elements of Music

Clefs  Found at the beginning of music.  Tell the player whether to read treble clef or bass clef.  Treble also called G clef.  Bass also called F clef.  Treble clef instruments are flute, clarinet, trumpet, saxophone.  Bass clef instruments are trombone, baritone, tuba.

Musical Alphabet  Lines of Treble clef. –EGBDF  Spaces of Treble clef. –FACE  Lines of bass clef. –GBDFA  Spaces of bass clef. –ACEG

Tempo  Speed of the music.  Time signature –tells the player how many beats and which note gets the steady beat.

Tempo Markings  Allegro. –Fast  Largo. –Very Slow  Moderato. –Moderately  Adagio. –Medium Slow  Larghetto –Slow  Bright.  Andante –Walking tempo  March tempo

Dynamics  Volume in music.  Notated in letters: p, mp, f, mf, ff,pp.  Crescendo/decrescendo.  Diminuendo.

Rhythm  Big beats are divided into rhythms.  Whole note = 4  Half note = 2  Quarter note = 1  Whole rest = 4  Half rest = 2  Quarter rest = 1

Timbre  Means tone color.  It’s what makes a flute sound like a flute.  Overtones.

Form  How music is organized.  Binary= 2 parts to a song.  Ternary= 3 parts to a song.  Rondo= One theme reoccurs  Theme and variation= One theme, then the theme is changed.