1. Chapter 1: Music, Sound, and Time

2. Key Terms vibrations pitch frequency scales dynamics amplitude
decibels
forte
Piano
Mezzo
pianissimo
Fortissimo
subito
Crescendo
Diminuendo
tone color
Timbre
overtones
duration
rhythm

3. Sound in Time What is Music?
Music can be defined many way and means different things to everyone
For this class we will use the definition
Sound in Time

4. What is Sound? How do humans experience sound?
If you said “We perceive vibrating air molecules that are decoded by our brains”. - Give your self a pat on the back
The next 2 slides will trace the steps between:
A musician playing one note
Our ears receiving it
And our brains processing it

5. Sound Vibrations The sound of A-440:
A Violinist plucks the “A” string on their Violin
The String vibrates 440 times each second
The Vibrations from the string forces air molecules to vibrate at same frequency
Air waves radiate outward at about 1,000 ft. (305 meters) per second
The ear, like a satellite dish, intercepts air waves

6. Sound Vibrations
Vibrating air molecules set eardrum in motion at same rate (440 cycles/second)
Vibration passes through ear bones to corresponding auditory nerve in cochlea
Cochlear nerve sends electrical impulse to brain
Brain perceives impulse as a specific pitch
Note power of even a single sound to change the atmosphere in the room!
 <-- Click here to change atmosphere

7. Sound Vibrations Human ear’s extraordinary sound processing ability
Ear can process vibrations from around 20 to 20,000 cycles/second
Even complex sounds (orchestral music, noise, environmental sound), received by the ear as composite sound shapes, can be interpreted by the brain and broken down into their individual sounds

8. Sound Vibrations Scientific Understanding of Sounds Frequency
Measured in cycles per second
Amplitude
Measured in decibels
Overtones
Fractional vibrations of sound-producing body (partials)
Duration
Measured in Minutes and Seconds

9. Sound Vibrations Musical Understanding of Sounds Frequency Amplitude
Heard as pitch
Amplitude
Heard as loudness (dynamics)
Overtones
Heard as tone color (timbre)
Duration
Heard as beat and tempo

10. Frequency Aspects of pitch Definite or indefinite High or low
Female or male voices
Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Bass

11. Amplitude Aspects of dynamics Loud or soft Gradual changes
forte
piano
Gradual changes
crescendo
decrescendo (diminuendo)
Sudden changes
subito forte or subito piano

12. Dynamics very soft soft medium soft medium loud loud very loud pp p mpmf f ff
pianissimo
piano
mezzo piano
mezzo forte
forte
fortissimo

13. Tone Color: Overtones Aspects of tone color
Sound-producing bodies (strings, air columns, etc.) vibrate:
as a whole (fundamental pitch)
in fractions (halves, thirds, quarters, etc.)
Fractional vibrations are called overtones, or upper partials
Overtones are higher pitches, much softer than the fundamental

14. Some Example of Over Tones
Example of Multiple instruments on A-440 click link above to play

15. Tone Color: Overtones Tone color determined by:
Number, proportion, and relative strength of overtones
Different for each instrument
Attack characteristic
Noise associated with sound production
Scraping of bow on string
Thwack of piano hammer
Buzzing of lips in brass mouthpiece
etc.

16. Tone Color: Overtones Descriptions of tone color
Descriptive adjectives
Bright, warm, ringing, hollow, etc.
Specific instruments
Bowed strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion, keyboard, plucked strings, or human voice
Musical ensembles
Orchestra, chamber ensembles, choirs, etc.

17. Duration Aspects of duration Sounds (and silences) exist in time
Building block for rhythm
Can be long or short
Measured by scientists or nonmusicians in minutes, seconds, milliseconds, etc.
Measured by musicians in measures, beats, and fractions of beats