Elements of Music - The Basic Elements of Music

Musical Texture - Types of Musical Texture Musical texture refers to the number of layers, as well as the type of layers, used in a composition and how these layers are related. Texture may be monophonic, polyphonic or homophonic. Monophonic - Refers to a single melodic line. Polyphonic - Refers to two or more melodic lines. Homophonic - Refers to a a main melody accompanied by chords. Studio Ensembles - Types and Sizes of Ensembles An ensemble is defined as a group of people performing a musical number together and/or a group of musicians playing musical instruments together. There are various kinds of ensembles that are differentiated based on the type of music they play, the type of instruments they use in their performances and the number of musicians performing together. For this article we will learn about the different types of small ensembles. Small Ensembles Duet - Composed of two musicians performing together. Trio - Composed of three musicians performing together. Quartet - Composed of four musicians performing together. Quintet - Composed of five musicians performing together. Sextet - Composed of six musicians performing together. Septet - Composed of seven musicians. Octet - Composed of eight musicians.

Aspect of music An aspect of music (rudiment) is any characteristic, dimension, or element taken as a part or component of music. European music[edit] Persian music[edit] A dastgah is a melody type used in Persian music, on the basis of which a performer produces extemporised pieces. Universal aspect[edit] Often a definition of music lists the aspects or elements that make up music under that definition. According to Merriam (1964, p. 32-33) there are three aspects always present in musical activity: concept, behaviour, and sound. Kenneth Gorlay recounts that, "Writing of her own Igbo music, the Nigerian musicologist Chinyere Nwachukwu maintains that the 'concept of music nkwa combines singing, playing musical instruments, and dancing into one act' (1981: 59). Other common aspects and terms[edit] For a more comprehensive list of terms see: List of musical topics Sources[edit] Thomson, Virgil. Further reading[edit] Agricola, M. (1991).

Introduction to Reading Music [ Introduction | Clefs | Time Signatures | Types of Notes | Types of Rests | Basic Counting I ][ Basic Counting II | Symbols | Shaping | Return to Education Section ] Learning to Read Music, Created by Kevin Lux for DataDragon Information Services Elements of Music Elements of Music: Sounds may be perceived as pleasant or unpleasant. What are these sounds that we hear? What is "sound"? What causes it, and how do we hear it? -Sound begins with the vibration of an object, such as a table that is pounded or a string that is plucked. -The vibrations are transmitted to our ears by a medium, which is usually air -As a result of the vibrations, our eardrums start vibrating too, and impulses, or signals, are transmitted to the brain. -Music is part of this world of sound, an art based on the organization of sounds in time. Properties of musical sounds: -We distinguish music from other sounds by recognizing the four main properties of musical sounds: pitch, dynamics (loudness or softness), tone color, and duration. Duration: the length of time a musical sound lasts Pitch is the relative highness or lowness that we hear in a sound -The pitch of a sound is determined by the frequency of its vibrations. -Vibration frequency is measured in cycles per second. Tone Color

Music History 101 What is Music? Dictionaries and encyclopedias define music as "an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner." It is also defined as "any pleasing and harmonious sound" and "the sounds produced by singers or musical instruments." (Source: wordnet.princeton.edu) There are a lot of definitions for music and it will take a whole book to explore the subject of music. For me music is the singing of the birds, the whistling of my husband as he takes a shower, the soft humming of my little girl as she quietly plays, the beautiful sounds a pianist produces as he touches the keys of a piano... Take a moment to ponder what the meaning of music is for you. Origin and History of Music There are many theories regarding when and where music originated. Medieval/Middle Ages Music during the Middle Ages is characterized by the beginning of musical notation as well as polyphony. Related Articles Renaissance Baroque Classical Romantic

Color of Music Major Scale