The Elements of Music – 5th Grade Study Guide
Pitch Pitch can be altered by tension, pressure or the length of a string. On a brass instrument, vibration in the lips causes pitch. On a flute, the vibration of the air causes the pitch, while on a string instrument the tension or length of the string can alter the pitch. Hertz (Hz) measures pitch and refers to the number of soundwaves per second. 440 Hz is the tuning pitch for an orchestra and is set for the orchestra by the oboe.
Duration A whole note lasts 4 beats A dotted half note lasts 3 beats A half note lasts 2 beats A quarter note lasts 1 beat Two eighth notes last 1 beat. Tone Color Tone Color refers to the way a particular group of instruments sound together. This is also known as timbre. (pronounced ‘tamber’) Texture Texture describes the different layers of sound heard in music. You can use the words thick, thin, overlapping, or solo to describe the texture. Dynamics Dynamics refer to the volume of the music pp – pianissimo (very soft) p – piano (soft) mp – mezzo piano (medium soft) mf – mezzo forte (medium loud) f – forte (loud) ff – fortissimo (very loud) Tempo Tempo refers to the speed of the music Largo (very slow) Andante (walking speed) Moderato (moderate / medium speed) Allegro (fast) Presto (very fast) Meter
All music with a steady beat can either be divided into a strong sense of 2 or 3 Music with a meter in 2 is called duple. Music with a meter in 3 in called triple. The meter is felt through strong and weak beats and can be checked by doing a conducting pattern in two or three.