Elements Of Music Flashcards
What is pitch?
High–low a note is
How is pitch described
Using the letters of the musical alphabet – ABCDEFG
What is the term used to describe different pitches
Tune or melody
What type of pitches Can create a different mood
High pitched notes
Low pitched notes
What is tempo?
Fast – slow
How does tempo affect the mood of a piece
– Slow music may feel relaxing, or sad.
– Fast music may feel more energetic, or happy.
– Getting faster is called _____
– Getting slower is called _____
– Fast tempo is called _____
– Moderate tempo is called____
– Slow tempo is called_______
– Accelerando
– Rallentando
– Allegro
– Andante
– Adagio
What is Dynamics
Loud or quiet 
Dynamic features
– Getting louder is called ______
– Getting quieter is called _____
– Loud is called ______
– Soft is called_____
– Moderately loud is called______
– Moderately soft is called______

– Crescendo
– Diminuendo
– forte
– Piano
– Mezzo forte
– Mizzo piano
What is Duration
Smooth – detached
What does duration refer to
How long a note sounds
Hey what are some words used to identify the length of a note
Crotchet
Quaver
Minim
What is the musical term for smooth notes
What is the musical term for detached notes
Legato
Staccato
What is texture
Simple – complex
What does the texture of a piece refer to
-How simple or complicated the music is 
-or how many melodies are played at one time
If there’s lots of instruments playing different melodies at the same time what is the texture
Complex (polyphonic)
If there is one Melody with accompanied backing what is the texture
Simple (Homophonic)
If there is one Melody with no backing what texture is it
Simple (Monophonic)
What is timbre
Instrumentation
What is Timbre like
A musical finger print- describes the particular instrument heard and the sound quality of the instrument
Why do instruments sound different from each other
-They are made of different material
-or have to be played in different ways to make their sound
Give me an example of an instrument and why it might sound different
Hitting the skin of a drum sounds different from hitting a metal or wooden instrument
What is tonality
Major– Minor
What is the character of a piece of music related to
It’s Key Centre or tonality
What type of music is tonal music in
Major or minor key
–What does a major key generally sound like
– What does a minor key generally sound like
Major– Happy
Minor – sad
