Elements Of Music

Question 1

What is pitch

Answer 1

-Pitch is how high or low a sound is.
-Every sound has a pitch, even if it isn’t musical.
-In written music, the notes on the staff are showing what pitch to play.

Question 2

What is tempo

Answer 2

-Tempo is the speed or pace of music.

-Tempo can affect the mood of a piece. E.g. slow music may feel relaxed or sad, fast music may feel more energetic or happy.

-Sometimes the tempo changes during a piece:
•Getting faster (accelerando)
•Getting slower (rallentando

Question 3

Lento

Answer 3

Slowly

Question 4

Largo

Answer 4

Slow and stately

Question 5

Adagio

Answer 5

Leisurely

Question 6

Andante

Answer 6

At a walking pace

Question 7

Allegro

Answer 7

Fast

Question 8

Vivace

Answer 8

Lively

Question 9

Presto

Answer 9

Very quickly

Question 10

What is dynamics

Answer 10

-Dynamics describe the volume of music

•Dynamics often change in a piece of music:
•Getting louder (crescendo)
•Getting quieter (diminuendo)

Question 11

Fortissimo

Answer 11

Extremely loud

Question 12

Forte

Answer 12

Loud

Question 13

Mezzo forte

Answer 13

Speaking voice

Question 14

Mezzo piano

Answer 14

Soft speaking voice

Question 15

Piano

Answer 15

Softer than a speaking voice

Question 16

Pianissimo

Answer 16

Almost a whisper

Question 17

What is duration

Answer 17

Duration is the length of each note.

•The length of a note is measured in beats.

•Notes can be long or short.

Question 18

Semibreve

Answer 18

4 beats

Question 19

Minim

Answer 19

2 beats

Question 20

Crotchet

Answer 20

1 beat

Question 21

Quaver

Answer 21

1/2 beat

Question 22

Semiquaver

Answer 22

1/4 beat

Question 23

Demisemiquaver

Answer 23

1/8 beat

Question 24

Demisemiquaver

Answer 24

1/8 beat

Question 25

What is articulation

Answer 25

Articulation is the way a particular note is performed.

•Notes can be played:
oSmoothly (legato)
oDetached (staccato)

Question 26

What is texture

Answer 26

Texture describes how melodies, rhythms or harmonies are layered in a piece.

•Layers of sound are the different things which are happening at the same time in a piece of music. There could be a guitar playing, a voice singing, drums playing and a piano too.

Question 27

Monophonic

Answer 27

Contains one melody with no harmonies, although there may be a rhythmic accompaniment.

Question 28

Polyphonic

Answer 28

Contains two or more melodies playing at the same time

Question 29

Homophonic

Answer 29

Where there is more than one independent melody playing at the same time

Question 30

What is timbre

Answer 30

Timbre describes the sounds and/or instruments heard in a piece of music.

•Instruments sound different from each other because they are made of different materials.

Question 31

What is tonality

Answer 31

Tonality is the character or key centre of a piece of music.

•Tonal music is in a major or minor key.
oMajor keys generally sound happy.
oMinor keys generally sound sad.