Rhythm
In music, duration is...
The length of time a tone lasts
In what language are tempo markings usually written?
Italian
Sound begins with...
The vibration of an object.
What is "range"?
The distance between the lowest and highest notes an instrument can play, a person can sing, or of a given piece.
Define "dynamics".
The relative levels of loudness or softness in music.
What is "rhythm"?
The ordered duration of sounds and silences.
What is "syncopation"?
When an accent occurs on a note one would not expect to be emphasized (in-between the beats).
Music is...
the artistic organization of sounds in time.
What is an "interval"?
The distance between two pitches.
In what language are dynamics indicated?
Italian
What is "beat"?
Regular, recurrent pulsations that divide music into equal time units.
What is "tempo"?
The speed of the beat of a piece of music.
Music has four distinct properties - name them.
pitch, duration, tone color, dynamics.
When an object vibrates and the vibrations travel through the air until they hit the eardrum, sending a signal to the brain...
Sound
List all the dynamic markings from your notes, from softest to loudest.
pianissimo (pp), piano (p), mezzo piano (mp), mezzo forte (mf), forte (f), fortissimo (ff)
What is "meter"?
A repeated pattern of strong and weak beats.
What tool can we use to establish a specific tempo?
Metronome
What is the difference between "definite pitch" and "indefinite pitch"?
Definite pitch has equal frequency, with waves hitting the ear evenly. Indefinite pitch has erratic frequency, hitting the ear at uneven intervals.
Give some examples of instruments with definite pitch.
Explain how dynamics are directly related to how an instrument is played.
Dynamics are directly related to how strongly the instrument is played. For example, how hard a drum is struck or how much air is blown into an instrument.
What is a numerical marking that indicates the number of beats in a measure?
Metronomes can be either....
Mechanical or electric
What is the unit of measurement that refers to frequency?
Hertz
Give some examples of instruments with indefinite pitch.
Gong, cymbal, sleigh bells, cowbell, snare drum, etc.
Dynamic indications are not precise. What are some elements that affect the dynamics of a performance?
Dynamics are affected by the acoustics of a performance venue and the texture of a piece. Performance with many instruments will naturally be louder than a performance with one instrument.