Elements of Music

Music is made up of many different things called elements. They are the building bricks of music. When you compose a piece of music you use the elements of music to build it, just like a builder uses bricks to build a house.

The 9 Elements of Music are listed below. Use the following acronym MR TD STTOPS to help you remember these elements;

Mr TD Sttops : The 9 Elements of Music : Use this acronym to memorize what each letter stands for ... M = Metre, R = Rhythm, T =Tempo, D = Dynamics, S = Structure, T = Tonality, T = Texture, OP = Organisation of Pitch, S = Sonority ( Timbre)

We are going to focus mainly on Metre/Rhythm/Tempo, Organisation of Pitch (melody and harmony), Texture ,Tonality and Structure

Metre, Rhythm and Tempo: including pulse, time signatures (simple time & compound time), and basic rhythmic devices, for example dotted rhythms, note durations.

Rhythm : Rhythm encompasses several concepts including note durations, time signatures & metre, tempo and then there is specific vocabulary such as tempo changes, syncopation, swing, accelerando, ritardando etc It's best to use the Focus on Sound software to gain an understanding of the key terms related to rhythm.

Activity #1 : Go to Focus on Sound https://jerudong.musicfirst.com.au/app/ and Go to Dictionary > Sound Words > Whole Dictionary and search the following terms, listening to all of the examples of tempo change, syncopation, swing, accelerando, ritardando, adagio, allegro, andante & moderato.

Organisation of Pitch : (Melody and Harmony). 

Melody and pitch, high and low and melodic devices such as repetition and sequence. Melodic contour - stepwise (conjunct), leap (disjunct), contrary motion and other devices such as inversion and retrograde. 

Harmony including intervals and chords (major, minor, augmented, diminished), chord progressions (roman numeral and pop notation), and cadences(perfect, plagal and imperfect)

Organisation of Pitch (Melody) : Melody can be defined as a memorable series of pitches. In a non-formal setting, we can just say it's the tune of the song. Terms related to pitch are often grouped together with melody. Click here to watch the first few minutes of the video about Melody.  http://study.com/academy/lesson/melody-vs-harmony-definitions-and-examples.html

Activity #1 : Go to Focus on Sound  https://jerudong.musicfirst.com.au/app/ and complete the  Lesson #1 on Melody. Go to Lessons > GCSE from 2018 > OCR Melodic Terms. Complete the lesson & test. Terms you will need to understand are Step, Leap, Scalic, Passing Note, Octave leap, Chromatic, Semitone & Tone 

Activity #2 : Go to Focus on Sound https://jerudong.musicfirst.com.au/app/ and complete Lesson #2 and the quiz on Melody. Go to Lessons > GCSE from 2018 > OCR Melodic Terms #2. Complete the lesson. Terms you will need to understand are Repetition, Sequence, Improvisation, Mode, Fill, Walking Bass, Inversion, Call & Response.

Harmony can be defined as notes that sound simultaneously. Harmony acts as notes that support a melody. Harmony often adds a framework or context for the melody, like a setting in a story. We can harmonize the melody by adding accompanying notes. We can do this by adding chords or a counter melody.

Click here and skip to 3'47" to watch a few minutes of the video about Harmony.http://study.com/academy/lesson/melody-vs-harmony-definitions-and-examples.html

Activity #1 : Go to Focus on Sound https://jerudong.musicfirst.com.au/app/ and complete the Lesson #1 on Harmony. Go to Lessons > GCSE from 2018 > OCR Harmony Terms. Complete the lesson & test. Terms you will need to understand are Triad, Primary Chords, Diatonic, Discord, Atonal, Harmonic rhythm

Activity #2 : Go to Focus on Sound https://jerudong.musicfirst.com.au/app/ and complete the Lesson #2 on Harmony. Go to Lessons > GCSE from 2018 > OCR Harmony Terms 2. Complete the lesson & test. Terms you will need to understand are Tonic Chord, Subdominant Chord, Dominant Chord, Broken Chord, Drone, 12 bar Blues

Texture: how musical lines (parts) fit together, including simple textural combinations, for example unison, chordal and solo. Polyphonic, homophonic and monophonic texture.

In music, texture refers to the interaction of melodies and harmonies within a song. These parts can be instruments, singers, or a combination of both.

In general, the texture of music can be thin or thick, thin texture being music with few differing musical parts and thick texture being music with many differing musical layers. We can think of texture like a sandwich. The more ingredients you put on your sandwich, the more flavors you will taste in one bite. A grilled cheese sandwich might represent a thin texture, while a sub sandwich with ham, turkey, roast beef, cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo, and spices could represent a thick texture. Thin and thick textures are often woven throughout a song, and it is this weaving that helps create intensity and drive or calm and relaxation within a piece of music.

Click here to watch the first few minutes of the video about Texture http://study.com/academy/lesson/texture-and-voices-in-music-definition.html

Click here to watch the first few minutes of the video about monophony : http://study.com/academy/lesson/monophonic-in-music-definition-examples.html

Activity #1 : Go to Focus on Sound https://jerudong.musicfirst.com.au/app/ and complete the Lesson #1 on Texture. Go to Lessons > GCSE from 2018 > OCR Texture Terms. Complete the lesson & test. Terms you will need to understand are Melody & Accompaniment, Polyphony, Monophony, Homophony, Unison, Doubling

Tonality: including major, minor keys and basic modulations within the music, for example tonic, dominant, tonal, modal and atonal.

Click here to watch the first few minutes of the video about Major and Minor Keys study.com/academy/lesson/major-and-minor-keys-tonality-in-music.html

Click here to watch the first few minutes of the video about Atonality https://study.com/academy/lesson/atonal-music-definition-schoenberg-examples.html