The Elements of Music
Overview
Explore the different elements of music and the key musical terms which relate to these. Begin to be able to identify these in appraising tasks.
Example Key Words
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| Melody | The sequence of musical notes arranged to form the main tune of the piece |
| Articulation | How a note is directed to be played e.g. staccato (detached) or legato (smooth) |
| Dynamics | The volume of the piece e.g. piano (quiet) or forte (loud) |
| Tempo | The speed of the music e.g. Allegro (fast) or Lento (slow) |
| Structure | The order of the sections in a piece of music e.g. Binary (AB) or Ternary (ABA) |
| Harmony/Tonality | Harmony – How musical notes played at the same time work together e.g. dissonant (clashing) Tonality – The organisation of musical notes around a central note or scale. The key of the piece e.g. C major |
| Instrumentation | The instruments which are used in a piece of music and their role |
| Rhythm | The arrangement of different note lengths |
| Texture | How different musical parts in a piece are layered and interact with each other |