(MF) Music Fundamentals Module Overview

Music Fundamentals Module Overview

Introduction

Violin ImageIn this module students will learn the basic fundamentals of music. They will learn how music components such as dynamics, melody, rhythm and harmony are combined to create music of all types. We will be introducing concepts that, hopefully, will contribute to their enjoyment of a wide range of musical styles.

 

Essential Questions

  • What is musical pitch?
  • What are dynamics?
  • What is musical tone color?
  • What is rhythm?
  • How do you notate music?
  • What is melody?
  • What is Harmony?
  • What is a musical key?
  • What are the different types of musical texture?
  • What are the different types of musical form?

 

Key Terms

  1. Pitch – How low or high a note is
  2. Dynamics – The volume of a sound or note.
  3. Tone Color – The quality or characteristic of a sound or note.
  4. Duration – The length of a note.
  5. Rhythm – A pattern of sounds and silences.
  6. Melody – A series of notes strung together.
  7. Harmony – Simultaneous sounding of pitches and chords.
  8. Soprano – The highest female voice.
  9. Alto – The lowest female voice.
  10. Tenor – The highest male voice.
  11. Bass – The lowest male voice.
  12. Strings - Musical instruments that produce sound from vibrating strings.
  13. Woodwinds - Musical instruments that produces sound when the player blows air against 
    a sharp edge or through a reed.
  14. Brass - Musical instruments that produces sound by the vibration or “buzzing” of a 
    player’s lips into an instrument.
  15. Percussion - Musical instruments that are sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater, 
    or struck, scraped or rubbed by hand, or struck against another similar instrument.
  16. Keyboards - Musical instruments which are played using a musical keyboard.
  17. Key - Usually refers to the tonic note and chord (main note and chord).
  18. Music Notation - Any system that represents aurally perceived music, through the use of 
    written symbols.
  19. Musical Form – The overall plan or structure, the "big picture", of a piece of music.
  20. Musical Texture – The complexity of a musical composition

 

Key Terms Review

 

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