AoS1 Base Vocabulary: Tempo, Rhythm and Dynamics
Learn the base musical vocabulary examiners expect: the Italian tempo terms for speed, the patterns of rhythm, and the markings that control dynamics.
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The base musical elements
Before you can describe a piece of music, you need the vocabulary. Three base elements come up in almost every question: **tempo** (the speed), **rhythm** (the pattern of notes in time), and **dynamics** (how loud or quiet it is). This module gives you the words examiners expect for all three. Many use Italian terms, which are a shared musical language.
Three elements plus one
Learn these four words first; everything else hangs off them.
Match the tempo term
- Allegro
- Adagio
- Andante
- Presto
- Fast
- Slow
- At a walking pace
- Very fast
Which means fast?
Which Italian tempo term tells a musician to play fast?
- Allegro
- Adagio
- Largo
- Andante
Slow tempos and fast tempos
Italian tempo terms sit on a scale from very slow to very fast. Learn where each one belongs.
Match the dynamic marking
- p
- pp
- f
- ff
- Quiet
- Very quiet
- Loud
- Very loud
Reading dynamics
Dynamics use Italian words and their letters. p stands for piano and means quiet; f stands for forte and means loud. Add a second letter for the extremes: pp is very quiet and ff is very loud. A crescendo means get gradually louder, and a diminuendo means get gradually quieter.
Complete the summary
The speed of music is its _____. A very fast Italian tempo term is _____. The volume of music is its _____. The marking f means _____, and a _____ tells you to get gradually louder.
Spot the tempo terms
Which of these are tempo terms, describing speed? Choose all that apply.
- Allegro
- Adagio
- Andante
- Forte
- Crescendo
Which are dynamics?
An interactive activity.
Slowest to fastest
An interactive activity.
What does pp mean?
A score is marked pp. What does that tell the musician to do?
- Play very quietly
- Play very loudly
- Play very fast
- Play very slowly
Guiding the players
An interactive activity.
Your turn
An interactive activity.