The Elements of Music

The building blocks of music

Every piece of music, from a pop song to a symphony, can be described using the same set of building blocks, called the elements of music. The melody is the tune, the part a listener remembers and can sing. The harmony is the notes sounded together to support it. The tonality tells you whether the music is built on a major or a minor key. Rhythm, metre and tempo cover the pattern of note lengths, how the beats are grouped and how fast the music goes. Dynamics describe how loud it is and articulation how the notes are played. Texture describes how many layers of sound there are, and timbre is the tone colour that makes each instrument recognisable. This module teaches these elements and their key terms, so you can describe any music accurately.

Music words

Learn what each of these means before you use it.

Major against minor

Tonality tells a listener a great deal about the mood of a piece.

How to describe a piece

To describe any music, work through the elements one at a time rather than just saying whether you like it. Ask about each in turn: how does the melody move, what is happening in the harmony underneath it, is the tonality major or minor, how fast is the tempo and how are the beats grouped, how loud is it and how are the notes played, how many layers of sound are there, and which instruments give it its colour. Naming an element is only the first step; the marks come from saying what effect it creates. Going element by element turns a vague reaction into a full and accurate description.

Match the element to what it describes

Describing texture

A piece has a single melody with chords underneath supporting it. Which word describes this texture?

• homophonic, a melody with chordal accompaniment
• monophonic, a single line with nothing else
• polyphonic, several independent melodies at once
• silent, with no sound at all

Dynamics and articulation

Select the TWO terms that describe dynamics or articulation.

• forte, meaning loud
• staccato, meaning short and detached
• major, meaning a bright-sounding key
• ostinato, meaning a repeated pattern

Beats in a bar

A piece is written in four-four time. Work out how many beats there are in each bar.

Order the dynamics

Put these dynamic markings in order, from the quietest to the loudest.

• pianissimo, very quiet
• piano, quiet
• forte, loud
• fortissimo, very loud

Complete the music facts

The main tune that a listener remembers and can sing is the _____. When several notes sound together at the same time, that is _____. A key that sounds bright and often happy is in a _____ tonality. The tone colour that makes one instrument sound different from another is its _____.

Match the melodic device

Spot the true music facts

Tap the TWO statements that are true.

• A minor key often sounds sad or dark
• Tempo means the speed of the music
• Forte is a marking that means very quiet
• An ostinato is a single note played only once

Describe the music

Read each case and choose the best response, with a reason.

• You want to describe how fast a piece of music goes. Which element are you describing?
• A short, catchy pattern repeats throughout a pop song. What is it best called?
• You must describe a passage that is loud and played smoothly. Which two elements do you name?

Explain the elements of music

A friend is starting GCSE Music and asks what the elements of music are and why they matter. Explain the elements of music.

• Explain what is meant by the elements of music
• Explain the difference between melody and harmony
• Explain what tonality is, naming the two main types
• Give one term used for dynamics and one used for articulation
• Finish by explaining why describing a piece element by element is useful