Elements of Music
- Rhythm- Distribution of sound over time.
- Beat- Unit of pulse
- Tempo- Speed or rate at which beats pass
- Measure- Group of beats
- Accent- An emphasis placed on a certain note
- Subdivision- The division of a beat
- Meter- Underlying pattern of beats that maintains itself consistently throughout a work
- Syncopation- Off the beat. Achieved by the silence occurring between beats
- Genre- Category of music
- Melody- Single line of notes heard in succession as a coherent unit
- Texture- Texture is based on the number and general relationship of musical lines or voices. Texture can be thick or thin
- Monophonic- Single melody with no accompaniment
- Homophonic- Melody performed with supporting accompaniment
- Polyphonic- Melody is performed against another line of equal importance
- Harmony- Sound created by multiple voices playing or singing together
- Timbre- The color and character of a sound
- Dynamics- The volume at which sound is heard (loud–soft)
- Form- The architecture of music
- AAA (strophic)- Setting of words in which all verses and stanzas are set to the same music. This is an ideal song form to use for story telling.
- AABA (American popular song form)- Three related sections, third section is a recapitulation of the first (ABA) or (AABA)
- AB (verse/chorus)- Two related sections usually repeating (AB)
- ABC (verse/chorus/bridge)- Identical in structure to AB song form with the exception that a bridge is inserted into the song structure.
Examples of Musical Form: AAA (strophic)
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Examples of Musical Form: AABA (American popular song form)
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Examples of Musical Form: AB (verse/chorus song form)
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Examples of Musical Form: ABC
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Monophonic Examples
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Only the introduction until :44
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Homophonic Examples
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Polyphonic Examples
The example below demonstrates both homophonic and polyphonic textures