Elements of Music

melody

a purposeful succession of notes, featuring a start, middle and end

-often is the primary vechile and identifier of a piece of music

Harmony

The vertical combination of notes played simultaneously

-a uniquely western musical ingredient

-evolved out of counterpoint

-Harmony together with melody, affects the direction of the musical argument and the intensity of a work

-Harmony has been the subject of much study across the centuries due to the emotive and spiritual power it holds and imparts on the listener

Rhythm

The organization of duration in ordered movement

-different definitions and treatment across the centuries— in composition, it was ofetn left to insitct and taste

-divides into various parts: meter pace (tempo), pulse (beat), pattern, accent

Form

The shape or architecture of a piece of music

-Proportions of musical sections and segments, overall structure and how the material relates throughout the work

Timbre

the tone color produced from the choice of instruments/voices

-the sound of a note besides its pitch in frequency, often called tone color

-the sound properties of instruments and voices, and the role of overtones

Texture

The density in the sound, the interplay of musical layers to enrich the piece in its scope

Monophonic (texture)

one line of music

polyphonic (texture)

multiple lines/layers simultaneously

Homophonic (texture)

one predominant line with accompaniment

Heterophonic (texture)

multiple lines playing variations of the same melody