Chapter 1 - Music Fundamentals

Aspects of Sound

• Aspects of sound - Properties that are fundamental to the elements of sound and music.
• Sound has:
  • Pitch (Frequency) - Wavelength
  • Dynamic (Amplitude) - Wave height
  • Timbre (Tone color) - Waveform
  • Articulation - Envelope
  • Duration - The length of time sound and silence last.

Pitch-Frequency-Wavelength

• Wavelength - The distance between one wave and the next. It’s related to the frequency and the pitch.
• Frequency - The rate of vibration measured in times per second or Hertz.
  • The higher the frequency, the higher the pitch and the shorter the wavelength.

Dynamics-Amplitude-Wave Height

• Height - The size of each individual wave

• Amplitude - The length of the wave. It determines the loudness of the sound.

  

Timbre-Tone Color-Waveform

• Waveform - The shape and form of the sound wave as it moves in distance and frequency.
• Timbre - Unique qualities of sound produces by the shape of the waveform.
  • They’re made up of more than one frequency, involving harmonics or overtones.

Articulation-Envelope

• Envelope - Composed of a sound’s attack, sustain, and release.

• Articulation - The manner in which we begin the note, sustain it, and end the note.

  

Duration

• Duration - The length of time sound and silence last.

  

The Staff and Clefs

• Staf (Staves) - Where most music is written. A space of five lines and four spaces.

  • Lines and spaces are numbered from bottom to top.

    

• Clefs - What determines the names of the lines and spaces used.

  • Soprano
  • Mezzo soprano
  • Alto
  • Tenor
  • Baritone

• C clef - Sign used for all of the previously mentioned vocal ranges.

  

• Movable C clef - The clef that locates middle C and moves around from line to line to designate range.

• Alto clef - When the C clef is placed on the third line of the staff.

  

• Tenor clef - When the C clef is placed on the fourth line of the staff.

  

• Treble clef - When the G clef is placed on the second line of the staff.

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• Bass clef - When the F clef is placed on the fourth line of the staff.

  

The Grand Staff

• Grand staff - A system of two staves - the top staff uses the treble clef and the bottom staff uses the bass clef.
• System - When multiple staves are connected together by bar lines, brackets, or a brace.
• Neutral clef - Used for rhythm only or for pitchless or untuned instruments such as triangle, cymbals, or tambourine.

Accidentals

• Ledger lines - Small lines that extend the staff while still keeping the five lines and four spaces intact.
• Half step - The smallest space or distance between notes.
• Sharp - Raises the pitch one half step above its natural pitch.
• Flat - Lowers the pitch one half step below its natural pitch.
• Enharmonic equivalent - When notes sound the same but are named differently.
• Natural - The musical symbol that cancels out a flat or a sharp.
• Double sharp - Musical symbol used to raise a pitch by two half steps.
• Double flat - Musical symbol that lowers the pitch by two half steps.

Notation

• Parts of a musical note
  • Head
  • Stem
  • Flag
  • Beam
• Note head - Body of the note
• Stem - Part of a note that is common to all note types shorter in duration than the whole note.
• Flag - Part of the note that is common to all note types shorter in duration than a quarter note.
  • More flags = Shorter note
• Music notation symbols
  • Bar line - The vertical line that divides the staff into measures.
  • Measure - The unit of space between the bar lines.
  • Double bar line - Two lines that signal the end of a section of music.
  • Final bar line - Indicates the end of the piece or composition.

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