The Elements of MUSI C

Music is made up of many different things called elements. They are the building bricks of
music. When you compose a piece of music you use the elements of music to build it, just like a
builder uses bricks to build a house. Using these elements correctly helps each piece of music to
sound unique and interesting. You can also think of the elements like colours in a picture.

What are the elements of music?
PITCH
Pitch means the highness or lowness of a sound. In music, every
pitch is named after letters of the alphabet, from A to G. All
pieces of music use a range and variety of different pitches to
create melody and harmony. Pitches move in only 3 ways:
by step, by leap or by repetition.
HIGH + LOW
DYNAMICS
Dynamics means the loudness or quietness of the music.
Sometimes this is called the volume. Music often changes
volume gradually, becoming quieter or louder. Dynamics can
also change suddenly. In music, a system of letters is used to
describe the dynamics: p (quiet); mp or mf (medium quiet or
loud); f (loud).
LOUD + QUIET
TEMPO
Tempo means the fastness or slowness of the music. Sometimes
this is called the speed or pace. A piece of music can be at any
speed and may even change, becoming faster or slower to
create different effects.
FAST + SLOW
BEAT
The beat of the music can be compared to the heart beat or
pulse of the human body. It is almost always even or steady.
The beat keeps the music alive and can also help us find the
tempo of a piece. You can find the beat of the music by tapping
your foot.
MUSICAL PULSE
DURATION
Duration means the length of each sound. In music, the sounds
are written as notes. Some notes are long and some are short.
Composers often combine different lengths of sounds for various
effects.
LONG + SHORT
REST
Silence is as important as sound in music. It is written down as
rests. It gives us the spaces between each note and can also be
used for dramatic effects.
NO SOUND
RHYTHM
Rhythms are the patterns created by different lengths of notes
and rests. Rhythm is not the same as beat or tempo. A fast
piece can have slow rhythms just as a slow piece can have fast
rhythms.
SOUND
PATTERNS
TEXTURE
Texture is created through the combinations of different
musical instruments or voices. If only one sound or instrument is
heard the texture is thin. If there are many sounds the texture
would be thick. The texture often changes, becoming thinner or
thicker, during a piece of music.
THICK + THIN
ARTICULATION
Attack describes the way sounds start. Some sounds can have a
hard or soft beginning, surprising you or seeming to creep up on
you.
START
DECAY
Decay describes the way sounds stop. Sounds can stop suddenly
or die away gradually.
STOP
TIMBRE or
TONE COLOUR
Every instrument, voice or sound has its own timbre or tone
colour. Differences in timbre are often caused by the materials
from which instruments are made, their sizes, how the sound is
produced or the speed of the vibration that you can hear (the
pitch).
SOUND QUALITY
Wood, metal, plastic,
reed, lips, skin,
voice, string,
electronic