Elements of Music and Scales

Elements of Music

• Pitch: The perceived highness or lowness of a sound. Measured in hertz (Hz)
• Duration: The length of time a sound is heard
• Timbre: The unique "tone color" or quality of a sound, depending on the instrument or voice producing it
• Intensity: The loudness or softness of a sound
• Rhythm: The pattern of strong and weak beats in music

Musical Scales

• Major scales: Happy, uplifting sound. Formula: W-W-H-W-W-W-H (whole-whole-half-whole-whole-whole-half)
• Minor scales: Sad, melancholic sound. Formula: W-H-W-W-H-W-W (whole-half-whole-whole-half-whole-whole)
• Chromatic scale: All 12 half-steps within an octave
• Pentatonic scale: 5-note scale used in many traditional and folk musics

Musical Instruments

• Strings: Violin, guitar, cello, double bass. Produce sound through vibration
• Woodwinds: Flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon. Produce sound through air flow
• Brass: Trumpet, trombone, French horn, tuba. Produce sound through air flow and lip vibration
• Percussion: Drums, piano, xylophone, marimba. Produce sound through striking or shaking

Musical Genres

• Classical music: Orchestral music from 18th and 19th centuries
• Jazz: Improvisational music originating from African-American traditions
• Rock music: Energetic, amplified music from 1950s and 1960s
• Pop music: Catchy, commercial music for mass audience

Musical Forms

• Sonata form: Exposition, development, and recapitulation
• Rondo form: Alternating themes and sections
• Verse-chorus form: Repeating patterns of verse and chorus

Elements of Music

• Pitch is the perceived highness or lowness of a sound, measured in hertz (Hz).
• Duration refers to the length of time a sound is heard.
• Timbre is the unique "tone color" or quality of a sound, depending on the instrument or voice producing it.
• Intensity refers to the loudness or softness of a sound.
• Rhythm is the pattern of strong and weak beats in music.

Musical Scales

• Major scales have a happy, uplifting sound and follow the formula W-W-H-W-W-W-H (whole-whole-half-whole-whole-whole-half).
• Minor scales have a sad, melancholic sound and follow the formula W-H-W-W-H-W-W (whole-half-whole-whole-half-whole-whole).
• Chromatic scales consist of all 12 half-steps within an octave.
• Pentatonic scales are 5-note scales used in many traditional and folk musics.

Musical Instruments

• String instruments (violin, guitar, cello, double bass) produce sound through vibration.
• Woodwind instruments (flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon) produce sound through air flow.
• Brass instruments (trumpet, trombone, French horn, tuba) produce sound through air flow and lip vibration.
• Percussion instruments (drums, piano, xylophone, marimba) produce sound through striking or shaking.

Musical Genres

• Classical music is orchestral music from the 18th and 19th centuries.
• Jazz is improvisational music originating from African-American traditions.
• Rock music is energetic, amplified music from the 1950s and 1960s.
• Pop music is catchy, commercial music for a mass audience.

Musical Forms

• Sonata form consists of exposition, development, and recapitulation.
• Rondo form features alternating themes and sections.
• Verse-chorus form involves repeating patterns of verse and chorus.