Sound

Naming Pitches

Tone: a specific pitch produced by sound waves with a constant rate of vibration

In Western music, we refer to specific pitches, or tones, with letter names, using the letters A through G.

Keys on the keyboard are often called “steps,” referring to any key’s nearest neighbor, up or down, as a half step.

Sharp: one-half step higher than the corresponding white key

Flat: one-half step lower than the corresponding black key

Notating Pitches:

Staff: five lines and four spaces on which music is notated

Clef: a sign placed at the beginning of the staff indicating that a particular line represents a specific pitch

Treble Clef

Bass Clef

Intervals

Interval: the distance between two tones; has a numeric name

Octave: the interval of an eighth -example: from C4 to C5 is an

octave

Dynamics: loudness or softness For many years the dynamic level at

which a piece should be performed was not indicated by the composer.

The loudness or softness depended on the number of performers, the kinds of voices or instruments involved, the performer’s own musical ideas, and the acoustic characteristics of the performance venue.

Acoustics: the science of sound; deals with the qualities of a performance space that affect the way the audience hears the music

In the 17th century, composers began to indicate dynamic levels in their music.

Terms indicating dynamics were in Italian and are still used today.

pianissimo pp very soft

piano p soft mezzopiano mp moderately soft mezzoforte mf moderately loud forte f loud fortissimo ff very loud Crescendo becoming louder Decrescendo becoming softer Diminuendo becoming softer

Dynamic Levels