ELEMENTS OF MUSIC

PREPARED BY:
 Jenny Rose Agbay
 Janice Bernardo
 Janerose Lirazan
 Jane Tayco
 Arzel Nicole Tinagan
Learning objectives/outcomes

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to:

K: Learn and analyze the different elements of music.

S: Create a video clip in which you have to sing of your chosen songs and
relate to the elements of music.

A: Appreciate the value of music in our daily lives.

What I need to know?

• This lesson you will learn the following elements of music and you will learn
how we appreciate the value of music in our daily lives.

What’s new
• Before we start this lesson, are you familiar with these songs? If yes, when you
hear all of these songs, what do you think are the differences? If not, click the link
below the picture or search on YouTube to hear these songs and answer the
question below.

Girls Like You Lyrics - Maroon 5 (Feat. Cardi B) Masked Wolf - Astronaut in the Ocean

Page 1 of 16
 The Chainsmokers & Coldplay - Something Just Like This (cover by COLOR MUSIC Choir)

Q1: When you hear these songs, what do you think are the differences?

What is it?
MUSIC - is a vocal or instrumental sound or both combined in such a way as to
produce beauty of form, harmony, and expression of emotion. It made sounds and
vibrations. Example: People singing, sounds from a musical instrument. Music is also
clearly defined by the elements of sound itself and can be demonstrated through speed
or tempo, the volume at which it is played. On the other hand, music is an art of sound
in time that expresses ideas and emotions in significant forms through the elements of
rhythm, melody, harmony, and color.

SOUND - It is the sensation perceived by the sense of hearing. It can be pleasant,

unpleasant, soft, and loud. And also, sound itself is defined as the ability to hear or feel
a vibration of movement from a voice or instrument. The sounds heard can be
articulated by high or low pitches; how long they are played for, meaning the duration;
the volume at which they are played or amplitude; the way in which they are played
and distinguished, meaning the timbre; and the layers of sound or overtones that can
occur when multiple tones are played at once.
THERE ARE 9 ELEMENTS OF MUSIC AND THESE ARE:
1. Melody (The sequence of sounds you hear over time)

Page 2 of 16
A melody can be defined as a sequence of single notes that are musically pleasing to the
listener. It is the part of a song which is most memorable and is often referred to as the
tune. It is the central theme that is played in a piece of music and that is repeated
throughout the song. In addition, melody also, a sweet or agreeable succession or
arrangement of sounds.

2. Harmony (The combination of sounds you hear together.)

Harmony is the sound of two or more notes heard simultaneously. It is the supporting
pitches/sound that accompany a melody. Example: Lilian and Teresa are both
performing on the stage. Lilian is singing while Teresa plays the piano accompaniment.
On the other hand, Harmony provides music as a secondary line of music that
compliments the melody. It is what provides the song with: color or enhancement.

3. Rhythm (The "pulse" you hear throughout the piece that pulls it all together.)

Page 3 of 16
Rhythm is a music element that makes us move, or even just the tap of the foot when
we listen to a song. And also, rhythm in music is the arrangement of notes of different
lengths. A different way of thinking about what is rhythm in music is how the notes are
measured in the length of time that they sound in a piece of music.

The term “rhythm” has more than one meaning. It can mean the basic, repetitive pulse
of the music, or a rhythmic pattern that is repeated throughout the music. It can also
refer to the pattern in time of a single small group of notes. On the other hand, rhythm
is the way that music is systematically divided into beats that repeat a specific number
of times within a bar at a collectively understood speed.
There are four basic concepts to know about rhythm:

• Beats and notes

Page 4 of 16
• Measures and time signatures

• Strong and Weak Beats

• Double and Triple Meter

4. Meter - is one of the elements of music where it is the arrangement of its rhythms
in a repetitive pattern of strong and weak beats. This does not necessarily mean
that the rhythms themselves are repetitive, but they do strongly suggest a
repeated pattern of pulses. It is on these pulses, the beat of the music, that you
tap your foot, clap your hands, dance, etc. Meters can be classified by counting
the number of beats from one strong beat to the next. For example, if the meter of
the music feels like “strong-weak-strong-weak”, it is in duple meter. “strong-
weak-weak-strong-weak-weak” is triple meter, and “strong-weak-weak-weak” is
quadruple.

Page 5 of 16
Types of meter

• Simple meter - the beat note will divide into 2 equal parts.
• Compound meter - the beat note will divide into 3 equal parts.
• Complex meter - the beat note will divide into both 2 and 3 parts.
• Duple meter - when a piece of music is in duple meter the beats are grouped in
two and have a repetitive strong-weak pattern.

EXAMPLE: A-pple

• Triple meter - where the beats are grouped in threes and have a repetitive strong-
weak-weak pattern.

EXAMPLE: STRAW-ber-ry

• Quadruple meter - where the beats are grouped in four and have a very strong-
weak-strong-weak pattern.

Page 6 of 16
 Example: WA-ter-ME-lon

5. Tempo - is the speed at which a passage of music is or should be played. It is also

the rate of speed of motion or activity.

Page 7 of 16
Accelerando - gradual increase of speed in music

Ritardando - gradual decrease of speed in music

6. Dynamics - refers to the volume of music it is also the loudness and softness of
music. Besides, dynamics are a method to reveal yourself through sheet music.
They contribute to the emotional content of music by heightening and lowering
the loudness and intensity. For example, when you watch a movie about heroism
or rebellion, louder dynamics should be employed. The dynamics markings on
the other hand, indicate how loudly or quietly you should play a tune.
Composers use dynamics in musical notation to express how they want a piece
of music to “feel” to an audience, whether it’s calm, strong, or forceful.

7. Timbre - the distinguishing characteristic that differentiate one sound from the
other. Timbre is a basic element of music, but it can be quite confusing and
unclear as a term. Unlike pitch or rhythm, timbre is unique to each instrument,
and can be hard to quantify, which is why it can’t be written down on a piece of
sheet music. In addition, timber is also known as tone color or tone quality.
Where, it is recognized as the colour or the quality, and tone of a sound that
makes it unique. We define timbre as the heard sound quality of a musical note,
sound, or tone. Timbre can distinguish several sound productions, such as choir
voices, musical instruments, string instruments, wind instruments, and

Page 8 of 16
 percussion instruments. Timbre also enables listeners to distinguish different
instruments in the same category (same pitch and frequency).

8. Form (The style of the music you're listening to, blending different textures
together in patterns.)

Form in music is the organization and structure of a melodic composition. The

term is used to specify either genre, type, or designated procedures used in a
song. The classification for different types of musical forms is denoted by the
compositional techniques, functions, or performance.

There are types of form in music and these are:

o Strophic form (AAA) - is one of the most common musical forms. It’s also
referred to as song form or verse form. It’s the most basic of all the forms
because of its repetitiveness. , typically featuring an AAA structure. In
addition, strophic form is most commonly seen in popular music, folk
music, or music that is verse based.
o Through-composed form - is a composition that is entirely continuous.
Any large scale thematic material is not repeated, and each section sounds
like something completely different. An example of this would be
ABCDE.
o Rondo form is a music that sounds lively to the listener. It’s often at a fast
allegro tempo. It is also very rhythmic and repetitive in some spots.

The following are the examples of forms of music used in popular music along
with a popular song:
 Strophic form - “Amazing grace”
 Rondo form - Beethoven’s “Fur Elise.”

Page 9 of 16
9. Texture (The way the melody and harmony interact with each other.)

Texture in music refers to the number of musical lines and their density in a
piece of music. In other words, texture in music is the relationship between the
layers of sound or lines or voices. Some people will use the term “layers of
sound” interchangeably with Texture.

Four Types of Texture in Music:

❖ Monophony is a musical texture that is made of one-single melodic lines.
Epitaph of Seikilos (Ancient Greece) Example of Monophony
❖ Polyphony is a musical texture consisting of two or more simultaneous
melodic lines. The earliest polyphonic music was created simply by
having musicians play or sing two different songs simultaneously.
Kyrie - Missa Papae Marcelli - Palestrina
❖ Homophony is a musical texture in which a main melodic line is
supported by one or more additional musical lines that add harmonic
support. This is the musical texture that we hear most often today.
Traditional homophony is when all voices play or sing in (roughly) the
same rhythm, creating a full texture.
Bach: Jesu, meine Freude, BWV 227 (Mvt. I, II, III)
❖ A heterophonic texture is the simultaneous variation of a single melody
line. A variation of the melody is played over the original melody.
The Wind That Shakes The Barley/The Reel With The Beryle

Page 10 of 16
 What’s more
I. Directions: Write T if the statement is true and F if false.

_______ 1. Music has nine elements.

_______ 2. Sound is the sensation perceived by the sense of smell.

_______ 3. Beat refers to how long or short a note sounds.

_______ 4. Rondo Form is a composition that is entirely continuous.

_______ 5. Accelerando is the gradual increase of speed in music.

II. Directions: Encircle the correct element of music in the given statements below.

1. It is the arrangement of rhythms in a repetitive pattern of strong and weak beats.

a. Tempo b. Meter c. Rhythm d. Timbre

2. It is often referred to as the tune.

a. Form b. Texture c. Harmony d. Melody

3. This is also known as tone color and tone quality.

a. Timbre b. Form c. Tempo d. Dynamics

4. It is the relationship between the layers of sound or lines or voices

a. Melody b. Meter c. Texture d. Form

5. _________ is the sound of two or more notes heard simultaneously. It is the

supporting pitches/sound that accompany a melody.

a. Harmony b. Rhythm c. Meter d. Tempo

What I have learned

I. Directions: Fill the blanks with the correct answer.

1.___________ is an art of sound in time that expresses ideas and emotions in significant
forms through the elements of rhythm, melody, harmony, and color.

2. When a piece of music is in ____________________ the beats are grouped in two

and have a repetitive strong-weak pattern.

Page 11 of 16
3. _________ in music is the organization Android structure of a melodic
composition. The term is used to specify either genre, type, or designated procedures
used in a song.

4. A musical texture that is made of one-single melodic lines is called

___________________.

5. Sound is the sensation perceived by the sense of hearing. It can be

_______________, ___________________, _________________, ____________.

II. Directions: Write your answer in the space provided below.

What is music?
______________________________________________________________________________
_______.

Enumerate the nine elements of music.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

3. What is an example of harmony?

______________________________________________________________________________
___________.

4. “Amazing Grace” is an example of what?

__________________________.

5. Beats and notes; Measures and time signature; Strong and Weak Beats; and Double
and Triple Meter is under what kind of element of music? ________________________.

Page 12 of 16
 What I can do
 Based on your understanding and what you have learned in this lesson, make
your own video clip in which you sing a song using any instrument or other
things that are available only in your home. Remember, choose a song you like
and after that you should also include it in your video clip where you explain
why you chose that song and also explain what type/kinds of elements of music
have in that song.

Assessment
I. Match the following dynamic terms and their meaning.
1. Forte a. Soft

2. Mezzo piano b. Very loud

3. Fortissimo c. Very very loud

4. Fortississimo d. Very soft

5. Pianissimo e. Medium Loud

6. Pianississimo f. Loud

7. Mezzo forte g. Very very soft

8. Piano h. Medium Soft

II. Fill in the blanks with the correct answer.
1. The term __________ has more than one meaning. It can mean the basic,
repetitive pulse of the music, or a rhythmic pattern that is repeated throughout
the music.

2. A ________ can be defined as a sequence of single notes that are musically

pleasing to the listener.

3. Timber is also known as ____________ or ___________. Where, it is recognized as

the color or the quality, and tone of a sound that makes it unique.

4. music is a vocal or instrumental sound or both combined in such a way as to

produce ____________, ____________, and ______________.

5. Dynamics refers to the _____________ of music; it is also the loudness and

softness of music.

Page 13 of 16
 6. ____________ is the organization and structure of a melodic composition. The
term is used to specify either genre, type, or designated procedures used in a
song.

7. __________ can distinguish several sound productions, such as choir voices,

musical instruments, string instruments, wind instruments, and percussion
instruments.

8. Gradual increase of speed in music is called _____________ and ____________ is

the gradual decrease of speed in music.

9. Tempo is the _________ at which a passage of music is or should be played. It is

also the rate of speed of motion or activity.

10. The ____________indicate how loudly or quietly you should play a tune.
III. Answer the following.
1. Based on your understanding and what you have learned in this lesson, can you
explain and demonstrate the differences of 9 elements of music?

2. How do you define and explain the four types of texture of music and the
dynamic markings?

Additional activities
Answer the following questions.

➢ Why do you think the benefits and importance of music in our daily lives?
➢ As a student, how do you apply music in a real situations?

References:
Scognamiglio, A. J. (2018, April 3). Sample Oer - musical elements. OER Commons.
Retrieved October 14, 2022, from https://www.oercommons.org/authoring/27741-
sample-oer-musical-elements/view

Melody vs. harmony. Mixed In Key. (2020, June 5). Retrieved October 14, 2022, from
https://mixedinkey.com/captain-plugins/wiki/melody-vs-harmony/

Chase, S. (2022, September 20). What is Melody in music? A complete guide. Hello
Music Theory: Learn Music Theory Online. Retrieved October 14, 2022, from
https://hellomusictheory.com/learn/melody/

Page 14 of 16
Ali, M. D. (2020, September 7). The Elements of Music - Taglish Explanation.
Retrieved October 14, 2022, from https://youtu.be/6C83mfH_Iws

Becker, R. (n.d.). Take online courses. earn college credit. Research Schools, Degrees
& Careers. Take Online Courses. Earn College Credit. Research Schools, Degrees &
Careers. Retrieved October 14, 2022, from
https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-music-definition-terminology-
characteristics.html

Dictionary.com. (n.d.). Music definition & meaning. Dictionary.com. Retrieved

October 14, 2022, from https://www.dictionary.com/browse/music

Julia. (2021, May 1). What is harmony in music? Jooya Teaching Resources.
Retrieved October 14, 2022, from https://juliajooya.com/2020/11/28/what-is-
harmony-in-music/

Twinkl.com.ph. (n.d.). Retrieved October 14, 2022, from

https://www.twinkl.com.ph/teaching-wiki/elements-of-music

Jones, C. S. (n.d.). Music 101. Rhythm | Music 101. Retrieved October 14, 2022, from
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-musicapp-medieval-
modern/chapter/rhythm/

Lavoie, A. (2022, January 28). What is Rhythm: How time, beat and meter work in
music. LANDR Blog. Retrieved October 14, 2022, from
https://blog.landr.com/what-is-rhythm-time-beat-meter/

Silvagni. (2019). AP Music theory mr. Silvagni - ppt download. SlidePlayer.

Retrieved October 14, 2022, from https://slideplayer.com/slide/13834569/

Warren. (2017, December 13). Meter and time signatures - ppt video online
download. SlidePlayer. Retrieved October 14, 2022, from
https://slideplayer.com/slide/6907100/

Chase, S. (2022, May 10). What is timbre in music?: Hellomusictheory. Hello Music
Theory: Learn Music Theory Online. Retrieved October 14, 2022, from
https://hellomusictheory.com/learn/timbre/

Vedantu. (2022, April 27). Timbre. VEDANTU Learn LIVE online. Retrieved October
14, 2022, from https://www.vedantu.com/physics/timbre

Ross, J. (2019, May 7). Types of musical forms (examples, definitions, lists). Joshua
Ross. Retrieved October 14, 2022, from https://joshuarosspiano.com/musical-
forms/

Page 15 of 16
Julia. (2021, September 8). What is texture in music? Jooya Teaching Resources.
Retrieved October 14, 2022, from https://juliajooya.com/2020/12/30/what-is-
texture-in-music/

Jean, J. (2021, June 17). Four types of texture in music. PERENNIAL MUSIC AND
ARTS. Retrieved October 14, 2022, from
https://www.perennialmusicandarts.com/post/four-types-of-texture-in-music

Chase, S. (2022, August 5). What is texture in music? A complete guide. Hello Music
Theory: Learn Music Theory Online. Retrieved October 14, 2022, from
https://hellomusictheory.com/learn/texture/

Jean, J. (2021, June 17). Four types of texture in music. PERENNIAL MUSIC AND
ARTS. Retrieved October 14, 2022, from
https://www.perennialmusicandarts.com/post/four-types-of-texture-in-music

Page 16 of 16