Elements and Classifiaction

1. Elements and Classifiaction Elements of Music Timbre Categories Genre vs. Musical Style Genre Categories

2. Objectives • Students will be able to: • List the four elements of music and define the terms in their own words. • List and define timbre categories of musical instruments. • Understand the difference between genre and musical style. • Describe the characteristics of traditional, popular, and classical music.

3. Elements of Music • Melody- A logical succession of tones.- The part of the song that is most familiar and is usually remembered. • Rhythm- The way beats and pulses are organized.

4. Elements of Music (Continued) • Pitch- The highness or lowness of a tone. – Determined by the frequency of wavelengths of sound waves. • Timbre- The distinct tonal quality of an instrument or voice. – What make the instrument or voice sound unique?

5. Timbre Categories(Based on the way sound is produced) • Aerophone- Sound is produced by a vibrating column of air. • Chordophone- Sound is produce by the vibrations of strings. • Membranophone- Sound is produced by striking a membrane stretched over a hollow sound box.

6. Timbre Categories(Continued) • Idiophone- Sound is produced by the actual structure of the instrument. • Electrophone- Sound is produced by electricity.

7. Categorize the Instrument • Categorize the following instruments into their proper timbre categories. • Flute Xylophone • Electric guitar Organ • Piano Harmonica • Snare drum Cymbals

8. Listening Activity • Listen to the following examples of music. On your paper, write the timbre categories for the instruments heard in the examples. There will be 8 examples. List them as A-H on your paper.

9. Genre vs. Musical Style • A genre designates a particular type of music with a distinctive sound. • Musical style is a form of expression within a genre. • These two concepts are often confused with each other. Remember a genre is a broader category.

10. Genre or Musical Style? • On your paper, write whether the following types of music is a genre or musical style. • Country and western • Hip hop • Heavy metal • jazz

11. Traditional Music • Informal • Develops within and is associated with a particular cultural group or region. • Closely tied to language, environment, and social customs. • Oldest category of music. • Audience participation is sometimes encouraged.

12. Popular Music • Intended for a wide audience. • Often features prominent melodies. • Primarily a form of entertainment. • Usually not restricted to particular uses and settings. • Often identified with the commercial side of music. • Audience participation is often encouraged.

13. Classical Music • “Art” music. • Musicians generally have formal training. • Performances tend to be more refined. • Audience participation is usually not encouraged. • In the past, only the wealthy citizens and leaders were allowed access to this type of music.

14. Listening activity • Listen to the following two examples of music. Write your response to the following questions for each of the musical examples. • What is the social function of the music? Where would you hear it? What function would it serve?

15. Listening Activity (Continued) • Listen to two different recordings of the same pieces and answer the following questions. • Would you categorize these pieces in the same way? Do you think the function or intended audience is different? Explain.