THE ELEMENTS AND

ORGANIZATIONS OF
MUSIC
By: Gale Jasminne Bombeza, John Luis Mercader,
Kristine Claire, Christina Maniwan, & Rachelle
Morales
 MUSICAL NOTATION
• Notation
is a system of signs by means of some of the rudiments of which music is written down.

The notation of music serves mainly to indicate two properties of tone which are PITCH and DURATION.

Notation of pitch
Musical notation is written on five horizontal lines with four equal spaces called a STAFF (plural staffs or staves)

___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
 The clef
• Is a letter sign placed on the staff in order to indicate the pitch of the notes.
• The clef signs
Used in musical notations are the G clef, C clef, and F clef.

G CLEF OR TREBLE
CLEF

F CLEF OR BASS
CLEFF
 LEGER LINES
SHORT LINES WHICH ARE USED TO INDICATE PITCHES WITCH LIE BELOW OR ABOVE THE
RANGE OF THE STAFF ARE CALLED
 SHARP
example, on a piece of music, if you see a sharp on the note C, it means to play
the note to the right of C on your piano. It means to play the key that is a
semitone higher. This is actually, the note C. Or the tone half step higher and
played on the piano one key to the right.
 Flat sign (b)
When a note on the staff is preceded by a flat sign (b)
The tone is one half step lower played on the piano
One key to the left. Thus, the tone D may be written.

And played on the black key between C and D (same

Black key and the same sound as c#
 OCTAVE
a series of eight notes occupying the interval between (and including) two notes, one having twice or
half the frequency of vibration of the other.
 NOTATION OF
DURATION
To read notes, one has to know not only where a
note is (its pitch position) but also how long a
time it is held (its duration) Duration of silence
between notes is indicated by a REST. Every
kind of note has a corresponding kind of rest to
indicate that nothing shall be sounded.
The following kind of notes and the equivalent
rest signs are most commonly used in musical
notation.
 Triplet groups
Notes are divided by three’s instead of two’s. These are called triplet groups and are
indicated by the sign 3. For example:
 METER
Is a series of regular pulses, as in the ticking of the clock. The grouping in music is called METER.
This is indicating by TIME SIGNATURES which show the number of beats to a measure. MEASURES are
indicated by means of vertical lines or bars down through the staff.
 DOUBLE BAR
IS USED TO MAKE THE END OF A COMPOSITION OR OF AN IMPORTANT PART
OF IT
 Time Signature

• The time signature of a composition appears on

the staffs at the beginning of the score. It
consists of two numbers: (1) the upper number
indicates the number of beats per measure and
(2) the lower number indicates the kind of note
that will receive one beat. Thus, the time
signature ¾ means that there are three beats in
one measure and every quarter note will receive
one beat.

• Few signs one needs to know in order to read

music accurately:
• The crescendo mark < indicates a gradual
increase in loudness
• The decrescendo mark also called as
diminuendo mark > gradually decrease the
loudness
 Fermata
• A fermata is an articulation mark that allows a note or chord to be held for
as long as desired. A fermata may also be considered a tempo command.
• If a fermata is written over a barline, there will be a pause between
the measures.
• Also Known As: birds eye: hold
 Legato
A curved line above or below two or more notes means legato, connected means no
silence between notes
 Elements and Organization of Music

• Key Signature
-The group of flats or sharps appearing at the
beginning of a piece.
Sound

• Music
-is an art whose basic material is sound.
-is the art of combining tones and silences to convey the
emotions and ideas conceived by the composer.
• Musical sound
-is said to deal with "pure" sound
-one tone is made lead to the next in an orderly and logically way, so
that it makes sense and meaningful to listeners.
• Appreciation of music
-defined as "the acquired ability to listen to music intelligently"
Tone
-is a sound produced by regular vibrations of air (wind, traffic,
clapping of hands, or creaking of doors).

Components of Tone
• Pitch- refers to highness of slowness of a tonal sound. (The
faster the vibration the higher the pitch and opposite)
• Duration- is determined by the length of time the vibration is sustained
• Intensity of volume- tones that vary in their degree of loudness and
softness.
• Timbre or Quality- a property that enables one to distinguish one
sound from another.
 Organization of Elements
The four components of tone constitute the elements of music, and it is organized in the following manner:

• The Organization of Pitch

Western Music- where we derived our pitch, the "pitch spectrum" that has a total of 12 different pitches.

Musical scale- is a series of consecutive tones which moves from lower pitch to higher pitch, or higher pitch to lower
pitch.

Major and Minor scale- the most commonly used scale patterns in music. It is a pattern of whole step (—) and half
step (︶).

Whole and Half step- it refers to the distance between the successive steps in the scale.
 Organization of Elements
• Tonality
-is an element of music into which one should have a clear
insight for a better understanding of it.
-it is the key or tonal center.
Tonic
-it is a harmony that is related to a single tone
-it is the central pitch
Polytonal
- two or more keys that are combined simultaneously in a
single composition.
 Organization of Elements
• The Organization of Duration
Sounds can be made to last for a longer or shorter period of
time because sounds have duration. Thus, it can be
organized rhythmically.

Rhythm
-is the aspect of music which has to do with the organization
of duration.
-usually considered as the most basic musical element.
 Organization of Elements

• Meter
it is a way of measuring durations on a fixed, regular
pattern, so that the listener becomes aware of a basic
pulse or beat.
Binary Ternary
 Organization of Elements
The most common meters are duplex (grouping in
two) and triple (grouping in three)

Example:
• Soldier marching (duple meter)
• Manang Biday (triple meter)
 THE ELEMENTS AND
ORGANIZATION OF MUSIC
METER

- it is a way of measuring durations on a fixed, regular pattern, so that the

listener becomes aware of a basic pulse or beat. It is by this yardstick that we
judge rapid or slow events, by the extent of their departure from the tempo.

Our music most commonly assigns the quarter note as the symbol of the
metric unit. There are also note values which are shorter that the metric pulse,
and those which are longer. Our note values are binary; each may be divided
into two of the next smaller unit, and two together comprise the lenght of the
next larger unit.
 TEMPO
- an italian word which literally means time. In music it refers to speed. Music
may move at a fast, moderate or slow speed , and in varying degrees.
-tempo is indicated by such general term as allegro (fast) , vivace (lively),
moderato (moderate speed), adagio (slower than adante), lento (slow), largo
(very slow). These terms are still employed but today, tempo is more
accutrately indicated in musical scores by metronome designation , which
show the number of beats per minute.
 MELODY

- makes the most direct appeal. It is generally what we remember and whistles
or hum.
• Has an orderly succession of tones or musical
sounds and consists of a series of pitches and
durations

• Most fundamental feature of a melody is

continuity

• Appeals to the emotion

• Melody divides itself into two halves which
are called phrase

• A phrase denotes a unit of meaning

• PHRASE + PHRASE = MUSICAL PERIOD

• Smallest melodic unit:
• motif —> phrase
• This phrase rises from a high point which falls
into a point of rest or cadence (in music it
means resting phase)
Four Characteristics of
Melody
• Dimension.
• 1) length

• The length of the melody is relative to the number

of measures which compose it

• Moderate length- melodies of eight measures

• 2) Range

• This is the pitch distance from its lowest to its highest

tone
• Register.

• This is the relative highness or lowness of the

aggregate of tones of a melody
• Direction.

• 1) Upwards
• 2) Downwards

• A melody may move in either of these directions:

• Rapidly ascending, rapidly descending, gradually
ascending, gradually descending
• A melody which remains at a given pitch level,
moving neither up nor down is called a static
melody

• A melodic line that moves towards a high point is

the climax of the melody

• May appear at the beginning, middle or end

• Progression.

• This refers to the intervals (pitch distance) between

the tones as a melody moves from one tone to the
next

• Conjunct Progression
• “Plant” is lower than “ing” in Planting Rice
• Disjunct Progression

• May contain numerous prominent skips (as in

“Nagtatanim ng Palay”

• A melody often contains both conjunct and disjunct

progression
 Function of a Melody

• The element of music that arouses interest

• A musical idea which a composition is constructed
• A melodic idea or basic tune of the composition is called a
theme
• The ability to recognize one or more themes is a clear
indication that one is moving toward full appreciation
Harmony
 Harmony
• Simultaneous sounding of two or more tones
• Harmony derives from the Greek (harmonía): “joint, agreement, concord”
• The verb (harmozo): “to fit together, to join”
• In Ancient Greece, the term defined the combination of contrasted elements: a
higher and lower note

Ex. A singer singing and playing his guitar at the same time
 Chords
• Two or more notes or tones sounded at the same time and
conceived as an entity
• Frequently used in Modern West African, Western classical
music, western popular music, and Oceanic music

• Most common cords: TRIAD

 Triad
• The most common chord in music
• Combination of 3 tones
• Set of three notes that are stacked vertically in thirds
• Combining the first (1), third (3), and
fifth (5) degrees of the do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do
Scale: do-mi-so

*We can build a trial by selecting any tone and by adding

two are more tones above it on alternate degrees other
scale
4 basic Triads:
•Major
•Minor
•Diminished
•Augmented
• Major triads contain a major third and perfect fifth interval
-symbolized: R 3 5
• Minor triads contain a minor third, and perfect fifth
-symbolized: R ♭3 5
• Diminished triads contain a minor third, and diminished fifth
-symbolized: R ♭3 ♭5
• Augmented triads contain a major third, and augmented fifth
-symbolized: R 3 ♯5
 Chord Progression
• A series of cords played in a sequence

• Chord changes may come at regular or irregular intervals of time,

thus producing a harmonic rhythm
• Harmonic rhythm is static when a given cord is maintained for a
number of measures, or chord changes may come frequently,
producing a more energetic and exciting effect
 Consonance and Dissonance
• Consonance- certain combinations of tones produce a quality of repose or
relaxation (harmonious and pleasant)

• Dissonance- certain other combinations of tones produce a quality of unrest or

tension (unharmonious and unpleasant)

*Dissonance is important because without areas of tension, the areas of

relaxation would have no meaning
 Diatonic and Chromatic Harmony
• Diatonic
• Has very few altered tones
• play chords made from just those scale notes
• Chromatic
• Has numerous altered tones
• where you use some notes that aren’t in the scale
Tonality
 Tonality
• Tonality is the arrangement of pitches and/or chords of a musical
work in a hierarchy of perceived relations, stabilities, attractions
and directionality
-Defined as a musical property that creates a sense of gravitation
toward a key or tonal center
• Music is written in a key, meaning all harmony is related to a single
tone known as the tonic
• Tonic- (aka as a keynote), in music, the first note (degree) of any
diatonic scale. It is the most important degree of the scale, serving
as the focus for both melody and harmony
 Tonalities
• Polytonality- two or more keys are combined simultaneously in a single composition is
polytonal. It’s used to bring out the different levels or planes of the harmony. Ex: a piano
usage (right and left hand playing in different keys)
• Multitonality (displaced tonality)- composer rapidly shifts from one key center to
another so that the entire key feeling is disturbed
• Atonal- music that rejects the framework of key. Where the composer avoids any
feelings of key at all times
• Dynamics- when intensity is applied to a piece of music, rather than to a single tone.
Refers to force or percussive effects: degrees of loudness and softness and the process
involved in changing from one to the other
 Terms for dynamics
AS DIRECTIONS TO CHANGE TO THE
Most important: DYNAMICS:
• Forte- loud • CRESCENDO- BECOMING LOUD
• Piano- soft
• Fortissimo- very loud • DIMINUENDO- BECOMING SOFTER

• Pianissimo- very soft • SFORZANDO- SUDDEN STRESS;

• Mezzo forte- moderately loud ACCENT ON A SINGLE NOTE OR CORD
• Messo piano- moderately soft
 Terms for Tempo & Dynamics
• Andante maestoso- fairly slow and majestic; implies a stately pace and full
sonority
• Morendo- dying away; indicates that the music is to become slower and softer
• Scherzando- playful; requires a light tone and brisk movement
• Combrio- with vigor; suggests an energetic pace and vibrant sonority
Tempo: Rate of speed, the pace of the music. Determines the speed of the beats
in the measure, their duration in actual time
-tempo markings indicate the character of the time music as well as the pace
 Terms for Tempo
Very slow: Largo- broad
Grave- solemn FAIRLY FAST: ALLEGRETTO- A LITTLE LIVELY-
NOT AS FAST AS ALLEGRO

Slow: Lento
Adagio- gently, leisurely, slowly FAST: ALLEGRO- HAPPY, CHEERFUL,
LIVELY

Moderate: Andante- going at a walking pace

Andantino- a little andante, VERY FAST: ALLEGRO MOLTO- VERY LIKELY
somewhat faster than andante VIVACE- VIVACIOUS, LIVELY
Moderato- moderate speed PRESTO- VERY QUICK
PRESTISSIMO- AS QUICK AS
POSSIBLE
 Tempo
• Accelerando- gradual increase of speed
• Ritardando- gradual decrease of speed
- Often employed in the concluding measures of a composition

• When tempo becomes faster, the music is in general more tense

and exciting; when the music slows down, relaxation usually takes
place
• A tone quality
• It distinguishes different types
Timbre
of sound production

• Tone quality of instruments

examples:
Piano
• Organ
• Orchestra
• Band
• Voice
 TEXTURE

-In music, texture refers to the melodic and harmonic relationship of musical
factors.

TYPES OF TEXTURE
-the relationship between melodic and harmonic factor exist solely as a sing
melody; it is without either a harmonic accompaniment or other vocal lines.
Any instrument or voice performing a melody without an accompaniment is
affecting a monophonic texture.
 HOMOPHONIC TEXTURE
- a single-melody-with-chords. We hear homophonic texture when the pianist
plays the melody with his right hand while the left sounds the chords, or when
singers carries the tune against a harmonic accompaniment on the piano. A folk
song with guitar accompaniment is a homophonic texture.
NONMELODIC TEXTURE
-created for special effects in which harmonic sounds obscure or party exclude
the melodic content of a composistion. Occurs in contemporary and modern
music.
 POLYPHONIC TEXTURE

- it is a many voiced texture. This is a combination of two or more melodies of

more or less equal prominence. The terms "polyphonic" and "contrapuntal" are
nearly synonymous. To create polyponic texture, there should at least be two
melodies sounded simultaneously. The composer would consider how the
rhythmic, melodic and harmonic elements relate to one another.
 SONORITY
- an attribute of texture which is based more on harmonic than melodic
consideration. This refers to quality of richness or thiness of texture. It is
determined by:
the number of parts,spacing of tones,register of stones and timbre.
-number of parts refers to the number of voices involved, whether all or only
some of them are to be sung or played by different instrument.
-spacing of tones refers to the musical intervals between the parts, whether
thirds, fourths, or any other interval.
-register of tones refers to whether the tones are high, medium or low.
- timbre refers to the tone quality of the mediums which will play the music.
THE END