What to Listen for in Music

Aaron Copland

SHMRGSound-

• Timbre- the color of a sound

• Quality of sound ex: soft, harsh

• Instruments

• Pitches of voices – tenor, alto, soprano, bass

• Number of parts (solo, few, many)

SHMRG

Harmony-

• How the pitches and chords of instruments fit together

SHMRG

Melody-

• The part that gets stuck in our head

• Motif- a rhythmic pattern of notes that repeat throughout the song

SHMRGRhythm-

• Measured metrical units

• Tempo- The speed of a piece measured in BPM (Beats per Minute)– 260BPM is fast– 60BPM is slow

SHMRG

Growth-

• How it develops (tempo, dynamics)

• Dynamic levels (p, F, mp)

• The amount instruments that play as the song goes on