UnderstandingTheSevenKeyMusicalElements

Research in vocal pedagogy suggests that the human voice is essentially an instrument. It is a complete, unified instrument for human
expression and communication that facilitates a wide range of expression in song or everyday speech. Although many speakers may be
consciously unaware of the associations between music and speech, they still intuitively understand the types of sounds that they find
enjoyable. In other words, we can understand music even when we lack declarative knowledge about it. The renowned composer,
Leonard Bernstein, said that music does possess the power of expressivity, and the human being does innately possess the capacity to
respond to it, because in any sense in which music can be considered as a language . . . it is a totally metaphorical language
(Bernstein at Harvard). In essence, music is simply speech without words, a symphony of wordless sound. Great music, specifically
classical music, encompasses nearly everything that speakers deliver other than the words themselves. But just because music
frequently lacks spoken words does not mean that it lacks meaning.

We sometimes recognize that there is a mood or emotion in music. Music extends beyond sound and into a realm of arousal. The
multiple reinforcing cues of a good song rhythm, melody, contour cause music to stick in our heads . . . as a tool for activation of
specific thoughts, music is not as good as pure conceptual language. As a tool for arousing feelings and emotions, music is better than
pure conceptual language.

Before a piece of classical music is played in a symphony hall, it resides merely as a collection of unstructured musical elements
within a composers mind. Individually, these musical elements represent nothing more than a set of unrelated qualities volume,
speed, and tone, for instance but together, these qualities form the basis of music. Powerful music is represented by both the
composers ability to layer musical elements in a way that is emotionally evocative and the performers ability to execute the
composers vision. Music presents us with an aural experience, a sonorous development over time, that expresses ideas about human
life and emotion rather than propositions about reality or prescriptions for behavior. Music evokes emotion because it mirrors the main
characteristics of emotional behavior.Abrupt, short, loud sounds tend to be interpreted . . . as alert sounds. Slow onset, long, and
quieter sounds tend to be interpreted as calming . . . Composers are aware of these differences, of course, and use hundreds of subtle
shadings of timbre and note length to convey the many different emotional shadings of human experience.

We have identified the seven key musical elements that composers use to create musical images, emotion-inducing mental constructs
shaped by musical elements.
Element Definition Characterization

Does the music have a fast, frenetic pace or is it very slow?

Does the pulse change suddenly?

Tempo The general speed of the sound
Does the speed fluctuate a lot?

Is the volume always loud or always soft?

Does the volume suddenly become loud and then suddenly soft?
Dynamics The volume of the sound
Is the change in volume very gradual?

Is the sound high-pitched like a typical female voice or bird or is it low
pitched like a typical male voice or lion?

Are there very high and very low notes?

Pitch The frequency of a sound
Do pitches change gradually in small steps (as in a musical scale) or do
they wildly jump up and down in large intervals?


The general quality of sound
produced; the character or
Timbre
personality of a specific
sound
The structural spacing of the
Rhythm
sounds
The way composer organizes
Texture the chords and melodies in
relation to each other.
Is the sound rough, biting, sweet, warm, obtrusive, or sonorous?
Are certain notes heavily emphasized (accented) more than others?
Is there a sharp and alarming emphasis at the beginning of the note or is
there a more subtle, dull, and leaning emphasis throughout most of the
notes duration?
Do the sounds occur in regular and constant time intervals or is there
significant variation and unpredictability among the sounds?
Do pauses occur suddenly after a fiendish flourish of notes or do the
notes slowly ease into a natural break?
Are the pauses of significant duration or are they more like short breaths?
Isthereauniquelonelymelodyorthereareothermelodiesoccurringat
thesametime?
Aretheremanydifferentmelodies,allequalyimportant,indialoguewith
eachother?
Isthereasolomelodyaccompaniedorfollowedbyotherlesshighlighted
melodiesorchords?
Dodifferentnotesoccuralmostatthesametimelikerhythmicblocksof
sound?
 Composers skillfully layer the
previous musical elements on
top of one another to form the
phrase or cadence of a piece of
music. A phrase refers to the
general trajectory or contour of Isthereamusicalphrase,melodyorwholesectionwhichisrepeated
music. When we listen to a againduringapieceofmusic?
Form
particular piece of music from
beginning to the end, the way Howareorganizedalongamusicalpieceallthedifferentsections,
phrases are organized one after repeatedornot?
the other is what we call Form.
The musical form then refers to
how the different phrases are
organized over time.

MusicalExamplesoftheSevenKeyMusicalElements
In this chapter we propose a selection of classical music pieces to offer deeper insight into how composers use musical elements to
evoke specific emotional responses. All seven techniques are versatile insofar as they are used in a variety of ways to create
dramatically different musical images. As we will demonstrate, there are not necessarily any strict formulaic rules; instead, composers
decide how best to employ these techniques based on their particular objective.

The first musical element that we consider is tempo. Fast tempos typically generate excitement, energy, and action. Nikolai Rimsky-
Korsakovs Flight of the Bumblebee (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MW8asBxO4oI) speeds along at a breakneck pace in order to
capture the frenetic motions of a berserk insect. In contrast, slow tempos are often, but not always, used in solemn, deeply reflective,
and brooding situations. Mozarts second movement from his clarinet concerto (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFi-XESS-AU)
dreams along a lethargic pace, transporting the listener to the realm of peace and calm.

Choosing a fast or slow tempo is not the only dimension of tempo technique tempo contrasts are also vital. The Second picture,
Gnome, from Modest Mussorgskys Pictures at an Exhibition (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T_aY52jMMY) is based on a
sketch by painter Viktor Hartmann, now lost, which is thought to represent a design for a nutcracker displaying large teeth. The
lurching music, in contrasting tempos with frequent stops and starts, suggests the movements of the gnome.

The Mussorgsky example demonstrates how a sudden tempo change can capture the attention of listeners and produce maximum
suspense. Some composers instead deliberately use a mechanically constant tempo to sustain tension. Gustav Holsts Mars
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXOanvv4plU) from The Planets begins at a fast but steady pace, evoking an image of a relentless
army destroying everything in its path. It is the unfailing constancy of the tempo that harbingers a sense of endless dread, which is
precisely how Holst intends to characterize the blood-thirsty Roman God of War.

Yet another tempo contrast technique is gradually changing speeds to generate musical momentum in anticipation of a satisfying
climax or a relaxation. An excellent example is Pablo Sarasates Fantasie on melodies from Geroge Bizets Opera Carmen
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIaOyur3Qcw). This piece of music is made of different sections, each of which features a
different melody from the Opera Carmen, arranged in a free way for violin and orchestra. The soloist uses gradual changes of tempo
speeding up (accelerando) and slowing down (reallentando) to create different momentum. In a piece of music like this one it is
simply impossible to tap the tempo with your foot while listening to it. Tempo is widely used to catch the listener attention and awake
opposite feelings. The final accelerando reaching an enormous climax is a remarkable example of how to make tension in music grow.

Effective dynamics and pitch technique parallels proper tempo technique. Although there are no universal rules, loud sounds tend to
be startling, alarming, high energy, and grand, whereas soft sounds tend to be sad, brooding, and ominous. Likewise, high pitches
tend to be energizing and exciting whereas low pitches tend to be dark and morose. As with tempo technique, however, it is often the
contrast in dynamics and pitch that provides the driving force behind powerful music. For example, the abrupt changes of dynamic
from loud to soft in Mussorgskys Picture Gnome (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T_aY52jMMY) emphasize the mysterious and
grotesque character of the gnome, while the wide changes in pitch from very high to very low tones in the violin solo part of
Sarasates Fantasy on Carmen Melodies (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIaOyur3Qcw) confer to the soloist a powerful theatrical
character that catches audience attention. Moving from delicate high pitches to aggressive low ones without transition makes a similar
effect like an actor changing from high sweet tones to low grotesque sounds with his voice during a speech. The different character of
low pitches against high pitches is masterfully use by Mozart in the Confutatis of his famous Requiem
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgEaaTalmUI). In this example, Bases and Tenors doubled by trombones and fagots, they all
sing the lyrics: When the accursed have been confounded // And given over to the bitter flames; and then Sopranos and Altos sing
the next phrase: Call me with the blessed. Like in Sarasates Fantasy, timbre plays in Mozarts Confutatis an essential role. The
sweet timbre of the Sopranos and Altos (accompanied by violins), representing the voices of angels from the paradise, is located in
abrupt contrast against the aggressive timbre of the Bases and Tenors (doubled by trombones and bassoons), which represent the
voice of those condemned to the fire.
Composers use variations in rhythm to achieve their musical goals. Holsts Mars (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXOanvv4plU)
not only features a constant tempo, but also presents a regimented and steady rhythm repeated ad nauseam. This repetition enables
the listener to visualize an army of soldiers marching in strict time. In the first phrase of Mozarts Confutatis
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgEaaTalmUI), strings play a resolute rhythm that represents the inflexible law of God in the
final judgement, while in Mussorgskys Gnome (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T_aY52jMMY) the rhythm involves pauses of
varying lengths, as well as accented notes and quick irregular rhythmic flurries, in order to simulate the mysterious and grotesque
gnome. The rhythmic inconsistency in particular generates a somewhat unpredictable but also exciting atmosphere that keeps the
listener on edge and fully alert.

Texture can play an important role in the expressive capabilities of music. In Rimsky-Korsakovs Flight of the Bumblebee
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MW8asBxO4oI), a solo melody with an accompaniment seems to be the most powerful way to
express the nervous berserk insect as well as the light fast flight of the bee. In Tomas Luis de Victorias Ave Maria for 8 different
voices (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1DrZ2h1tmA) the addition of multiple melodies at the same time in continuous dialogue
confer to this music a character of grandeur and peace which is impossible to achieve in any other way.

Form plays a less evident role in the expression of Music. In some orchestral works, like the 8th Symphony by Anton Bruckner, we
can listen very sophisticated techniques to reach incredible climaxes. In this particular case, Bruckner exposes a dark sad theme
(Melody) at the very beginning which disappear after 20 minutes. The Symphony continues with two more movements featuring
different melodies and moods like a travel over a persons life. At the end of the 4th and last movement of this Symphony, after two
hours of continuous music, the melody from the very beginning appears again in very long loud values. It feels like the cycle of life is
finally closing in front of an astonished listener. The effect is of extreme power to those who can pay enough attention to feel such
nuances. Less complex is the case of an ABA form. Rachmaninovs Prelude Op.23 No5 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-
57HEe9yS8) starts with a section we can label as A, in which a dark rhythmic melody is introduced by the lower voice (bass),
increasing volume until a great climax, and then calming down to minute 130 when we can listen the beginning of section B. Section
B is made of a lyric melody introduced by the higher voice (soprano) with a melancholic soft character over an accompaniment that
sounds like waves on the sea. After some development, Rachmaninov bring us back to section A in minute 233, rising both tempo
and dynamic up again until a loud climax, more effective than the one in the first section. Rachmaninov concludes his prelude with a
soft, short, fast passage in which pitches rise from low ones to high ones as if the notes were dissolving far away in a foggy cold
winter landscape.

As these examples illustrate, composers use tempo, dynamics, pitch, timbre, rhythm, texture and form to construct an image, create a
mood, tell a story, and evoke emotion. One need not be an auditory musical expert to observe these techniques. Pay appropriate
attention is normally enough.
 Exercise: The Seven Key Musical Elements
Let us encourage you to use a virtual keyboard (http://www.apronus.com/music/flashpiano.htm) to explore how composers leverage
the seven key musical elements to elicit specific emotional responses.

The first seven rows of the table below highlight the use and variation of each of the seven key musical elements, holding all other
elements constant. The final row of the table provides an illustration of how musical elements are layered on top of one another.

We hope that these exercises clarify the fundamental building blocks that composers can use to create musical images that leave a
lasting impact on their listeners.

Element Exercise1 Exercise2 Explanation

Press A, A, A, A. Wait 1
Press A, A, A, A. Wait 0.5 Holding all other elements constant, exercise 2 has
Tempo second between each key
seconds between each key press. a faster tempo than exercise 1.
press.

Dynamics Press A. Increase speaker volume, then Holding all other elements constant, exercise 2 has
press A. a louder dynamic level than exercise 1.

Holding all other elements constant, exercise 2 has

Pitch Press the C on the left side Press the C on the right side
a higher pitch than exercise 1.

Holding all other elements constant, the character

Sing the same pitch with your
Timbre Press A of the sound is different between exercise 2 (voice
own voice
timbre) and exercise 1 (piano timbre).
 Press A. Wait 2 seconds, then
Press A, A, A, A. Wait 1 Holding all other elements constant, exercise 2 has
press A, A, A. Wait 0.5 seconds
Rhythm second between each key a more irregular rhythm than exercise 1.
between each key press
press

Holding all other elements constant, exercise 1

Press D. Sing and hold that pitch
uses a texture of one single voice, while Exercise
with your voice. While singing
Texture PressD,F,G,A,F,G,F,E,D 2 uses a texture of two simultaneous voices. One
the D pitch, play the same notes
is a solo moving through several pitches, the other
as in Exercise 1
is a steady constant pitch accompaniment.

Press C,E,G. Wait 1 second and

press anything you want. Wait 1 Holding all other elements constant, Exercise 1
PressC,E,G.Wait1second second and press C,E,G again. develops an A,B,A form (A=C,E,G; B=F,E,D).
Form andpressF,E,D.Waitone Wait 1 second and press again Exercise 2 develops a A,B,A,C,A form (A=C,E,G;
secondandpressC,E,Gagain something different. Wait 1 B=different; C=different again).
second and press C,E,G again

Press C, C, G, G, A, A, G, G,
F, F, E, E, D, D, C. Wait 0.5
Layered Musical
seconds between each key
Elements
press.
Now sing yourself the same
melody you did play on the
virtual piano, but with louder
volume voice and faster speed.
Press the C key one time for
every pitch you sing.
Relative to exercise 1, exercise 2 has a different
timbre, lower dynamic level, faster tempo, same
rhythm, more complex texture and the same form.
The mutually reinforced layering of elements
makes exercise 2 have a different character
(mood) than exercise 1.