This document defines and explains several fundamental concepts in music including pitch, volume, duration, timbre, scale, texture, and form. Pitch is measured by frequency and refers to how high or low a sound is. Volume relates to the amplitude or loudness of a sound. Duration deals with the length of notes and rhythmic patterns. Timbre distinguishes between sounds of the same pitch, volume and duration but produced by different instruments. Scale refers to the organization of pitches within an octave. Texture describes if the music has one or multiple melodic lines. Form analyzes the structure of a musical composition over time through repetition, variation, development and contrast.

1. Music Fundamentals

2. Pitch
• Frequency = number of times a vibrational
pattern repeats itself per unit of time
• Measured in cycles per second or “Hertz”
(abbreviated Hz) [c. 20 – c. 20,000 Hz]
• The faster the repetition of the pattern, the
“higher” the frequency/pitch
• Western standard of “A-440”
• Overtones/partials = 2:1, 3:2, 3:4, 5:4, 6:5
etc.

3. Volume
• Amplitude = amount of displacement of air
molecules produced by vibrating string, air
column or percussive surface
• Measured in “decibels” (dB = ratio)
• The greater the displacement, the
“higher/louder” the amplitude/displacment

4. Duration
• Conceptualized by patterns of meter and
rhythm
• Meter = recurring patterns of strong and
weak beats/pulses
– “symmetrical” = duple / triple / compound
– “non-symmetrical”
• Rhythm = arrangements of durations within
a meter

5. Timbre
• Sounds of the same pitch, amplitude, and
duration but produced by different media
can be distinguished on the basis of timbre
or “tone color”
• Different sounding media cause different
pitches in the harmonic series (“overtones”)
to be suppressed or amplified.

6. Scale
• Organization of pitches within an octave
(1:2 ratio of pitches)
– Pentatonic
– Diatonic
– Chromatic
– Microtonal
• Scales generate both melodies (pitches
considered diachronically) and harmonies
(pitches considered synchronically)

7. Texture
• Monophonic = all sounding media produce the
same sequence of pitches with the same durations
• Heterophonic = different sounding media produce
simultaneous variations of the sequence of pitches
and durations
• Polyphonic = different sounding media produce
different sequences of pitches and durations
exhibiting common interest
• Homophonic/harmonic = different sounding media
produce different sequences of pitches and
durations exhibiting unequal interest
(melody/accompaniment)

8. Form
• Structural intelligibility of a particular
musical event unfolding over time
• Exact repetition (same
pitch/volume/duration/timbre)
• Variation (vary one or more of
pitch/volume/duration/timbre)
• Development (elaborate one or more of
pitch/volume/duration/timbre)
• Contrast (introduce new material)

9. • “Free” forms: no regular patterns of
repetition and contrast (e.g., fantasia,
rhapsody)
• “Fixed” forms: regular patterns of repetition
and contrast
– Binary (AB: AAB/AABB/AA’BB’, etc.)
– Ternary (ABA: ABA’/ABACA/ABACABA,
etc.)
– Mixed, e.g., sonata-allegro: Exposition /
Development / Recapitulation / Coda

10. • “Free” forms: no regular patterns of
repetition and contrast (e.g., fantasia,
rhapsody)
• “Fixed” forms: regular patterns of repetition
and contrast
– Binary (AB: AAB/AABB/AA’BB’, etc.)
– Ternary (ABA: ABA’/ABACA/ABACABA,
etc.)
– Mixed, e.g., sonata-allegro: Exposition /
Development / Recapitulation / Coda