TEACHING MUSIC IN THE ELEMENTARY GRADES

1st Activity

Name: Grace D. Ceballos

Date Submitted: June 11, 2024

General Directions:
 Discuss the following concepts below.
 Submit this output anytime on June 11, 2024. Late outputs will not be accepted.
 This will serve as your first recorded activity.
 Submit your PDF file in this Google Drive link:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1sOzOwlO_RmI4XhSbn4UBL-rh7Ui5SDCD?usp=sharing
 Follow the file name format when submitting your output: Visbal, Lourd Ive-TMEGFirst
Activity. If you fail, the output will be removed from Google Drive. If you have questions,
feel free to ask or message me on our group chat.

1. What is music? (300 words) (Provide references at the end of the discussion).

Music is a universal form of art that transcends cultural, social, and linguistic boundaries,
characterized by organized sound created through harmony, melody, rhythm, and timbre. It
encompasses a diverse range of genres and styles, each with distinct features and emotional
expressions. From the complex structures of classical symphonies to the simple yet profound
melodies of folk tunes, music serves various purposes, including entertainment, communication,
and emotional expression. The core elements of music include pitch, which determines melody
and harmony; rhythm, which includes tempo, meter, and articulation; dynamics, which refer to
the volume of sound; and timbre, which is the color or quality of the sound. These elements
combine in myriad ways to produce the vast spectrum of musical experiences.

Historically, music has been an integral part of human culture and ritual. In many societies, it plays
a crucial role in religious ceremonies, social gatherings, and even political movements. For
example, African drumming traditions have been used for communication and community
bonding, while Western classical music has been a cornerstone of cultural expression and
sophistication.Music also has profound effects on the human brain and emotions. Studies have
shown that music can enhance cognitive performance, alleviate stress, and improve mood. The
therapeutic use of music, known as music therapy, is an established practice used to treat various
psychological and physiological conditions.

Technological advancements have significantly transformed music production, distribution, and

consumption. The invention of recording devices, digital instruments, and streaming platforms
has democratized music creation and accessibility, allowing a broader audience to engage with
diverse musical forms.In essence, music is a dynamic and multifaceted art form that reflects and
shapes human experiences and societal values, continually evolving with technological and
cultural changes.
2. Elements of music:

a. Rhythm
Rhythm is the pattern of sounds and silences in time, forming the temporal aspect of music.
Rhythm in music includes several different aspects, and some prefer to use the term duration. A
simple definition of this musical term is to describe how long or short a sound is. This means
describing the notes of any given instrument in a piece of music as mainly long or sustained, or
short.

b. Dynamic
Dynamics refer to the volume of sound, ranging from soft to loud. It refers to the volume of a piece
of music. Music can be described as loud, or soft, or there could be gradual changes from loud to
soft, or soft to loud, depending on the performer’s interpretation of the music. There are several
Italian music terms that are used to describe the dynamics of a piece of music.

c. Melody
The definition of a melody is a series of pitches that make a tune. In most popular music today, the
melody is like an egg, it is the binding agent that holds all the elements of music together in a piece
of music. The melody is the part that people remember and will sing along to when listening. The
melody determines the harmony and tonality of the piece of music. The main melody can be heard
when it is played by an instrument that has a unique timbre or tone color/quality. If the melody
is meant to be happy or sad, it can drive the rhythm of the piece of music and set the tempo.

d. Harmony
Musical harmony is the sound created when two or more pitches are performed at the same time
to form a chord. In modern music, the harmony often comes from instruments like the guitar and
piano. These instruments often play chords that support the main melody, which is typically
performed by a singer. Other pitched instruments like the bass contribute and support the
harmony by providing a basis of support for both the melody and the chordal accompaniment

e. Tone Color
The tone color definition in music refers to the specific sounds created by an instrument that
distinguishes it from any other instrument. Each instrument has a slightly different tone quality
that cannot be mistaken for another instrument.

f. Texture
Texture in music refers to the number of instruments or voices that contribute to the overall
density of the music. If there are only a few instruments playing, like a duet for example, then the
music can be described as thin or sparse. On the other hand, if there are several instruments
performing together, like in an orchestra, the piece can be described as either thick or dense.
Texture also refers to the layers of sound in a piece of music, these layers are named by their role
within a piece of music. There are several specialized terms that are used to describe the type of
texture used in a piece of music. These include monophonic, homophonic, heterophonic and
polyphonic.

g. Form
The Form or Structure of a piece music refers to the order and arrangement of the different parts.
Music vocabulary such as introduction, verse, chorus, bridge, solo, in and outro are common
music terms that can be used to describe most rock or pop music. There are several more musical
definitions for many more different types of musical form and structure used in classical music.
3. Different music symbols (Provide pictures, and beside the picture, put the name of the
music symbol)

ACCENT

BARS

BRACE

BREATH MARK

CAESURA

CLEF

CHORD NUMERALS
 COMMON TIME

CUT TIME

DEMI FLAT

DEMI SHARP

DOUBLE FLAT

DYNAMIC NOTATION
FLAT

FERMATA

G-CLEF OTTAVA ALTA

G-CLEF OTTAVA BASSA

HEMOILA

KEY SIGNATURE
MARCATO ACCENT

MULTI REST

MUSIC END

NEUTRAL CLEF

NOTE
QUANTUPLET

REPEAT

SEXTUPLET

SHARP

SLURE

STAFF
 TENUTO

TIME SIGNATURE

References:
https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-music-definition-terminology-characteristics.html

https://juliajooya.com/2020/10/11/what-are-the-8-elements-of-
music/#:~:text=The%208%20Elements%20of%20Music%20are%2C%20in%20alphabetical%
20order%2C%20Dynamics,%2C%20Texture%2C%20Timbre%20and%20Tonality.

https://blog.landr.com/music-symbols/