Musical Dynamics, Articulation, and Instrument Classification

Item 4: Musical Dynamics and Articulation

Dynamics

Letters: pp (very soft), p (soft), mp (medium soft), mf (medium loud), f (strong), ff (very loud), sfz (sforzando: strong emphasis), fp (forte-piano: strong then immediately soft).

Terms: crescendo (increasing in intensity), decrescendo, diminuendo.

Regulators: < (crescendo), > (decrescendo or diminuendo).

Character Terms: afetuoso, appassionato, giocoso, con brio, maestoso, animato, dolce, sostenuto, giusto (precise).

Phrasing and Articulation

• Slur: Embraces a musical phrase, indicating the interpretation should be tied without breaks.
• Comma: Marks a brief pause for breath to finish a sentence before starting the next.
• Legato: A ligature comprising two or more notes interpreted without interruption.
• Picado: A dot placed above or below notes indicating shortened duration.
• Staccato: Indicated by a vertical accent, interpreted by attacking the note vigorously and shortening its duration.

Item 5: Vocal Ranges and Instrument Classification

Vocal Ranges

• Female Voices: Soprano, Mezzo-soprano, Contralto.
• Male Voices: Tenor, Baritone, Bass.

Musical Instruments

• String Instruments:
  • Bowed: Violin (approx. 59 cm, high pitch), Viola (69 cm, medium range), Cello (125 cm), Double Bass (190 cm, very low range).
  • Plucked: Harp (47 strings, smallest to largest), Guitar (six strings).
  • Hammered: Piano (88 keys, spanning more than 7 octaves).
• Wind Instruments:
  • Woodwinds: Bezel (air vibrates against a cut), Simple reed (vibrating tongue), Double reed (vibration of two reeds).
  • Brass: Made of metal alloy with coiled or folded tubing and a mouthpiece.
• Percussion Instruments:
  • Definite Pitch: Instruments capable of producing defined notes to play melodies.

Instrument Classification (Hornbostel-Sachs)

• Idiophones: Sound produced by the vibration of the instrument's body.
• Membranophones: Sound produced by the vibration of a membrane or patch.
• Chordophones: Sound produced by the vibration of one or more strings.
• Aerophones: Sound produced by the vibration of an air column.
• Electrophones: Sound produced via electric current.