Exploring Dynamics
(again!)
What are dynamics and how do they help us understand music?
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Earn points by helping other students or get them with a premium plan
Understanding Musical Dynamics: Gradual Changes and Notation, Assignments of Dynamics
The concept of dynamics in music, focusing on gradual changes and their notation through crescendos, decrescendos, and other dynamic markings. Students are encouraged to identify dynamic changes in 'Agnus Dei' by Samuel Barber and practice drawing dynamics charts.
Typology: Assignments
2021/2022
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Exploring Dynamics
(again!)
What are dynamics and how do they help us understand music?
Warm-Up Activity
Sing “Happy Birthday” three times (make up who you want to sing to, or just say ‘dear Someone’)
- The first time, sing the song all the way through at the same medium volume (we’ll call this mezzo-forte or mf )
- The second time, start by singing very quietly ( pianissimo ) and gradually get louder, so by the end you are singing very loud ( fortissimo )
- The third time, trade off - start by singing fortissimo , and gradually get quieter, so by the end you are singing pianissimo.
Changing Dynamics: Getting loud or
getting soft
In music, when we want to gradually change the dynamic of the music we are playing, we have a few important ways to notate that. The most common way is to use a crescendo or a decrescendo.
Crescendo
To crescendo in music means to get louder. In music, it is
usually either marked with an abbreviation like this:
Or it is marked with a ‘hairpin’ marking that looks like this:
Other Dynamic Changes
Crescendo and Decrescendo are both gradual changes in volume. Here are a few other dynamic notation changes, some of which happen much more suddenly:
sub. p - the symbol for subito piano, or suddenly quiet.
sfz - the symbol for sforzando, which means suddenly and forcefully loud or accented
fp - the symbol for forte piano, where music starts forte and immediately drops to piano
- the symbol for diminuendo, which is similar to a decrescendo.
Activity: Identify dynamic levels in a piece
of music as you listen to it
Listen to Samuel Barber’s choir piece “Agnus Dei”. As you listen, make a note for every time you notive the dynamic level changing. If you can, identify which type of dynamics change you are hearing ( crescendo , decrescendo / diminuendo , sfz , etc.)