Unit One Text Questions

Review Questions

1) What are the basic elements of music? The basic elements of music are pitch, rhythm, dynamics, melody and form.
2) What is pitch? Pitch is what relates to how high or low a tone is that we hear. It is the frequency of a sound.
3) What is syncopation? What types of music use syncopation? Syncopation is placing emphasis on notes or beats that are usually un-emphasized or putting a rest on a note or beat that is usually emphasized. The types of music that use syncopation are some forms of metal, ska, jazz, rap and reggae.
4) What are three examples of forms of music? Describe each form. One example of a form of music is the common meter. The common meter consists of four lines of a particular of beats that end in rhyming patterns of a-b-a-b. Another example of a form of music is a symphony. A symphony is a piece of music that is meant for an orchestra, and it is often an extended composition. The third example of a form of music is a sonata. A sonata is wrote mainly for a solo instrument, mainly piano or any other keyboard instruments.
5) What is form in music? Form in music is the structure or framework that is used to create pieces of music. It's the combonation of all the elements of music in a piece of music.

Critical Thinking Questions

1) Music has sometimes been referred to as a “universal language.” Why has this description been applied to music? Do you agree or disagree with this assessment? Why? Music can be a universal language because it connects people. When a band is on tour, whether they are in their home country, or a country that speaks another language, the words still "hit" the person the same way that it "hits" a person from the bands home country. Music portrays feelings that someone may not be able to portray through words. It can save a life and completely change a person's outlook on life. I agree 100% with this assesment.
2) Why is musical notation important? What benefits do musicians and others receive from being able to write down and note aspects of a musical piece? Musical notation helps show a singer the pitches, helps the band member(s) know how it should sound, the tempo, etc. Without the notations, music may sound all the same, or completely horrible. The benefits that musicians and others recieve from being able to write down and note aspects of a musical piece are that they can make the music sound the way the composer wanted it to sound and that if they are trying to learn the notes, they will hit the correct pitches.
3) In the first part of the unit, we discussed how music is everywhere in society. What are some of the ways that we use music? How do you use music in your own life? We use music to put emotion into a movie, musicians write songs to express their feelings and it can be used to help students concentrate and relax while in a class taking a test or working on a stressful assignment. I use music in many ways. Music is one of the two majors I want to take in college and so I use it daily. I sing in the car on the way to and from school and then learn songs in the Honors Choir (Chamber Choir at my school) for concerts. I have sung the national anthem at basketball games and when I sit at home to do homework, I listen to music. I also use it to help calm myself down or cheer myself when I've had a stressful or bad day.
4) Music can help influence the mood or feeling in a place by the way in which it is played. What is a specific example of this that you have experienced? Discuss the experience (what was the song? how was it played? how did the mood/feeling change?). For example, you might discuss an experience at a concert, religious service, or another place where music played a part in creating the mood. I went to a Shinedown, Nickleback, Breaking Benjamin and Sick Puppies concert a few years ago. My dad tried as hard as he could to get me those tickets. But it was a short time after Ronnie James Dio passed away. When Shinedown came on, they sung Rainbow in the Dark as a tribute to him and then after they sung Simple Man. The arena had gone silent and people were remembering him as Shinedown sung on. It was a moving time. The feeling in the room was so peaceful, yet mournful. It was beautiful.