Sound 1 qualities of sound

it is produced by

vibrations
It propagates through

physical mediums
It is perceived by

the ear

Sound
Pitch Duration Intensity Timbre High Low Long Short Loud Soft Voice Instrument

Music is made by sound. But, what is sound made of? What is it? When we hit an object, when we pluck a tight string, when we blow through a tube, when we speak and sing; we make sounds. In order to turn sound into music, there must be an expressive intention. The first step will be to work on the different qualities of sound, which have their own graphic representations on the staff: conventional notation symbols, as well as the so called alternative graphic notation.

Sound
Reverb and echo
Reverb is produced when sound waves find obstacles on their way. They are reflected or bounced back in the opposite direction of the sound source. Echo is a kind of reverb that creates the repetition of sound. When the time-lapse between the emitted and the reflected sounds is wide enough, we perceive them both separately. The echo and the reverb of sound are very useful phenomena of nature. For example, they allow bats find their way while flying; and make it possible for sailors to measure the depth of the sea or let them know where a school of fish is.

1.1. How it is produced

Sound is produced when an object vibrates and that movement travels through sound waves until it reaches our ears.

The vibration of an object travels through sound waves.

1.2. How it propagates

Sound propagates at high speeds. The waves travel through the air at 340 meters per second, and they are transmitted the same way waves spread on water when we throw a stone. Usually, sound travels through air, but it can also travel through other mediums like water or solid objects. In fact, sound travels faster through water (1.435 m/s) and even faster through materials like wood (3.900 m/s) or iron (5.000 m/s).

1.3. How we hear

Sounds are picked up by a very thin membrane in our ear, the eardrum, which connects the outer and middle ear. When sound waves hit the eardrum, the information produced by its vibration is transmitted to the brain.

ACTIVITIES
1. If you put your ear to the table and hit the wood gently with your fingers, youll notice how well sounds propagate through solid objects. Try to make it louder and softer putting your ear away from the table. Write your conclusions in your notebook. 2. Investigate your surroundings and give examples which prove the different speeds of sound depending on the physical mediums.
The eardrums vibrations are turned into nerve impulses. They transmit the information to the brain.

UNIT 1

Silence
Rest is the term used in musical
notation to indicate a period of silence on the score.

2.1. Silence in music: rest*

Silence is the absence of sound, the lack of hearing sensation. Actually, there isnt such thing as absolute silence. Even if we could isolate ourselves completely from outer sounds, we would still hear our own bodys inner sounds. When we talk about silence in music, we understand it, therefore, as something relative; as the blank space of music. Functions of rests in music: Silence is an element as important as sound in music. It is the indispensible previous condition to enjoy music: we begin with silence when hearing and performing a composition. It serves as a break, to catch ones breath. It is a resource of great expressive energy: a rest at the right time can have more meaning than the best of sounds. It makes it possible to organize ideas and give structure to the whole composition.

Mosquitoes make their wings vibrate around 510 times per second. That is why their sound is more noticeable.

ACTIVITIES
1. J. S. Bach. Toccata and fugue in D minor

01_13
1

&b c U U & b . # r

U .

# U R

U .

# # r # #

# U R

(etc...)

a. What instrument performs it? b. This music sure sounds familiar to you, where did you hear it? c. This fragment consists of several short musical phrases, how many? d. Can you point out the phrases on the staff? e. Can you recognise rest notes on the score? f. What correspondance can you find between rest notes in this piece and punctuation marks in written languages? g. What do these rests make you feel? h. If you were a movie director, in what scene would you play this background music? Write a short text describing the situation.

Sound. Qualities of sound

Qualities of sound
Writing music
Musical notation consists of representing as precisely as possible all four qualities of sound: pitch, duration, intensity and timbre. The symbols we use today are the result of a long evolution throughout history, from the need of preserving and being able to perform music.

Sound has four qualities or parameters which allow us to identify it: pitch, duration, intensity and timbre. If we try to describe a sound with words, we have to point out: If the sound is high or low, that is, the pitch. If the sound is long or short; we point out the duration. If the sound is loud or soft, that is, the intensity. If the sound comes from a voice or an instrument; we point out the timbre. As we saw before, sound is produced by vibrating bodies. Therefore, the different qualities of sound are due to the different shapes and characteristics that those vibrations may have. The pitch of sound depends on the wave frequency: the vibration speed. It is measured in units called hertzes (Hz) which show the number of vibrations per second. The duration of sound depends on the wave persistence: how long the wave lasts until fading out. The intensity of sound depends on the wave amplitude: the distance between the points of highest vibration and repose of the object. It is measured in units called decibels (dB). The timbre depends on the mixture of root and harmonic sounds, which are different in each voice or instrument.

The color of sound

When we hear a sound, it is never pure. It is a mixture of sounds with different frequency and vibration amplitude. Just as the combination of different colours creates another colour, the combination of harmonic sounds creates different timbres.

QUALITIES PITCH

DISTINCTION low

PRODUCED BY wave frequency (Hz)

high long DURATION short loud INTENSITY soft voices TIMBRE instruments wave amplitude (dB) harmonic sounds wave persistence

Look at this chart in which we describe the qualities of sound by indicating the physical phenomena that produce them.

10

UNIT 1

Alternative graphic notation

Braille musical notation
Louis Braille (1809-1852), creator of the reading system for blind people, also invented a musical notation based on raised dots. It consists of grouping six dots in two vertical columns of three, raising certain combinations so that the reader can feel them. For the names of the notes, he combines the four upper dots:

We use musical notation to represent the different working possibilities of sound; creating it, as well as performing and preserving it. Currently, along with conventional notation (which we are about to see in the following units), some alternative symbols are used too. They are capable of meeting the needs of contemporary music and its new sounds, in a more expressive and open way.

4.1. Pitch symbols

If we distinguish between high or low pitch, the simplest way of representing these opposites would be:
low high

4.2. Duration symbols

If we distinguish between long and short duration of sound, we can represent it with horizontal lines or rectangles for long sounds, and dots or squares for short sounds.
long short

For the duration, he combines the C lower D dots: E F G A B two whole half quarter eighth
note note note note whole note half note quarter eighth note note

4.3. Intensity symbols

If we distinguish between loud or soft intensity sounds, we can represent them by changing the size of the symbol or the color intensity:

Accidentals, time signatures and other elements are represented using different combinations with the whole group of six dots.

loud

soft

4.4. Timbre symbols

In conventional notation, timbre does not have a specific symbol, so it is represented by just writing the corresponding name of the voice or instrument. However, when using alternative symbols in graphic notation, it is very common to represent the various timbres referring to the material of the instrument or the way the sound is made:
guitarra guitarra guitarra guitar flauta flauta flauta flute pandero pandero pandero tambourine

Sound. Qualities of sound

11

Self-assessment Autoevaluacin
1 1

Copy Copia in enyour tu cuaderno notebook y resuelve this word el crucigrama search puzzle contestando and find a las (vertically definiciones andque horizontally) se indican debajo: all the concepts we have seen regarding the qualities of sound.
1 A B C D E F G H I J 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

K A M P L I T U D E

S P R I N S H O R T

O L O N G R J L

F O D S O P Q T F

T W U T U E I I

H L R R Q R

A O A U M S T

R V T

M O I

O I O

N C N T T E I L C Z

I E A K C N T O Y D

C B F M H C Y U T K

S P G J G E T D N C

BO
I N E R U I M E R B Q H
a) Low b) High c) Long d) Short e) Loud f) Soft

TE
R M

NO
W U C

Copy on your notebook and match the waves with their corresponding sounds:

Draw in your notebook a picture of: a low and loud sound a long and soft sound a high and long sound a soft and short sound a low and soft sound a loud and high sound a long and low sound a low and short sound a low, soft and long sound a high, long and soft sound a high, loud and short sound a low, short and loud sound

12

UNIDAD UNIT 1 2

OK
M E N I T S E N H P S N E E G

Copy in your notebook and complete the following chart summarizing the qualities of sound:
qualities distinction produced by

Find out the mistakes of the following statements and write them correctly in your notebook: Sound is produced when the vibration of waves is transmitted as a body up to our ears. Sound propagates through air at 340 kilometers per minute. The ear picks up sounds with the vocal chords, which connect the inner and middle ear. The qualities of sound are: pitch, duration, intensity and loudness. The pitch of sound depends on the wave persistence, which is the vibration speed. The intensity of sound depends on the wave frequency. The pitch allows us to distinguish between low and soft sounds. The timbre depends on the mixture of just one sound. The duration allows us to distinguish between low and short sounds. Conventional musical notation tries to represent the size of sound. The duration of sound depends on the vibration frequency. The intensity of sound allows us to distinguish between loud and high sounds. The timbre allows us to distinguish between loud and soft sounds. Echo is a kind of reverb which makes sound louder. Sound propagates at a higher speed through air than through iron.

Sound. Qualities of sound

13

Performance Audicin
1. 1 CopiTake a look at seen in the cards below:s se indican debajo: Take a look at the the indications indications seen in the cards below:quea Copia en tu cuaderno y resuelve el crucigrama contestando las definiciones que se indican debajo:
1 2 3

A low sound

A high sound

A long sound

A short sound

A loud sound

A soft sound

A low and long sound

A high and short sound

A loud and long sound

10

11

12

A high and soft sound

A long and soft sound

A short and loud sound

13

14

15

A low and soft sound

A short and soft sound

A low and loud sound

16

17

18

A short and low sound

A high, long and loud sound

A low, short and soft sound

19

20

21

Several short and soft sounds

Several short and loud sounds

Several short sounds from soft to loud

22

23

24

Several short sounds from loud to soft

Several short sounds from high to low

Several short sounds from low to high

a. Your teacher will individually and secretly give you one of these cards to perform it. b. In order, one at a time, using your voice or an instrument of the class, you will perform the sound or the group of sounds your card indicates. Think twice if you decide to use an instrument, not all instruments have the same acoustic possibilities. You have to choose the best one. c. Your classmates will write it down to try to guess the card you perform.

14

UNIDAD UNIT 1 2

Creation
1

Pay attention to the instructions of the chart bellow and perform this piece with the whole class.

seconds seconds seconds seconds

5 5 5 5

10 10 10 10

15 15 15 15

20 20 20 20

21 21 21 21

25 25 25 25

30 30 30 30

35 35 35 35

40 40 40 40

41 41 41 41 TAMBOURINE with marbles

45 45 45 45 SLIDE

50 50 50 50

55 55 55 55

60 60 60 60

WHISTLE SLIDE WHISTLE SLIDE WHISTLE SLIDE WHISTLE

approximate pitch and upward approximate or downward pitch approximate design andpitch upward approximate or downward andpitch upward design or downward and upward design or downward design

CLAVES CLAVES CLAVES CLAVES

CYMBAL CYMBAL CYMBAL CYMBAL

XYLOPHONE XYLOPHONE XYLOPHONE XYLOPHONE

VOICE VOICE VOICE VOICE

Instrument Instrument Sound Instrument Instrument Sound Sound Sound

TAMBOURINE with marbles TAMBOURINE with marbles TAMBOURINE with marbles it is rotated swinging the instrument it is rotated itswinging is rotated theswinging instrument it is rotated theswinging instrument the instrument

intensity and number depending intensity and on dot number intensity and density depending number intensity and on dot depending number density on dot depending density on dot density

duration and intensity duration depending and duration on symbol intensity and duration depending intensity and on symbol depending intensity on symbol depending on symbol

groups of four upward/downward groups of sounds four of groups upward/downward four of groups sounds upward/downward four sounds upward/downward sounds

approximate pitch and intensity approximate depending pitch and approximate on size intensity pitch and approximate depending intensity pitch and on size depending intensity on size depending on size

Sound. Qualities of sound

15

Listening Audicin
Listen to these four musical pieces we present you: 1 Copia en tu cuaderno y resuelve el crucigrama contestando a las definiciones que se indican debajo:
1 1 1 1

2 Holst. The Planets. Jupiter. 3 Brahms. Symphony No. 3. Poco Allegretto. 4 Beethoven. Symphony No.7. Allegretto. 5 Richard Strauss. Thus spoke Zarathustra.

a. Which do you think is the predominant quality of sound in seach one of these fragments? Match each track with its most highlighted quality. b. Which of the following pictures would you choose to represent each track?
a)

b)

c)

d)

c. Choose some of the adjectives below to describe what the tracks make you feel or the mood they put you in. shiny energetic optimistic monotonous delicate sad surprising bold disturbing simple clear calm

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UNIT 1

Challenge
1

Look at the following chart in which the different speeds of sound are expressed in meters per second. Fill the right column in your notebook, calculating the speed of sound in kilometers per hour.
Physical MediuM Oxygen Air Lead Hydrogen Water Copper Wood Aluminum Iron Granite sPeed M/s 317 340 1.190 1.286 1.450 3.810 3.900 5.100 5.190 6.000 Medio sPeed KM/h

Write your own musical composition using alternative graphic notation: First, think about the environment you want to represent. You can compose a soundtrack that reflects, for example, the sounds of the city, the country, the sea, an action scene, etc. Choose the timbre with which you are going to represent all the elements of your soundtrack. You can choose among the instruments of your class, voice or instruments you can make with various objects. Create a symbol for each instrument which identifies it clearly. Draw two axes (vertical and horizontal) in order to write your score. On the vertical line you will indicate the intervention of the different instruments or voices. On the horizontal line, you will indicate the durations on a scale expressed in seconds.
instrument voice instrument voice

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Ask your classmates for help to be able to perform your score and dare to conduct your composition.

Sound. Qualities of sound

17

To sum up
1
Sound is a hearing perception produced by the vibration of an elastic body, and is transmitted through air, liquid or solids up to our ears.

Silence is as important as sound in music. It is indispensible to enjoy music. It gives structure to the musical discourse and can be used as a resource of great expressive energy.

3
Sound has four qualities or parameters which allow us to identify it: pitch, duration, intensity and timbre.

4
The pitch allows us to distinguish between low and high sounds. It depends on the wave frequency.

5
The duration allows us to distinguish between long and short sounds. It depends on the wave persistence.

The intensity allows us to distinguish between loud and soft sounds. It depends on the wave amplitude.

7
The timbre allows us to distinguish between voices and instruments. It depends on the mixture of root sounds with its harmonics.

8
Musical notation consists of graphically representing all four qualities of sound. Alternative graphic notation is a nonconventional notation which allows us to write music in a more expressive and open way.

18

UNIDAD UNIT 1 1