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    Doniell Cushman loves to use her teaching experiences to inspire ways to improve music, teaching, and learning.

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What do Dynamics MEAN?!

1/29/2018

 
Dynamics are essentially musical volume. Dynamics help to create a few important musical structures: mood, scenery, shading, and character.
  1. Mood - Otherwise known as emotional disposition.  What temper do you want to be? The tone of the piece can really set how someone feels.
  2. Scenery - Otherwise known as the landscape view of the piece. Are you in a circus or are you depressed because your doll broke? These are important backdrops to what is happening in the music.
  3. Shading - What is the color of the piece? What is going to happen? Ask yourself this question. If the piece is about goblins on Halloween night, you probably don't want to scream the music. Volume gives the listener hints about what is to come, and about what is happening.
  4. Character - This is the personality and overall charm of the music. Is this a piece that is strong, dark, and handsome? Declare who you are through sound!

Now that we've covered the important expression dynamics encompasses, what do those symbols ACTUALLY MEAN?

ppp - Pianississimo
  • Pee-an-ees-ee-see-moh
  • As softly as possible
  • Sounds like a whisper
pp - Pianissimo
  • Pee-an-ee-see-moh
  • Very softly
  • Sounds like a mouse
p - Piano
  • Pee-an-oh
  • Softly
  • Sounds like a kitty cat meow
mp - Mezzo Piano
  • Met-zoh-pee-an-oh
  • Moderately or Medium Soft
  • Sounds like someone humming
mf- Mezzo Forte
  • Met-zoh-fore-tuh
  • Moderately or medium loud
  • Sounds like someone talking
f - Forte
  • Fore-tuh
  • Loudly
  • Sounds like someone yelling
ff - Fortissimo                
  • Fore-tee-see-moh
  • Very loudly
  • Sounds like an airplane
fff - Fortississimo
  • Fore-tees-ees-ee-moh
  • As loudly as possible
  • Someone screaming at the top of their lungs
sfz or sf- Sforzando or Sforzato
  • Ts-fore-tsahn-doh / Ts-fore-tsah-doh
  • Strongly accentuated
  • Forced loudly
fp or sfp - Forte Piano or Sforzando Piano
  • Fore-tuh-pee-ahn-oh / Ts-fore-tsahn-doh-pee-ahn-oh
  • Loud, then suddenly quiet
  • Like a baby's crying suddenly quieted by a bottle
Cresc. or Crescendo <
  • Cruh-shehn-doh
  • Gradually get louder
  • Like an ambulance coming toward you from a distance
Dim. or Diminuendo >
  • Dih-min-you-ehn-doh
  • Gradually get softer
  • Like a racecar passing by you
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