MUSIC EXAMINATION STUDY GUIDE

TOPICS:
Sound
Music
Pitch
Musical Instruments
Dynamics
The recorder
Musical notation
Cleffs
Parts of a note
Tempo terms
Timbre/Tone
Melody

Sound
1. What is sound?
Sound is a kind of energy that we can hear. It is made when something moves or vibrates,
causing the air (or other materials) around it to move too.
2. How are sounds produced?
Sounds are made when something vibrates (shakes back and forth). For example:
3. How do sounds travel?
Sound travels in waves through things like air, water, or solids.
The waves move from the vibrating object to your ears.
Sound moves fastest through solids, slower through liquids, and slowest through gases

4. Where can sound be found?

You can hear sound:
In nature (birds chirping, wind blowing)

In cities (cars, people talking)

At home (TV, music, talking)

Music

1. What is music?
Music is a type of sound that is made in a way that is pleasant or meaningful to listen to.
It usually has a pattern, like a beat, rhythm, melody, and harmony.
Examples: Songs, piano playing, or a band performing.

2. What is noise?
Noise is sound that is often unpleasant, random, or loud.
It doesn't follow a clear pattern like music.
Examples: Traffic, shouting, banging, or a loud engine.

3. Functions of music (What music does):

Entertainment – Music is used for fun, dancing, and enjoyment.

Communication – It can express feelings or tell stories.

Ceremonies – Music is used in weddings, birthdays, and religious events.

Healing – Music can help people relax or feel better (music therapy).

Education – Songs can help people learn things (like the alphabet song).

4. Why is music important?

It makes people happy or calm.

It helps us express emotions.

It brings people together (like at concerts or festivals).

It’s used in movies, games, and shows to make them more exciting.

It can help with learning and memory.

Pitch
What is pitch?
Pitch is how high or low a sound is.
A high pitch sounds like a whistle or a bird singing.

A low pitch sounds like a drum or a lion’s roar.

What changes the pitch?

Pitch depends on how fast something vibrates:
Faster vibrations = higher pitch

Slower vibrations = lower pitch

Facts
The frequency of a wave is measured in hertz
Humans hear between 20 hertz and 20000 hertz

Musical Instruments
1. Aerophones
Make sound by air vibrating inside them.
You blow into them or air passes through.

Examples:
Flute, Trumpet, Clarinet, Saxophone, Recorder
2. Membranophones
Make sound by vibrating a stretched membrane (skin).
Usually played by hitting or shaking.

Examples:Drum, Bongos, Timpani, iTabla

3. Chordophones
Make sound by vibrating strings.
Played by plucking, bowing, or striking.

Examples:Guitar, Violin, Harp, Cello

4. Idiophones
Make sound by the body of the instrument itself vibrating.
No strings, membranes, or air.

Examples:Xylophone, Triangle, Cymbals, Maracas, Bells

5. Electrophones
Make sound using electricity.
Often use speakers or amplifiers.

Examples:

Electric guitar, Synthesizer, Electronic keyboard

DYNAMICS

In music, dynamics refer to how loud or soft the music is played.

They help express emotion and intensity in a performance.

THE RECORDER
The recorder is a woodwind musical instrument known for its clear, sweet sound and simple
design
There are several sizes, each producing different pitches:
• Soprano (Descant) – the most common for beginners
• Alto (Treble) – slightly larger, often used by more advanced players
• Tenor – deeper sound
• Bass – lowest sound in the recorder family

Musical Notation: What It Is

Musical notation is a system of writing music so it can be read and performed. It uses symbols
to represent pitch (notes), rhythm (duration), dynamics (volume), tempo (speed), and
expression.
History of the Musical Staff (Staff Lines)
• Before 9th Century: Music was passed down by ear. Neumes (squiggles) were used to show
melody direction but not exact pitch.
• 9th–10th Century: A single line (then two) was added to help fix pitch. Still basic.
• Guido of Arezzo (c. 1000 AD): Introduced the four-line staff and color-coded lines (red for F,
yellow for C). This allowed exact pitch reading and was a big breakthrough.
• 15th Century–Now: The five-line staff became standard. Clefs and ledger lines were added.
It’s still the main system used today.
Cleffs
Clefs in Music
A clef is a symbol placed at the beginning of the staff to show which notes belong to which lines
and spaces. It tells you the pitch range of the music.
Main Types of Clefs
• Treble Cleff (G Clef)
• Swirls around the G line.
• Used for higher-pitched instruments (e.g., violin, flute, right hand on piano).
• Example:
Notes on the lines = E–G–B–D–F
Spaces = F–A–C–E
• bass (F Clef)
• Dots surround the F line.
• Used for lower-pitched instruments (e.g., cello, bass guitar, left hand on piano).
• Lines = G–B–D–F–A
• Spaces = A–C–E–G

Other cleffs:
• Alto Clef (C Clef)
• Tenor Clef (C Clef)

TREBLE CLEFF. BASS CLEFF.

PARTS OF A NOTE
TIMBRE

Timbre (pronounced TAM-ber) is the unique quality or color of a sound that lets you tell different
instruments or voices apart, even if they're playing the same note.

Here are some common ways to describe timbre in music:

1. By Texture or Quality
• Bright
• Dark
• Warm
• Harsh
• Smooth
• Mellow
• Rough
• Thin
• Rich
• Sharp
• Dull
•Nasal

MELODY

Melody is the main tune of a piece of music —

the part you usually hum or sing along to.

1. Contour
The shape of a melody — how the notes move up and down.
• Can be smooth, wavy, rising, falling, or jagged

2. Register
Refers to the height of the notes —
• High register = higher notes (like a flute)
• Low register = lower notes (like a cello)

3. Motion
How the melody moves from note to note:
• Stepwise (conjunct): moves by small steps
• Leaps (disjunct): jumps between notes

4. Articulation
How each note is played or sung:
• Legato = smooth and connected
• Staccato = short and detached

5. Ornamentation
Extra touches added to decorate a melody:
• Examples: trills, grace notes, slides
• Adds expression and flair to the music.

Conjunct Motion
• The melody moves in small steps, from one note to the next (like C to D or E to F).
• It sounds smooth and connected.
• Example: Most folk songs and lullabies use conjunct motion.
Disjunct Motion
• The melody moves in larger jumps or leaps (like C to G or A to E).
• It sounds more dramatic or energetic.
• Example: Many film themes or dramatic solos use disjunct motion.
Most melodies combine both, but conjunct motion is easier to sing and more common in simple
tunes.

In music, solfege (also spelled solfeggio) is a system of naming musical notes with syllables,
like "do," "re," "mi," "fa," "sol," "la," and "ti.”