The Elements of Music

The Elements of Music

In today’s world, it may be harder to get away from music than it is to find music. Music fills our ears in places as distinct as the grocery store, dentist office, sporting events, and shopping mall. We hear music played in the background of most television shows and movies. We listen to it on our car radios or on an mp3 player. We talk about our favorite artists with friends, go to concerts, and perhaps even produce music ourselves on an instrument. In other words, music is all around us.

Yet, even though we consume a great deal of music each day, how often do we stop to appreciate the music that we are listening to? Do we understand the basic elements of the music and what makes it appealing to us? Do we think about the musical influences that have crafted particular genres of music such as hip-hop, techno, country and western, or pop? Often, music is the backdrop to whatever else we might be doing. We can gain a greater understanding and appreciation for the music we listen to by examining its elements and historical influences.

Think about two very different types of music. Maybe you thought about rap and classical music. Maybe you thought about country and choral music. Whatever types of music that you thought of, now consider what those types of music have in common. It can sometimes be hard to see the commonality in music, even though at a fundamental level, all forms of music have many things in common with each other. In the following sections, we will examine some of the underlying structures that various forms of music share. These elements help to give the music we hear, in whatever form, a sense of order and structure. They are part of what helps us to recognize music as music.

What are the elements of music and why should you care about them? The various elements of music are what gives the music its unique characteristics when combined with other factors. For example, some songs are fast while others are slow. Some pieces of music use different rhythms or beats than other pieces of music. Some music is loud; other music is soft. These elements are combined by musicians to create distinct pieces of music.