Dynamics
Animated explanation of the musical element "dynamics"
Official classification: Dynamics, Unit 1. Ongoing skills, Interactive Activities, Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3, Unit 8 Ongoing Skills, Unit 15 Ongoing Skills, Curriculum support
Use the interactive tool in this piece for children to explore how to play instruments with a variety of different sound qualities, including dynamics, timbres and speed.
Official classification: Dynamics, Pitch, Tempo, Interactive Activities, Curriculum support, 1b Controlling sounds - playing, 1c Controlling sounds - performing together, 1b Controlling sounds - playing
Use the interactive tool in this piece for children to explore how to play instruments with a variety of different sound qualities, including dynamics, timbres and speed.
Official classification: Dynamics, Pitch, Tempo, Interactive Activities, Curriculum support, 1b Controlling sounds - playing, 1c Controlling sounds - performing together, 1b Controlling sounds - playing
Use the interactive tool in this piece for children to explore how to play instruments with a variety of different sound qualities, including dynamics, timbres and speed.
Official classification: Dynamics, Pitch, Tempo, Interactive Activities, Curriculum support, 1b Controlling sounds - playing, 1c Controlling sounds - performing together, 1b Controlling sounds - playing
Interactive piece for children to explore how to play instruments with a variety of different sound qualities, including dynamics, timbres and speed.
Official classification: Dynamics, Pitch, Tempo, Interactive Activities, Curriculum support, 1b Controlling sounds - playing, 1c Controlling sounds - performing together, 1b Controlling sounds - playing
Recognizing different dynamics levels and the words and signs used to describe them. Drag the excerpt alongside the description of its dynamics.
Other keywords:
listening, crescendo, diminuendo, ff, mf, p, pp
Official classification: Dynamics, Interactive Activities, Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4, Curriculum support, 4b Listening, and applying knowledge and understanding - elements and devices
Sounds that illustrate dynamics - getting louder and getting quieter.
Official classification: Understanding Sound, Non-Musical Sounds, Dynamics, Changes in Volume, Unit 7. Rain, rain, go away - Exploring timbre, tempo and dynamics, Similar Sound Collections, Audio, Interactive Activities, Curriculum support
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Official classification: Cello, Pieces, Forte Loud, Piano Soft, Wider opps, Resource Packs
Encourage your students to do some musical experimenting: ask them to find out
which notes sound well together. Then choose a soloist or small group to fill the
spaces in the the middle section with any note/s.
Notes used: C, D, F, G
Key: concert Eb major
Learning points: dynamics: mf
accents
Official classification: Nursery Rhymes, Pieces, Bb Clarinet, Mezzoforte Moderately Loud, Wider opps, Resource Packs
Recorder Foundation
Official classification: Recorder Family, Soprano/descant, Dynamics, Unit 2. Sounds interesting - Exploring sounds, Pieces, Resource Packs
Tags: composition, English, listening
This piece is in three sections: ABA. The A section is almost identical at the start
and at the end. Keep the high split notes short and harsh, as if slapping at the
mossie! Take the opportunity to practise staccato tonguing.
Notes used: C, E, G
Key: concert D minor
Learning points: new note E,crotchet rest, dynamics (f, p), high split notes
Official classification: Trombone (treble clef), Staccato, Ternary(ABA), Animals, Pieces, Forte Loud, Piano Soft, Wider opps, Resource Packs
This duet introduces the note F. Dynamics are echoed from part to part. Part 2 is
easier than Part 1: it uses only notes C and F. The pause at the end lasts for seven
beats.
Notes used: Part 1 – C, F, G;
Part 2 – C, F
Key: concert Eb
Learning points: new note F, dotted minim, pause, reading from two staves
Official classification: Trombone (treble clef), Dynamics, Pieces, Dotted Minim, Echo, Wider opps, Resource Packs
Here’s some more practice at playing the five notes C, D, E, F, G.
Notes used: C, D, E, F, G
Key: concert Bb
Learning points: dotted crotchet/quaver rhythm, dynamics: mf
Official classification: Trombone (treble clef), Christmas, Pieces, Dotted Crotchet, Quaver, Mezzoforte Moderately Loud, Wider opps, Resource Packs
This piece is in three sections: ABA. The A section is almost identical at the start
and at the end. Keep the high split notes short and harsh, as if slapping at the
mossie! Take the opportunity to practise staccato tonguing.
Notes used: C, E, G
Key: concert D minor
Learning points: new note E
crotchet rest
dynamics: f, p
high split notes
Official classification: Trumpet, Staccato, Ternary(ABA), Animals, Pieces, Forte Loud, Piano Soft, Wider opps, Resource Packs
Here’s some more practice at playing the five notes C, D, E, F, G.
Notes used: C, D, E, F, G
Key: concert Bb
Official classification: Trumpet, Christmas, Pieces, Dotted Crotchet, Quaver, Mezzoforte Moderately Loud, Wider opps, Resource Packs
Circular bowing and dynamics f/p are introduced.
Notes used: G, D, A, E
Key: D minor
Learning points: circular bowing
dynamics: f, p
crossing two strings
Official classification: Violin, Pieces, Forte Loud, Piano Soft, Wider opps, Resource Packs
Opening piece from scenic cantata composed by Carl Orff in 1935 and 1936.
KS2 idea: for listening activity; listen and talk about the mood or atmosphere created by a piece of music - relate to the musical elements (dynamics, texture, duration, structure, melody, harmony)
Official classification: Changes in Volume, The 20th & 21st Centuries, Classical Pieces, Audio, Orff, Carl, Instrumental Texture, Mixed Voice Choir, Curriculum support
Number 1 of 8 Slavonic dances by Czech Romantic composer Antonin Dvorak.
KS2 idea for listening, suggested focusses: contrast between initial longer chord and shorter sounds that follow, strong 3 metre and good dynamic contrasts. Brisk tempo influenced by national folk dances.
Official classification: Changes in Volume, Tempo, The Romantic Period, Classical Pieces, Audio, Dvorak, Antonan Leopold, Long and Short Sounds, Curriculum support
First of the New World Symphony movements, particularly good example of two contrasting tempos (adagio & allegro) and difference in dynamics and texture between the sections.
Official classification: Changes in Volume, Tempo, Symphony, The Romantic Period, Classical Pieces, Audio, Dvorak, Antonan Leopold, Curriculum support
The 'now and next' functions in the Live Sequencer tool allow students to create their own arrangement of the koto melody from Saydisc Listen To This KS3, track 4 Aki No Shirabe (Autumn Tune). Students also type in their own descriptions of each phrase so they can easily identify each one and demonstrate use of musical language. They can then trigger the phrases live to play in any chosen order. Perhaps this could be used to provide music for a dance or similar performance.
Official classification: Composing, Arranging, Improvising, Changes in Volume, Silence, Phrasing, Melody, Interactive Activities, Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3, Pentatonic Scales, Japan, Koto, Curriculum support, Live Sequencer, Saydisc/Charanga World Music