MUSIC 3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Binary Form
Document Summary
Duration refers to how long or short a particular sound is. Duration does not necessarily refer to how long the entire piece of music is, but rather the length of the sounds being made. The combination of different durations determines the rhythm or beat of music within a piece. For example, a note stretching over two beats, followed by a one-beat note, may indicate a waltz timing, or 3/4-time signature. Different durations of sounds can change the speed of the beat or tempo within a piece. One phrase of the piece may have many fast, short sounds, which could indicate the tempo allegro or vivace while a piece with longer, drawn out sounds may be more lento. Students can learn duration by studying different notes and phrases while adding a physical action to each note, such as a stomp and clap. The clap can represent he note while the stomps can represent the beat.
