Dynamics
You're going to discover every level of loudness, from the softest to the loudest, and learn to read and perform the transitions between them.
Dynamics are the different degrees of loudness that a single sound, several sounds, a passage or a whole piece can pass through. Like articulation, they are shown by signs and by Italian terms.
The signs: hairpins
- <, the opening hairpin, asks you to gradually increase the loudness.
- >, the closing hairpin, asks you to gradually decrease it.
- <> asks you to increase first, then decrease.
Applied to a single long note, the double hairpin <> asks for a messa di voce, “filer un son” in French. You begin the note very softly, swell it gradually to the middle of its length, then let it diminish in the same proportion. It is a classic exercise for singers and for wind and string players.
The terms: from softest to loudest
A sound can be soft, “piano”, or loud, “forte”, and each of these has several degrees:
| Term | Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Pianissimo | pp | Very soft |
| Piano | p | Soft |
| Mezzo piano | mp | Moderately soft |
| Un poco piano | poco p | A little soft |
| Sotto voce | Under the breath, murmured | |
| Mezza voce | At half voice | |
| Un poco forte | poco f | A little loud |
| Mezzo forte | mf | Moderately loud |
| Forte | f | Loud |
| Fortissimo | ff | Very loud |
Terms of transition
To increase or decrease the loudness of one or more sounds gradually, musicians use these terms:
| Term | Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Crescendo | cresc. | Growing, getting louder |
| Decrescendo | decresc. | Getting softer |
| Diminuendo | dim. | Diminishing |
| Calando | cal. | Diminishing (dying down) |
| Morendo | mor. | Dying away |
| Perdendosi | perd. | Letting the sound fade out |
| Smorzando | smorz. | Letting the sound die out (extinguishing) |
Danhauser compares dynamics to the gradations and contrasts of light and shade in painting. He adds an essential principle: you must observe them with the greatest care, and if none are marked, the artist's feeling must make up for their absence.
Add dynamics to this melody, which has none, following its shape. Then compare with the suggested answer.