Hello! Today, we’re going to learn about something fun in music called dynamics. Do you know what dynamics are?
In music, dynamics are all about how loud or soft a sound is. Some sounds can be very soft and quiet. Can you whisper quietly? Try saying “quiet” very softly with me.
Other sounds can be very loud. Let’s say “loud” together on the count of three: 1, 2, 3, loud! Wow, that was so loud!
In music, we use special Italian words to describe these sounds. Let’s learn them together:
Now, let’s listen to some students clapping different dynamics. Can you guess which one is which?
Did you guess them all correctly?
Sometimes, music gets louder over time. This is called a crescendo. Imagine a drum getting louder and louder. The symbol for crescendo looks like two lines getting wider apart.
The opposite is a decrescendo, where the music gets softer. The symbol for decrescendo looks like two lines getting closer together.
Let’s watch the students again. Can you draw in the air with your finger if you think it’s a crescendo or a decrescendo?
Why do we use different dynamics in music? Some songs are happy and energetic, like a marching band, and they are often played loud. Other songs are slow and calm, like a lullaby, and they are usually played softly.
Wow, we’ve learned a lot about dynamics! Remember, dynamics in music are about how loud or soft the sound is, from pianissimo to fortissimo. Can you try singing your favorite song using different dynamics?
Dynamic Sound Hunt: Go on a sound hunt around your home or classroom. Listen carefully and find examples of sounds that match the dynamics we learned. Can you find something that sounds like pianissimo (very soft), piano (soft), forte (loud), and fortissimo (very loud)? Share your findings with a friend or family member and describe the sounds you heard.
Dynamic Drawing: Draw a picture of a scene that matches each dynamic level. For example, draw a quiet night sky for pianissimo or a busy city street for fortissimo. Use colors and shapes to show how the dynamics feel. Share your drawings with the class and explain why you chose those scenes for each dynamic.
Dynamic Storytelling: Create a short story or play with your friends where the characters use different dynamics. For example, a character might whisper a secret using pianissimo or shout for help using fortissimo. Act out your story and pay attention to how the dynamics change the mood and excitement of the story.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
—
[Music]
Hello! Today we are going to look at dynamics. Do you know what dynamics are?
[Music]
In music, dynamics refer to the differences in volume that you can hear. Some sounds can be soft and quiet. Can you whisper quietly? Very softly, copy me: quiet.
Other sounds can be very loud. Can you repeat the word “loud” after me? 1, 2, 3: loud! Wow, that was so loud my ears hurt!
In music, we use special Italian words to describe how loud or soft a sound is. Let’s compare them: a very soft sound is called “pianissimo.” Pianissimo sounds very much like me; it’s very quiet. Can you clap along after me? That was very quiet, wasn’t it?
A sound that is a little bit louder but still soft is called “piano.” Oh, not that kind of piano! A piano dynamic sounds like this. Clap along after me.
A loud sound is called “forte.” Forte sounds a bit like this. Can you join in?
An extremely loud sound is called “fortissimo.” Fortissimo sounds like this.
We are now going to take a look at some students who will be clapping different dynamics. It could be pianissimo, piano, forte, or fortissimo. Have a listen and think about which dynamics you hear.
Do you know what that was? That was fortissimo. Which dynamic was this? That was forte. Can you guess what the dynamic was this time? That was piano. Which dynamic was this? That was pianissimo.
Were you able to identify which dynamic was used for each child’s clapping?
Now, in music, a song might get louder over time. This is called a crescendo. I can play a crescendo on this drum. If you look at the crescendo symbol, you can see that from left to right, the space between the two lines gets bigger as the sound gets louder. Have a listen.
The opposite of a crescendo is a decrescendo. A decrescendo is when music slowly becomes softer over time. Let’s look at the symbol for a decrescendo. From left to right, you can see how the distance between the two lines gets smaller as the sound becomes quieter. Have a listen.
Now, let’s see if we can tell the difference between the two. We are going to watch the students again, and they are going to either clap a crescendo or a decrescendo. What I want you to do is draw in the air with your finger whether you think it is a crescendo or a decrescendo.
Was that a crescendo or a decrescendo? That was a crescendo. What about this one? What did you think that was? That was a decrescendo. Well done!
Can you think of why we might use different dynamics in music? Some songs are very bouncy and jumpy and are often played loud to highlight the mood, like a marching band or a pop song. But some songs are sad or slow, and these songs are usually played with soft dynamics, like a lullaby.
Wow, those are a lot of dynamics we have looked at! So remember, the dynamics in music refer to the volume of the sound, from pianissimo to fortissimo. I wonder if you can sing your favorite song with different dynamics.
[Music]
—
This version maintains the educational content while removing any informal or unnecessary phrases.
