Level 3 (like Grade 3) · Unit 14 of 24
Dynamics and articulation
How loud or quiet to play, and how to start and join the notes – the signs that bring music to life.
By the end you will be able to:
- read the dynamics pp to ff, crescendo and diminuendo
- read staccato, accent, tenuto, slur and pause marks
- know the common Italian words
Learn
Loud and quiet
Dynamics are written as letters short for Italian words. From quietest to loudest: pp (pianissimo, very quiet), p (piano, quiet), mp (mezzo piano, fairly quiet), mf (mezzo forte, fairly loud), f (forte, loud), ff (fortissimo, very loud). A hairpin opening out, or cresc., means get gradually louder; a hairpin closing, dim. or decresc., means get gradually quieter.
- pianissimo – very quiet
- piano – quiet
- mezzo piano – fairly quiet
- mezzo forte – fairly loud
- forte – loud
- fortissimo – very loud
- crescendo – getting louder
- diminuendo – getting quieter
Articulation
Articulation marks say how to play each note:
- Staccato (a dot over or under): short and detached.
- Accent (>): give the note extra weight.
- Tenuto (a line): hold it for its full length, slightly leaning on it.
- Slur (a curve over different notes): smooth and joined – legato.
- Pause (fermata): hold the note longer than its value.
- staccato – short and detached
- accent – stressed
- tenuto – held, leaning
- slur – smooth (legato)
- pause (fermata)
Speed words
Tempo words are often Italian too: largo and adagio (slow), andante (at a walking pace), moderato (moderate), allegro (quick), presto (very quick). Rallentando and ritardando mean gradually slower; accelerando means gradually faster; a tempo means back to the speed before.
Your turn
Watch and listen, then practise with new questions every time – reading questions, and writing tasks you answer on the stave. Take the check when you are ready: 80% passes the unit.
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Level 3 is like Grade 3 music theory. These are Classfern’s own levels, not an exam board’s. Questions are made and marked by rules in your browser.