Tag: Dynamics

In music, dynamics normally refers to the volume of a sound or note, but can also refer to every aspect of the execution of a given piece, either stylistic (staccato, legato etc.) or functional (velocity). The term is also applied to the written or printed musical notation used to indicate dynamics. Dynamics are relative and do not indicate specific volume levels.
The two basic dynamic indications in music are:
More subtle degrees of loudness or softness are indicated by:
Beyond f and p, there are also
To indicate an even softer dynamic than pianissimo, ppp is marked, with the reading pianissimo possibile (“softest possible”). The same is done on the loud side of the scale, with fff being fortissimo possibile (“loudest possible”).
Few pieces contain dynamic designations with more than three f’s or p’s. In Holst’s The Planets, ffff occurs twice in Mars and once in Uranus often punctuated by organ and fff occurs several times throughout the work. It also appears in Heitor Villa-Lobos’…