Successfully Teaching Dynamics to Teen Age Music Students
Introduction
Music is a universal language that has no regard for borders, cultures, or time. Understanding and application of dynamic levels is crucial for musicians of any age or experience level, since variations in dynamics add depth and emotion to a musical piece. For high school music students, mastering dynamics can be a challenging, yet rewarding, set of skills to learn that enriches their ability to express themselves through music. In this article, we will explore effective ways to teach dynamic levels to music students of high school age, since these talents will be developed at a deeper level at this level of proficiency, that is if the student has been singing or playing since they were at least middle school age.
- What Are Dynamic Levels?
Dynamic levels in music refer to the different volumes that are used throughout a piece. They are essential for helping to communicate the emotions in a piece and help to tell a musical story. Dynamic markings are typically indicated in the sheet music. The markings can range from pianisissimo to fortisissimo, although most high school age musicians will do well to sing or play in a range from piano to forte.
2. Start with the Basics
Before diving into the intricacies of dynamic levels, it's crucial to ensure that high school music students have a solid foundation in music theory. This includes understanding musical notation, scales, and the fundamentals of rhythm and tempo. Once these basics are in place, students can better appreciate the nuances of dynamics.
Of course, music students should have learned these long before they began to be a part of a high school ensemble. A good way to evaluate their competency in this area is to give them something to sight read, either as a whole group or in sections. Any shortcomings can then be addressed based on the results of that assessment.
If the majority of the students have some deficiencies, any supplemental lessons can be given to the group as a whole, with the more advanced students helping the others. If only a few need help, extra help can be given when they’re not engaged in other classes or lessons.
3. Terminology
Even though some of your high school age students may be new to the world of music theory, learning the technical terms is essential. Music is known as the international language, and, since it is another language, it has its own set of words and other notations that accompany the notes. The terms can be likened to a lot of English words. Here are a few ways to help them remember those terms:
- Forte is like a fort – strong (loud).
- Piano can be linked to the origin of the word piano (from pianoforte, meaning soft-loud).
- Mezzo (as in mezzo forte or mezzo piano) is like the mezzanine in some buildings – a middle floor (often not numbered).
- Crescendo is like the crest of a wave – rising higher.
- Diminuendo is like diminish.
- Sforzando (sf or sfz) can be tricky to find a memory helper for. Although it translates “subito forte”, the S could simply stand for “suddenly” and the F for forte, which they should already know.
- Crescendo and Decrescendo marks (also known as hairpins) are easy enough to demonstrate.
4. Listening Exercises
(First – Notice that this group is not using headphones. Encourage students to listen more without headphones because the sound in the space makes the music more alive)
Listening to music is one of the best ways to understand dynamic levels. Introduce students to various pieces of music that showcase a wide range of dynamics. Discuss how these changes in volume affect the mood and overall impact of the music. You can include classical pieces, contemporary songs, and even film scores to provide a diverse listening experience.
Another aspect of dynamic levels is its relative loudness. A good way to demonstrate this is to play a section of a recording of a piece with the volume on low. The forte and piano sections will be relatively louder and softer, but overall will not be that loud. Then, play the same section with the volume level higher (but not enough to damage ears!). Now, even the softer sections will be louder than the first playing. The students may also notice that when the music is played louder, the intricacies of the instruments or voices is more noticeable.
This is important to remember when analyzing the playing space in which an ensemble will play. A small space will require an overall lower volume, while a larger space needs enough volume so that the softest passages can be heard throughout the hall.
5. Visual Aids
Visual aids can be incredibly helpful for high school students. Consider using dynamic level charts with graphics or symbols that represent different levels of loudness. This visual reference can serve as a quick guide when reading sheet music.
There are some games that can be played while learning from visual aids. One might be for the teacher/director to establish what the volume for mezzo forte (mf) is by saying his or her name at that volume. Then, when the director holds up each card with a dynamic symbol on it, the students can say their names at that volume level. The director can change the level of the mf baseline to help emphasize the concept discussed under #4, Listening Exercises.
Another good game involves playing a piece of music and having students raise or lower their hands incrementally to indicate the current dynamic level. This interactive approach helps them internalize the concept.
6. Play with Instruments
If these lessons are part of a general music type class, then the teacher might allow students to experiment with different musical instruments to understand how dynamics work in practice. For example, playing a piano softly versus forcefully, or plucking a guitar string gently as opposed to aggressively, can demonstrate the concept of dynamic contrast.
If these lessons are for established instrumental or vocal ensembles, then listening to individual instruments or voices can help students understand some of the nuances of dynamic levels.
For example, a flute player may think that the mezzo forte being played is about right, although in reality it may not be loud enough. Meanwhile, a French horn player may not realize that the mf being played is too loud because of the inherent design of the horn.
Another situation to explore in a choral group is the difference in singing high notes versus low notes. Higher notes, in any part, seem to get louder the higher they get and vice versa. This my require some extra vocal coaching to make sure that the correct dynamic is maintained throughout the singer’s vocal range.
7. Dynamics in Context
To make dynamic levels more relatable, provide students with the historical and emotional context of a musical piece. For instance, discuss how dynamics were used in classical compositions to convey different emotions or how they are employed in modern songs to create tension or excitement.
In the Middle Ages and throughout the baroque era, variations in volume were achieved mostly by adding or subtracting instruments since most of them had very limited dynamic ranges. This is called Terraced Dynamics because there were no gradual additions or subtractions of instruments, rather, the effect was more sudden, like stepping onto a terrace. That’s why there are few, if any, dynamic markings in much of the music of that era.
With the invention of the pianoforte, otherwise known simply as the piano, and the improvement of other instruments to allow for a wider dynamic range, gradual volume changes in music became more used and popular. Composers like Beethoven were well-known for such drastic variations.
8. Expressive Markings
Discuss the importance of expressive markings within a musical score. These notations, such as crescendo, and diminuendo are essential for conveying changes in dynamic levels. Other markings such as dolce or marcato, or articulations such as staccato, tenuto, and accents should affect the dynamics, but only for the length of the note or section to which it is attached.
Sometimes the words are used and sometimes the symbols are used. Usually, the symbols are readily self-explanatory. Some stand by their own, while others are combinations of two or more simpler ones.
In the diagram below, you see a number of musical symbols, most of which are dynamics. Dynamic symbols such as these are used only on the notes to which they are attached. Some other symbols, such as the staccato, are intended to indicate the length of time a note is held, or some other way to play a note independent of dynamics.
However, these other symbols also infer that something subtle about the dynamics associated with the note. For instance, the fermata is generally used at the end of a piece, and indicates a “Big Ending” and, unless otherwise noted, most likely will be played or sung just a bit louder, often as a slight crescendo.
9. Ensemble Practice
Again, if this is part of a general music class, then encourage them to perform in groups, whether it's a choir, orchestra, or band. Ensemble settings provide opportunities to practice dynamics in a real musical context, where each student's contribution affects the overall sound.
If this is part of an established ensemble, practicing the dynamics at an exaggerated level may help students to internalize the terms and play them better. After the exaggerated rehearsals, the players may then be directed to play the dynamics at their proper levels.
Personal Story – When I was in college, there was a most excellent concert pianist on staff. On day, as I was passing the rehearsal room, I heard someone playing the piano there, but very, very slowly. I went in to see who it might be. It was the staff pianist with a piece of music laid out in front of him, absolutely swimming with multi-barred notes. He had his sleeves rolled up and was playing each note very deliberately, and slowly. I suspected that maybe he was having a stroke or something, so I asked him, as politely as I could, what he was doing. He finished a short phrase and then explained that he was learning the piece and that he was placing each note carefully so that he could build up reliable muscle memory, which would allow him to play the piece from memory at the concert.
He was, in essence, studying each piece so that he could reassemble it perfectly later. So, too, if the students study each dynamic carefully, they can reassemble them at their proper levels later.
10. Individual or Small Group Performance
In addition to ensemble playing, encourage individual or small group performances. Each student, or small group of students, can take turns performing a piece and focus on applying dynamic levels effectively. For an instrumental ensemble, this could be one player from each section. For choral groups, this could be one of each part. This kind of activity helps build their confidence and showcases their progress.
11. Personal Interpretation
Teach your high school music students that dynamics are not set in stone but can be interpreted differently by each musician. Encourage them to express their emotions and personality through their interpretation of dynamic markings. However, these interpretations would need to be in the form of suggestions to the conductor. It would not work well at all to have each person in an ensemble interpreting how loud the forte marking is.
12. The Role of Conductors
For students involved in ensembles that require a conductor, it’s important to emphasize the role of that conductor in guiding the dynamics of a performance. Students would need to know how to properly “read” what the conductor is conveying to them. And the conductor should know the proper way to conduct, especially the way that best fits a particular type and size of ensemble. For more on best practices for conductors, please see the article entitled Conducting Styles - Which One Is Best?
Conclusion Teaching dynamic levels to high school music students is a rewarding journey that enhances their musical expression and understanding. By starting with the basics, helping them understand the terminology, incorporating listening exercises, and making use of interactive activities, you can help your students grasp the importance of dynamics in music. Remember that a solid foundation in music theory, combined with practical experience and a passion for music, will ultimately empower your students to become skilled and expressive musicians.
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