What are dynamics in music?

As an avid consumer of music or an aspiring musician practicing your own instrument, you may have noticed that how loud you play has a noticeable impact on how a song sounds and the feeling it evokes. Playing a piece loudly or softly can really make a difference in how it makes you feel and how you perform your part. To understand this effect, we need to learn more about dynamics and how dynamics work in music.

Dynamics in Music

In music, dynamics refers to the volume and changes in volume of a musical piece. Rather than telling the performer exactly how loud to play, dynamic markings indicate how loud something is played in the context of a musical piece. For example, the marking p (for “piano”) means that something is played more softly than f (for “forte”), meaning loud.

The reason why musicians need to know how loud to play at a specific time is that their instrument will sound drastically different whether they play it loudly or quietly. Think about a flute, for example, that is played softly and forcefully. The difference in volume, or the dynamics, can make the same notes sound mellow and calm or aggressive if they are played loudly or quietly.

At times, certain instruments need to be given more space as they rise above other instruments in volume. These instruments can then be louder while others give room by quieting down. In essence, dynamics allow a musical piece to convey more than just the notes on the page. Composers can better express their musical intentions through the effective use of dynamics.

Indicating Dynamics in Music

Italian words are used in music notation to denote dynamics. These terms are universally recognized and understood by musicians across the globe, making them a standard language in music. However, these are written with abbreviations (such as p and f), so you can understand them without knowing Italian!

Here are some of the commonly used Italian words to describe dynamic levels:

• Piano (p): This term means “soft” or “quiet.” It instructs the musician to play the note or passage quietly.
• Forte (f): This term translates to “loud” or “strong.” When musicians see this dynamic marking, they know to play the note or passage loudly.
• Pianissimo (pp): This term means “very soft.” It is softer than the piano marking.
• Fortissimo (ff): This term means “very loud.” It is louder than forte.
• Mezzo-piano (mp): This term translates to “moderately soft.” It is louder than piano but softer than mezzo-forte.
• Mezzo-forte (mf): This term translates to “moderately loud.” It is softer than forte but louder than mezzo-piano.

Suppose you want to highlight that something is even quieter than pp or louder than ff. In that case, you can even add a third letter into the mix, resulting in pianississimo (ppp) or “very, very quiet” or fortississimo (fff) or “very, very loud.” And dynamic markings are not limited to just three. In some cases, composers can use four or even more markings to indicate small nuances and changes in the volume of a piece, such as pppp or ffff.

Composers communicate dynamic information in their music through these specific words, symbols, and markings. They are typically placed below or above the staff, and they apply until a new dynamic is indicated.

Changes in Dynamics

Composers can also indicate changes in the dynamics of a piece. The three terms to know here are crescendo, decrescendo, and diminuendo.

• Crescendo (abbreviated as cresc.) signifies a gradual increase in volume
• Decrescendo and diminuendo signal a gradual decrease in volume. These two terms mean the same thing but are abbreviated differently: decrescendo as decresc. and diminuendo as dim.

These changes are often represented graphically with hairpin symbols that open or close to indicate the direction of the volume change. The symbol opens up to the right as the volume increases or closes as it gets quieter.

In addition to a gradual change in dynamics, the so-called “sforzando” marking (abbreviated as fz) can be used to indicate a forceful accent for a dramatic effect in the composition.

Learn More about Dynamic Markings and Music Theory

Now you have a better understanding of the different dynamic markings and their effect on a piece of music. To learn more about music theory, check out Yousician’s full Musician’s Glossary for all the musical terms you need to know. To learn guitar, bass, piano, and more with your favorite songs, download Yousician for your computer or mobile device.