MUSIC’S MAKE-UP

MUSIC’S MAKE-UP
There are three elements that make up music, Melody, Harmony and Rhythm. Melody is the linear portion of music, harmony the element that fills it out and allows for variation and enhanced emotional possibilities, and rhythm divides time and space. An experiment by playing a well known song such as Silent Night, using only the melodic element with no harmony and no rhythm, makes it difficult to recognize. By adding the rhythmic element, the song is identifiable in the first measure. It is no wonder in our age driven by schedules and timing, that rhythm bears such influence.