Dynamics are the when you make sounds louder or softer.
When you write a dynamic marking under a note, such as p (for piano, or “soft”), the person singing or playing the song will know to play it softly. When you use dynamic markings (pp, p, mp, mf, f, ff) in a piece of music, it can make the song so much more interesting and beautiful. You can make it sound more like you want it to!
You can also mark a crescendo or decrescendo under your notes if you want to notes to get louder or softer.
This is a crescendo:
This is a decrescendo looks like this:
In a piece of music, they can be put together and look like this:
Here are links to ideas for teaching dynamics:
11/19/15 Dynamics and The Growing Pumpkin Game
12/11/15 Scales and Dynamics (Using Deck the Halls)
(Note: This book is in your resource box.)
1/16 Dynamics, Tempo, Rhythm (Using Stopping By the Woods)
(Note: This book is in your resource box.)
Other lesson plan links: