One lesson that helps people understand dynamics in music involves reading a poem and learning the Italian meanings of dynamics. When you read music, there will be one- or two-letter dynamic terms in the sheet music that let a performer know how to play the music notes. These terms are: pp (pianissimo or very soft), mp (moderato piano or moderately soft), p (piano or soft), mf (moderately forte or medium loud), f (forte or loud) and ff (fortissimo or very loud). These terms are always in italics, and the two main terms are "p," or piano, meaning soft, and "f," or forte, meaning loud. Choose a poem and write the dynamic terms on note cards; pass them out to each person. Have them speak their parts using the note cards' dynamic level. This lesson is intended for all ages except the very young.
Ask your students or gathering of people whether they have ever watched a live parade. Ask your students about the music they have heard from parade bands. Ask them whether the music grows louder as a band approaches them; in music dynamics, this is called a crescendo, or a gradual buildup. Then ask your students whether a band's music is softer as it leaves their area; this is an example of a decrescendo, or a fading of volume. This lesson is best used with younger kids and students, around the third- and fourth-grade level, and helps them apply music dynamics to everyday life.
Teaching music dynamics to younger students can be done any number of ways, but one of the easiest and most effective ways for young people to learn is by having them make a list of sounds that are loud (forte) and soft (piano). Ask your students to name sounds that are loud; common examples will be a jet or firetruck. Then ask your students to name soft sounds, with common examples being a whisper or cat's purr. After your students compile a list of loud and soft sounds, listen to some music and have them tell you when the music is soft (piano) and loud (forte). This exercise is best used for younger kids, usually at the first- and second-grade level or lower.
The thunderstorm lesson lets students experience a gradual change in loud and soft sounds by recreating a thunderstorm. Have students listen to a recording of a thunderstorm and ask them what the loudest and softest parts of a thunderstorm were. After that, explain to students that your class will help recreate a thunderstorm by splitting the class into three groups. One group will rub their hands together to simulate rain and snap their fingers to simulate hail. The second group will pat their hands on their legs to simulate harder rain; the third group will stomp their feet and make noises to simulate wind and thunder. Have each group start and stop, and after a few moments of the "thunderstorm" have them stop completely. After the demonstration, ask the class which parts of the thunderstorm were the loudest (forte) and which parts were soft (piano); also ask how your class recreated the thunderstorm. This lesson is best used with students in the second-grade level and below.