Sound waves are defined by their amplitude and frequency .

When we listen to music we usually don't consider each individual element that contributes to the whole sound. However, music is made up of a variety of elements that combine to produce the complex sounds that we hear. Some of the elements are related to our sense of rhythm, others to frequency or pitch and still others to the structure of the music. Musicians, composers and producers understand how these elements can be combined for their maximum effect. In this unit the elements will be discussed individually and then combined in a variety of ways.

Since vibration is the source of all sound one should have at least a basic understanding of how music and sound are related. Vibrations travel through air (or other mediums such as liquids, solids, and some gases) in the form of waves to produce a sound. The sound waves are described by both their amplitude, the height of the wave, and their frequency, how often the wave goes through a full cycle. As a result the amplitude determines the volume of a sound and the frequency determines the pitch of the sound.

The brain takes in all of the information available about a sound and processes it into some kind of meaning for each of us. The brain compares this sound information to other pieces of information that have already been stored and makes a judgment beyond just describing the individual elements of music. This is part of how we develop our own preferences for certain styles and pieces of music.