What is music

This is trying to explain to Elena.


Music consists of :


Melody (one note at a time)
Bass (one note at a time)
Harmony (many notes at a time) like cooking with many ingredients together
Rhythm


Melody can stand on its own.
For example singing a Capella a song.


Bass is the base of harmony.
It is one note at the time.


Harmony follows the simple rule of choosing ingredient notes from the series Do Mi Sol Si Re Fa La Do Mi ... etc ie C E G B D F A C E ....


Rhythm consists of patterns reported in time that make your body feel moving to it.


The above applies to anything from a simple song to a complex symphony.


For example on a more involved song:
Stepping Stone - Daffy
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KFjF64Mcaao


Main melody is what Daffy sings.
La Fa Mi Fa Mi Fa Mi Re Re (I remember way back way back way...)


Bass is
Re Re (when melody is I remember way back way back way)
Re Re
Re Re
Re Re
bSi bSi
bSi bSi
Sol Sol
Sol Sol


Harmony is derived from above rule ie:
Re together with Fa together with La ie Re Fa La while bass is Re
then
bSi Re Fa La while bass is bSi
then
Sol bSi Re Fa while bass is Sol


All Si are flat because the key is Re minor 3rd ie D minor 3rd.


See also:


Bach Bass rules - Bach, Noedt - PDF


Harmony - Piston