Dynamics in music: from ppp to fff
Dynamics tell a performer how loud or soft to play. The main markings, from softest to loudest, are ppp, pp, p, mp, mf, f, ff and fff. Hairpins show gradual changes, and signs like sfz and fp show sudden ones.
Dynamics are the markings in a score that control volume. They are one of the main ways a composer shapes the feeling of a piece, along with tempo and articulation. The same melody can sound calm, tense or triumphant just by changing the dynamics. Most dynamic words are Italian, because Italian was the common language of musical notation when the system was developed.
What are the basic dynamic markings?
There are eight main levels. They are made from just three letters: p for piano (soft), f for forte (loud) and m for mezzo (medium). More letters mean more extreme. The table lists them in order from softest to loudest.
| Symbol | Italian name | Meaning | Rough feel |
|---|---|---|---|
| ppp | Pianississimo | Extremely soft | A whisper |
| pp | Pianissimo | Very soft | Hushed |
| p | Piano | Soft | Quiet and gentle |
| mp | Mezzo piano | Medium soft | Moderate, leaning quiet |
| mf | Mezzo forte | Medium loud | Moderate, leaning strong |
| f | Forte | Loud | Strong and full |
| ff | Fortissimo | Very loud | Powerful |
| fff | Fortississimo | Extremely loud | As loud as the music can be |
The word mezzo means half or medium, so mezzo piano is medium soft, and mezzo forte is medium loud. Mezzo piano is a little louder than piano, and mezzo forte is a little softer than forte. Together they fill in the middle of the scale. Composers sometimes go beyond these, writing pppp or ffff, but these are rare and depend on the instrument.
Are dynamics exact?
No. Dynamics are relative, not fixed numbers. A forte on a recorder is quieter than a forte on a trumpet, and a piano marking in a stadium is louder than one in a small room. What counts is the difference between levels in the same piece, and the player's job is to keep clear steps between them. Many teachers say to choose your softest p first, and your loudest f next, then fit the rest between them.
How do you show gradual changes?
A gradual change uses either words or hairpins. A hairpin is a pair of lines that open or close. A hairpin that opens to the right means crescendo: gradually louder. One that closes means decrescendo or diminuendo: gradually softer. Words can do the same job: cresc., decresc. and dim. with a dotted line to show how far they extend. The phrase poco a poco means little by little.
| Marking | Meaning | Looks like |
|---|---|---|
| cresc. | Gradually louder | Word, or hairpin opening to the right |
| decresc. | Gradually softer | Word, or hairpin closing to the right |
| dim. | Gradually softer | Word, or hairpin closing to the right |
| poco a poco | Little by little | Added to cresc. or dim. |
What are the sudden dynamics?
Some markings call for an abrupt change or accent. Subito means suddenly, so subito piano (subito p) means drop to soft at once. Sforzando (sfz or sf) is a strong accent on a single note. The pair fp (forte-piano) means loud, then soft right away. Rinforzando (rfz) is a stress that reinforces a note or a short group of notes. Each of these affects a small part of the music, so the main level resumes afterwards.
| Marking | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| sfz or sf | Sforzando | A sudden, strong accent |
| fp | Forte-piano | Loud, then soft at once |
| sub. p | Subito piano | Suddenly soft |
| rfz | Rinforzando | A strong stress, a little more gradual than sfz |
How do dynamics relate to the instrument?
- Piano: Dynamics come from how deeply and how quickly the key is pressed. The instrument's name comes from this ability: the early pianoforte could play both soft and loud.
- Strings: Bow pressure, speed and the place where the bow touches the string shape the volume.
- Winds and brass: Air speed and support control the volume. Pitch tends to change with volume, so players must adjust.
- Voice: Breath flow and vocal space control volume. A good singer keeps the tone supported at all levels.
Because dynamics change the character of the tone as well as the volume, a pianissimo on a violin sounds different from a fortissimo, not just quieter. Good players learn to hear and shape the tone at each level.
What is the difference between dynamics and articulation?
Dynamics tell you about volume across a passage. Articulation tells you how each note starts, how long it lasts and how it connects to the next. An accent mark or staccato dot is articulation, even though an accent seems to involve volume. Dynamics set the broad level, while articulation shapes individual notes within it.
Memory trick: The letters tell the story. p is piano, soft. f is forte, loud. m is medium. More letters mean more extreme. The mezzo marks always sit in the middle.
How should you practice dynamics?
- Mark the soft and loud points in your music with a pencil.
- Play the softest passage and the loudest one, so you know your range.
- Practice each crescendo and diminuendo slowly, planning where it should end.
- Record yourself and listen to whether the levels sound different enough.
- Play for a friend or teacher and ask which levels they could hear clearly.
Where can you learn more?
Look at the pages on forte, pianissimo and fortissimo for details on each marking. Tempo is the other big expressive tool, and you can find it on the page about tempo markings. For all the other symbols you will meet in a score, visit music symbols.
Check yourself
1. Which dynamic is the softest of these?
Answer: pp. pp means very soft, softer than mp and f.
2. What does mezzo mean?
Answer: Medium. Mezzo piano is medium soft, mezzo forte is medium loud.
3. Which is louder, mp or mf?
Answer: mf. Mezzo forte is a step louder than mezzo piano.
4. What does a hairpin that opens to the right mean?
Answer: Gradually louder. That shape is the hairpin for a crescendo.
5. What does fp mean?
Answer: Loud, then soft at once. It is forte followed immediately by piano.