- Definition
In music, "duration" simply means how long a sound or silence lasts. It's about the timing of notes and rests.
Singing a long 'moooo' sound has a longer duration than making a short 'ribbit' sound.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: Duration is like how long you hold a note when you sing — a long 'laaa' or a short 'la'.
Ask your child: Can you make a long sound and then a short sound?
Common mix-up: Kids might confuse duration with how loud or high a sound is. Duration is only about how long a sound lasts in time.
Examples
- Holding one long note on a piano.
- A series of quick taps on a drum.
- The sound of a bell ringing until it stops.
duration is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
