GCSE Music. Revision Guide

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Daniela McBride
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1 GCSE Music Revision Guide

2 Useful Links for Examples - Useful hints and tips on exam techniques - Lots of hints, tips and audio examples that you can practice in time for the exam - link to the exam board where you can find past papers etc. These are open source and you can see what the exam might be like - Melodic dication examples. This is really good practice to make sure that you are ready for the exam. You can make it as hard or as easy as you like.

3 Waltz What?: A romantic paired dance in triple time (3/4) Where?: Vienna, Austria. When?: Romantic period, 1800s Who?: Johann Strauss I, Johann Strauss II. Tempo: Fast 180bpm. Tempo Rubato. Rhythm 3/4. Strong accent on first beat. Slightly anticipated 2nd beat. Um Cha-cha rhythm. Instruments: Romantic orchestra. strings, brass, woodwind, Timpani / percussion. The Dance: Close hold, paired, rise and fall, rotating. Venue / Location: Ballroom. Structure: Strauss II wrote long waltz pieces with five or more melodies. Each one in binary or ternary form.

4 Tempo - Fast bpm. Tempo Rubato. Rhythm - Um cha cha. Second beat anticipated. Articulation - Strong accent on first beat of bar. Dynamics - Full range of dynamics. Expression - Romantic, legato melodies, Rubato. Devices - Long introductions to prepare dancers. Texture - Melody with accompaniment. Instruments - Full Romantic Orchestra. Also written for piano. Pitch - Smooth melodies, not usually large leaps. Structure - Often contain multiple melodies: ABCDE etc.

5 Tango Tempo - Medium, steady, consistent tempo. Rhythm - 2/4 or 4/4. Syncopated dotted rhythms. Articulation - Strong accents on first beat of bar. Often staccato. (Detached) Dynamics - Often loud - but can also have quiet 'sensitive' sections. Expression - Dramatic! Devices - Rising, dotted bass line. Texture - Melody and accompaniment. Instruments - Bandoneon, Strings, Piano, Guitar. Pitch - Varied Structure - Binary common. Often written as songs with vocal melody. Tonality- Minor key. Dissonant notes added.

6 Salsa What? A lively, paired, Latin American dance. Where? Son music of Cuba & Big Band Jazz from USA. When? 1960s and 1970s Tempo - Medium / Fast Rhythm. Clave rhythm, syncopated, cross rhythms. Instruments Brass section - Trumpets and trombones. Multiple Percussion - claves, maracas, bongos, congas, timbales, guiro. Bass guitar, piano. Vocals - Sonero (lead) and choro (backing). The Dance Paired, in a closed hold and improvising apart. Dance on the spot. Structure Verse, Montuno (chorus), Mambo (horn break) lots of call and response.

7 Disco What? Has its roots in Soul, Funk & Jazz. Where? Started in New York When? 1970s Who? Cool and the Gang, Donna Summer, Bee Gees. Tempo - Medium Fast - 120bpm Rhythm Four on the Floor Drum BeatBass (or Kick) drum on each beat. Snare or hand clap on beats 2 and 4. Hi-Hat Cymbal on each quaver (two per beat) Instruments Bass, Drums, Horn Section, Strings, Keyboard. Played by DJs who would mix records together using 'twin decks'. Later Disco music used electronic drums and synthesisers. The Dance Improvised, easy to make up steps. Venue / Location - Club, Disco.

8 Club dance What? Electronic Music - developed from Disco. Many different types including: Acid, Drum 'n' Bass, Techno. Where? Chicago - House Music. Detroit - Techno When? 1980s+ Who? Fatboy Slim, Swedish House Mafia, Goldie. Tempo - Mostly Fast bpm (Ambient is slow) Rhythm - 4/4 Beat - Electronic drum sounds. Instruments / Technology Synthesisers, Drum machines. Sequencers (eg. mu.lab) Sampling - Using parts of other records. Digital Effects (fx) - eg. Reverb and echo. The Dance Hands in the air! Big fish, little fish, cardboard box!!! Venue / Location - Clubs, Raves.

9 Bhangra What? A fusion of traditional Indian and modern club. Where? Punjab (India) and English Club Dance. When? Modern Bhangra 1980s+ Who? Panjabi MC Tempo - Fast bpm Rhythm Chaal Rhythm (dotted) Instruments Male vocals / narrow range / in Punjabi. Shouts of hoi from backing singers. Tumbi or Sitar - Traditional string instruments Dhol drum (double headed) playing the chaal. Electric bass, samples, sound effects (sfx) The Dance Originally a male dance / energetic steps and actions. A group dance with acrobatic stunts. Venue / Location - Club, Wedding, Celebration.

10 Tempo - 4/4 (12/8) Medium / Fast, consistent tempo. Rhythm - Chaal Rhythm. (Triplet Feel: dum-di, dum-di, dum-di, dum-di) Articulation - Strong accents on first beat of bar. Dynamics - Loud. Expression - Exciting. Dramatic! Devices - Shouts of Hoi! Loops, samples and digital effects. Texture - Melody and accompaniment (instruments support vocal melody). Instruments - Tumbi (stringed instrument), Dhol drums, Drum machines, synth bass, samples etc. Pitch - High pitch male vocals over limited range of notes. Structure - Verse / Chorus Other...Fusion, Punjabi & Western club dance, group dance, stunts, Panjabi MC. Group, Synchronised dance.

11 Irish Jig and Reel What? Jigs and Reels are lively folk dances. Where? Ireland. When? Traditional Irish - hundreds of years. Who? Oral tradition melodies often anonymous. Tempo - Fast - Strong regular beat. Rhythm Jigs - count in 3. Time signature 6/8, 9/8 or 12/8 eg. 6/8 has 6 quavers in a bar. (say did-dl-y). Reels - count in 4. Time signature 4/4 or 2/4. Remember Jig = 3 letters. Reel = 4 letters Instruments Fiddle, Tin Whistle, Uilleann Pipes, Guitar, Accordion. Bodhran - traditional Irish Framed drum. The Dance Complicated footwork, still upper body. Social dances (join in) or Performance (watch) Venue / Location - Fair, Wedding, Ceili, Celebration.

12 Classical Concerto What? A work for solo Instrument and Orchestra. Where? Austria, Germany and throughout Europe. When? Classical period Who? Haydn, Mozart. Structure - 3 movements. Fast / Slow / Fast Cadenza - The orchestra stops to let the soloist demonstrate their virtuosity. (Great skill on the instrument).the music could be improvised or pre-rehearsed. Solo Instruments Flute, Clarinet, Oboe, French Horn, Trumpet, Violin, Piano etc How the Instruments Interact Imitation between orchestra and soloist. The orchestra support the soloist harmonically playing quietly beneath the solo instrument. They then take their turn with the melody. Venue / Location - Concert Hall.

13 Tempo - Fast and Slow Movements. Rhythm - Articulation - Various. Slow second movement often legato. Dynamics - Graded crescendos and diminuendos. Expression - Opportunity for Soloist to 'show off' Devices - Cadenza (Improvised virtuosity). Imitation, Call and response. Texture - Melody with accompaniment (Soloist supported by orchestra). Instruments - Classical Orchestra & Soloist. Solo Instruments popular... - Clarinet, Trumpet, French Horn, Piano. Pitch - Cadenza shows full range of solo instrument. Structure - Three movements - Cadenza at end of 1st movement. Violin, Flute, Oboe, Other...Mozart, Haydn. Vienna, Concert hall. Classical Period

14 Romantic Leider What? A Lied is a song for solo singer and piano Where? Vienna, Austria & Germany When? Romantic Period ( ) Who? Schumann, Schubert. Structure - Through composed (each verse is different). Strophic - All the verses have the same tune. Song cycles - A collection of lieder. Instruments - Piano and Solo Voice - Male (Tenor, Bass or Baritone) or less frequently Female (soprano, contralto) How the instruments interact Piano and voice can have equal importance. The piano often introduces melodic ideas or motives. There can be call and response or imitation between piano and voice. Word painting is common describing the mood or subject. Venue / Location Private houses / Today in concert halls. Tempo - Dramatic - Fast but also Slow and Romantic. Rhythm - Piano provides rhythmic support to the soloist. Articulation - Can be heavily accented but also smooth and legato. Dynamics - Wide range of dynamics depending on the mood of the text. Expression - Very expressive - extremes of love, drama, death etc. Devices - Imitation, word painting. Texture - Melody and accompaniment. Instruments - Piano and solo voice. Male voice. Female less common. Pitch - Bass, Baritone or Tenor Male voices common. Structure - Strophic (Verse, Verse, Verse) or Through Composed. Song Cycles popular. Composers...Schumann and Schubert. Sung in German. Rooms of Wealthy.

15 Pop Ballad What? Slow, romantic songs that tell stories Where? USA, UK. Who? Beatles, Carpenters, Heart, Elton John Tempo - Medium / slow bpm Structure - Verse / chorus structure with Intro and middle 8. Instruments - Pop / Rock Band. Lead vocals, backing vocals. Drums, Bass, Lead / Rhythm guitar (often acoustic), Keyboards / synth, Solo instrument eg. Saxophone. STRINGS! How the Instruments Interact Lead vocals are supported by the band. Backing vocals in the chorus. Middle 8 solo. Saxophone is a common solo instrument in the Middle 8. Ballads build slowly as instruments are added. Venue / Location - Pop / Rock concert. Radio, CD, mp3. Tempo - Slow. Rhythm - 4/4 most common. 3/4 & 6/8 possible but less likely. Articulation - Vocal melody legato. Some rock ballads have heavy snare accents on beats 2 & 4. Dynamics - Starts quietly - often build in dynamics throughout the song.chorus louder than verse. Expression - Romantic, passionate. Devices - Instrumental Middle 8. Texture - Melody & Accompaniment. Instruments - Drum Kit, Electric bass & Guitar. Keyboards. Strings common. Saxophone / Electric Guitar popular solo instruments. Pitch - Chorus tends to be higher in pitch than the Verse. Structure - Verse / Chorus structure with middle 8 Instrumental solo. Other...Words tell a story. Love the typical subject. Elton John, Beatles, Heart,

16 Classical Chamber Music Baroque Chamber Music Tempo - Rhythm - common). Articulation - phrases. Dynamics - diminuendos. Expression - precise. Devices - Texture - Instruments - quintet etc. Pitch - Structure - Other... Wealthy. A range - fast and slow movements. Alberti bass (quaver rhythm Clear accents two and four bar Graded crescendos and Helped by above but ordered and Alberti bass, Imitation, sequences. Melody with accompaniment popular. String Quartet (no conductor). Piano Sonata form, Theme and Variations. Mozart, Haydn. Vienna, Rooms of Tempo - Often Fast, Slow, Fast movements. Rhythm - Regular tempo - but no conductor. Articulation - Strong accent on first beat of bar. Dynamics - Stepped or Terraced Dynamics. (Sudden). Expression - Very busy but slow movements can be v. legato. Devices - Imitation, Sequences, Ground Bass (repeating bass line). Texture - Polyphonic common (fugues etc). But Homophonic also. Instruments - Harpsichord, Cello or Bassoon (Basso Continuo). Violins, Futes. Pitch - Structure - Fugue, Binary, Ternary. Other... Trio Sonata. Bach, Handel, Vivaldi. Rooms of wealthy.

17 Describing Music Use this structure to describe music. Musical Idea Connective Subject

Tonality Tonality is how the piece sounds. The most common types of tonality are major & minor these are tonal and have a the sense of a fixed key.

Tonality Tonality is how the piece sounds. The most common types of tonality are major & minor these are tonal and have a the sense of a fixed key. Name: Class: Ostinato An ostinato is a repeated pattern of notes or phrased used within classical music. It can be a repeated melodic phrase or rhythmic pattern. Look below at the musical example below