Units: Student Guide to the AQA GCSE Music Course Unit 3: Performing music 40% Perform 1 individual piece that lasts no more than 5 minutes. Perform 1 group piece that lasts no more than 5 minutes. Unit 4: Composing music 20% This is set in year 10. Compose a piece of music that explores two or more of the five Areas of Study. This may be in any style or genre of your choosing. You will need to submit a recording of the composition on CD and a musical score, which is appropriate to the genre of your piece. This could include staff notation, graphic notation, tab, a written account detailing the structure and content of the music or any combination of these. There is no time limit on your composition but it must demonstrate a sufficient development of ideas. A candidate record form will be given in with the composition, which will detail the 2 areas of study explored in the composition. Key things that the examiner is looking for are: the imaginative use of sound, a sense of musical balance, the creation and development of musical ideas, an understanding of the chosen medium, the appropriate and idiomatic use of instruments voices and other sound sources, appropriate use of musical elements, devices, techniques and conventions. Unit 2: Composing and appraising (externally assessed) 20% (equally divided between the composition and the appraisal) This is set in year 11. For your composition you will be required to compose one piece of music and must choose two or more of the areas of study. This includes a score and recording as for the previous composition. In addition, you will have to appraise the process and the outcome of the composition in relation to the Areas of Study and indicate the link to the chosen strand. You will appraise your composition in a controlled 2 hour exam. Through the following, you should be able to link your chosen Areas of Study to the Strands of Learning Composer, Performer and Audience Intention, use, purpose Commission, patronage Technical/emotional demands Amateur / professional performance Performance practise, interpretation, improvisation Occasion, Time and Place Sacred, secular, utility Private, public, concert Live, recorded, media Internet Performing conventions Unit 1: Listening and appraising 20% 1 hour exam which tests listening skills based on the Areas of Study. My Marks: Individual Performance Year 10: Year 11: Final: Group Performance Year 10: Year 11: Final: Composition mark Year 10: Year 11: Final: Composing & Appraising Recording: Score: Appraisal: Listening exam Year 10: Year 11: Final: Areas of Study: The Organisation of Sound Areas of study are: Timbre and Dynamics Rhythm and Metre Texture and Melody Harmony and Tonality Structure and Form The following pages include all terms that the AQA requires you to know under the heading of each Area of Study.
2 1. Timbre (the instruments and sounds used in composition) Areas of Study (The Organisation of Sound) are covered through the three Strands of Learning. For each strand you will need to be able to identify instruments and voices singly and in combination as found in music for solo instruments, concertos, chamber groups, pop and vocal music as well as generic families of instruments as found in world music. Strand Typical ensembles Typical instruments Music of Africa Music of the Caribbean Music of India Drumming ensembles, vocal groups, rock band. Rock / Jazz band line-up often with extra percussion instruments Classical Indian music may be as minimal as a sitar accompanied by tabla drums. Bhangra and other more modern popular styles may use a rock band line up with additional Indian instruments. Singers (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass) Hand drums, talking drums, bongo drums (high pitched), conga drums (lower pitch), harp-like instruments plus the kora and fiddles (violins), xylophones, mbira, shakers and bells, clapping, penny whistle, djembe drums. Various instruments used in Western popular music such as rock band instruments plus the accordion and saxophone and even orchestral instruments. Rock instrumentation in some music. Often more acoustic based. Steel drums may be included, shakers and other drums. Singers, sitar, tambura, tabla drums. Various instruments used in Western popular music such as rock band instruments and orchestral instruments (for Bollywood film soundtracks). In Bhangra, vocals might be rapped. Baroque orchestral music Chamber music The sonata Orchestra Small groups of instruments i.e. duets, trios, quartets and quintets. Solo instrument or solo with accompaniment See Baroque Orchestra below. Orchestral instruments often from the same family i.e. a string trio or quartet for example. Note that a piano quintet is for piano and string quartet. Piano / harpsichord / organ plus a solo instrument The concerto Music for voices Blues Popular music of the 1960s Rock music R n B (Rhythm and Bass), Hip-Hop Music Theatre Film music Solo instrument accompanied by the orchestra (see left) Choir (SATB or boys). Vocal trios or quartets for example (in barbershop music for example) Full band line up or smaller ensemble (see left). Rock band (perhaps with orchestral backing) Rock band (sometimes with orchestral backing) A live performance may use a rock or funk band line-up with additional instruments or may just be a DJ (scratching and mixing) accompanying the vocalists. Orchestra and / or rock band Orchestra and/or rock band. Baroque Orchestra Harpsichord/organ continuo, violin 1 and 2, some violas, some cellos, a double bass, flutes / recorders, a bassoon, oboe, a couple of trumpets and timpani drums. Classical Orchestra Like the Baroque Orchestra but without recorders or harpsichord / organ continuo. More of every other instrument though. Plus the horn. Romantic Orchestra Like the Classical Orchestra with more of everything. Plus a harp, cor anglais, piccolo, bass clarinet, tuba, trombones, percussion (gong, triangle, crash cymbals, snare drum, bass drum). 20 th Century Orchestra Like the Romantic Orchestra with more of everything. Plus extra percussion such as chimes and glockenspiel (metal) and the xylophone (wooden). SATB (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass). Remember soprano and alto are female while tenor and bass are male. The male baritone voice (between bass and tenor) is quite common in some popular music. A boys choir may be used. In popular music you can often hear backing vocals. Singer remember to describe whether they are male or female. Older country blues may be acoustic guitar, harmonica and vocalist while later amplified blues may use horns (saxophone, trumpet and trombone). Singer/s, drum kit (snare drum, hi-hat (open and closed), crash and ride cymbals, toms, floor tom, bass drum), bass guitar, lead guitar, rhythm guitar, harmonica, organ, piano As the 1960s plus synthesizers, piano (electric or regular) Electronic sounds, synthesizer, samples of older music or drum beats, electronic drum kit. Backing vocalists. Singers (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass) Often an orchestra with additional instruments and sound effects.
3 Con arco/with a bow The instrument (from the string family) is played with the bow. Pizzicato/plucked - The instrument (from the string family) is plucked with a finger or thumb. Double- stopping - Instrumental technique where a two-note chord is produced on a bowed string instrument by using two adjacent strings. Tremolando - Instrumental technique where tremolo (the Italian for trembling ) is employed. Tremolo is the rapid reiteration of a single note or the alteration of two or more notes. Con sordino Muted. This is Italian for with the mute. This generally applies to string or wind instruments. Falsetto Vocal technique. Singing or speech by an adult male voice in a higher register than normal. It is sometimes employed as a comic effect and is used by tenors for notes lying above their range. Vibrato Vocal technique (although also used with other instruments) Sampling Re-using portions of sound recordings in a piece. Often used in hip-hop where portions of older recordings are sampled and looped. Reverb An effect often used to give a greater fullness to guitar and vocal performances. Reverb is the persistence of sound in a particular space (i.e. a hall) after the original is removed. Like a build up of echoes. Delay An echo effect often used on vocal or electric guitar parts. Distortion An effect often employed by electric guitarists to create a more aggressive sound. Chorus An effect often employed by electric guitarists. It creates the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound. Flanging / phasing (Similar) audio effects which filter the sound waves and create peaks and troughs. When applied to white noise a flange effect is often described as jet-plane like. 2. Dynamics (the degrees of softness or loudness in music) You must know the gradation of dynamics as follows: pp Abbreviation of the Italian pianissimo meaning very softly. p Abbreviation of the Italian piano meaning soft. mp Abbreviation of the Italian mezzo piano meaning moderately soft. mf Abbreviation of the Italian mezzo forte meaning moderately loud. f Abbreviation of the Italian forte meaning loud. ff Abbreviation of the Italian Fortissimo meaning Very loud. Crescendo /cresc. Becoming gradually louder. Diminuendo / dim. Becoming gradually softer. Sforzando / sfz. Suddenly loud. Hairpin dynamic that indicates a crescendo. Hairpin dynamic that indicates a diminuendo. You should also be familiar with some common signs, terms and symbols such as: Staccatto (represented by dots above notes) Treble clef Bass clef 8ve+ Pause sign Play an octave higher. Slur Accents Repeat Common time (4 beats in a bar). A vertical line through the same symbol represents 2 beats in a bar.
4 3.Rhythm and Metre (note lengths and time signatures) - Pulse - A regular or rhythmical beating. Simple time Time in which each beat is divisible by two, e.g. 2/4, 4/4, 3/4, and in which each beat is a crotchet. Compound time Any beat-unit divisible into three, e.g. 6/8, 9/8, 12/8. Regular rhythms - Balanced rhythms that repeat with stresses in the same place i.e. two crotchets and four quavers repeated. Irregular rhythms Unbalanced rhythms that change stress i.e. a simple (and pleasing) irregular rhythm could be 2 quavers followed by 3 triplet quavers. Free rhythm A constantly changing rhythm. This might apply to rap music in some cases. Augmentation The lengthening (usually doubling) of the time-values of notes in a melody, e.g. in fugues. Diminution The treatment of a melody by shortening the time-values of notes, usually by half, e.g. in fugues and canons. Hemiola A rhythmic pattern in which two bars in simple triple time (3/2 or 3/4 for example) are articulated as if they were three bars in simple duple time (2/2 or 2/4). Placing an accent on every other beat rather than the first of every three often creates this effect. Cross-rhythm Same as polyrhythm. It is the simultaneous sounding of two or more independent rhythms. Dotted rhythms See note lengths. An example of a dotted rhythm would be a dotted crotchet followed by a quaver. Triplets A group of three notes playing in the time of two Syncopation Playing against the beat. There is often an emphasis on the off-beat. Tempo Time or pace (allegro=quick / andante or moderato = walking pace / grave or largo = slow) Rubato An indication to play notes with a controlled flexibility of time by getting slightly quicker or slower. Much-used in 19 th century music. Polyrhythm The systematic use of quite different rhythms sounding simultaneously. Bi-rhythm 2 different rhythms played together. Drum fills A shortened musical passage played on the drum kit, generally at the end of phrases, which helps to sustain the listener s attention.
5 4. Texture (the combination and deployment of parts playing) Polyphonic/contrapuntal texture A texture that employs polyphony (a style of music in two or more parts in which each part is independent and of equal importance. Therefore, polyphonic music implies the use of counterpoint (as heard in the motet, canon and fugue). Composers include Palestrina, Byrd and Bach Imitative Music which uses imitation: a device in partwriting in which one voice repeats (or approximately repeats) a musical figure previously stated by another voice. Canon and fugue employ imitation with strict rules. Canonic A canon is a polyphonic (contrapuntal) work in which a melody, stated by one part is repeated by one or more voices in turn, each entering before the previous part has finished. This results in overlapping. Music that uses this technique is described as canonic. Antiphonal A term that derives from the practise of alternating performances between sets of singers stationed apart. The same effect can be employed with musical instruments. Descant A counter melody higher than the main melody. Layered Music built up of several strands. Also a method of producing music in a studio. Tutti All the orchestra playing together (often after a cadenza in a concerto or a solo in a symphony). Homophonic texture Texture in which parts move together presenting a top harmony with accompanying chords. Melody with accompaniment Another way of describing homophonic texture. This could be more obvious though i.e. a clear tune and a broken chord accompaniment for example. Harmonic texture A little used term that describes music with a predominant melody and harmonic accompaniment. A better term to use is homophonic. Chordal texture The parts move together in the same rhythm but at different pitches. Octaves An octave is the interval of eight steps, e.g. C to C on the white notes of the piano. Instruments playing the same notes but 8 steps apart are playing in octaves. Doubling Where two different instruments play the same music. Unison The sound of two or more voices (or parts) singing (or playing) at the same pitch. Single melody line one voice or instrument playing a melody with no accompaniment. Monophonic One melody line (which could be played by any number of voices / parts).
5. Melody (the elements of tunes) Intervals within the octave: No interval Unison i.e. A and A Semitone Minor 2 nd i.e. A to B flat Jaws for example Tone Major 2 nd i.e. A to B 3 semitones Minor 3 rd i.e. A to C 4 semitones Major 3 rd i.e. A to C sharp 5 semitones Perfect 4 th i.e. A to D 6 semitones Augmented 4 th ( The Devil s i.e. A to D sharp Interval ) 6 semitones Diminished 5 th ( The Devil s i.e. A to E flat Interval ) 7 semitones Perfect 5 th i.e. A to E 8 semitones: Minor 6 th i.e. A to F 9 semitones: Major 6 th i.e. A to F sharp 10 semitones: Minor 7 th i.e. A to G 11 semitones: Major 7 th i.e. A to G sharp 12 semitones: Octave i.e. A to A 6 1. Diatonic Adjective describing major and minor scales and also modes. The opposite of chromatic music, which introduces notes not in the prevailing key. Diatonic harmonies, intervals, passages, etc. are made up, therefore, with notes of the key of the moment. 2. Chromatic Intervals outside of the diatonic scales (i.e. major and minor) notated by the use of accidentals. A chromatic chord is one that contains notes foreign to the key. 3. Pentatonic melody A melody based upon a five- note (pentatonic) scale, the commonest being without minor seconds, for example CDEGA (C) 4. Whole tone scale A scale comprising in whole tones only, instead of partly in whole tones and partly in semitones like the major and minor scales. Whole-tone scales were used by Debussy and other composers of the 20 th century. 5. Modes Sets of eight-note scales inherited from ancient Greece via the Middle Ages in which they were most prevalent, although they still survive today in plainsong and folk music. At the end of the 17 th century the modes had been reduced to two scales, major and minor, which we know today. Here are the modes which may be represented by scales of white notes on the piano with the names derived from the Greek system. The final of a mode is the note of a cadence, or resting point in a melody. The reciting note (which is the second most important structural note) is labelled below as the dominant. Dorian mode - D-D dominant: A final: D Hypodorian - A-A dominant: F final: D Phrygian - E-E dominant: C final: E Hypophrygian - B-B dominant: A final: E Lydian - F-F dominant: F final: F Hypolydian - C-C dominant: A final: F Mixolydian - G-G dominant: D final: G Hypomixolydian D-D dominant: C final: G Aeolian - A-A dominant: E final: A Hypoaeolian - E-E dominant: C final: A Ionian - C-C dominant: G final: C Hypoionian - G-G dominant: E final: C Modal A melody or piece that uses a mode (i.e. in folk music or plainsong).
7 5. Melody continued Conjunct movement Progressing melodically by intervals of a second (i.e. by step). Disjunct movement Progressing melodically by intervals larger than a major second (i.e. by leap). Triad - A 3-note chord, e.g. C E G with E and G being a third and fifth above the lowest note C. Triadic melody A melody with notes that move in a triadic shape, e.g. C to E to G. Broken chords A chord in which notes are sounded one after the other, not simultaneously. Scalic A melody that moves mostly ascending and descending in a scale. Arpeggio A chord performed with the notes separated. Passing note A note which may be accented or unaccented, forming a discord with the chord with which it is heard but is melodically placed between two consonant notes. Ornamentation The use of ornaments (also called embellishments or graces). These are notes considered to be an extra embellishment of a melody, which are either added spontaneously by the performer or indicated by the composer on the score, by signs or notation. In the 17 th and 18 th centuries, ornaments were mostly indicated by signs and they included trill, mordent, turn, arpeggio and appoggiatura. Composers wrote out ornaments in full in later periods. Acciaccatura A crushed dissonant note of the shortest possible duration played before or after the main note or chord and immediately released. An ornament. Appoggiatura A musical ornament (chiefly 18 th century) of an auxiliary note falling or rising to a harmonised note. It can be written or unwritten. Blue notes The flattened 3 rd and 7 th and sometimes 5 th notes that appear in the major key in blues music giving it the distinctive blues feel i.e. in the key of C: E, G and B are played as E flat, G flat and B flat. They can be used along with the natural version and they can be crushed together to give a characteristic blues feel. Augmentation An interval is augmented if it is widened by a chromatic semitone i.e. perfect 4 th augmented 4 th. Diminution An interval is diminished if it is narrowed by a chromatic semitione i.e. perfect 5 th diminished 5 th. Sequence Generally, this is a phrase repeated at a higher or lower interval. A real sequence is one in which the intervals of the repeated phrase are unaltered. A tonal sequence is one in which the repeated phrase is modified to prevent a key change. Inversion The turning upside-down of a chord or single melody (by applying intervals in opposite directions) or two melodies in counterpoint by the upper melody becoming the lower and vice-versa. This last method is called invertible counterpoint. Slide / glissando The sliding up or down a scale, often abbreviated by gliss. or a wavy or straight stroke between the highest and lowest note. Portamento Carrying sound. On bowed string instruments or in singing, the effect is obtained by gliding from one note to another higher or lower one, without a break in the sound. Ostinato A persistently repeated musical figure or rhythm. A basso ostinato or ground bass has this feature in the bass part. Riff An ostinato figure often played by the rhythm section instruments (guitar, drums etc.) that forms the basis or accompaniment in a piece of music. Phrasing A phrase is a group of notes forming a unit of a melody. To phrase a melody is to observe and mark the divisions of a melody into units or phrases. Articulation The process of sounding and transitioning between notes. Pitch bend An effect which makes a note slide to a higher or lower pitch. Often used on synthesizers. Improvisation The art of spontaneous composition of music in performance. This may take the form of ornamentation, variation of a song or theme, or completely new material. Improvisation is greatly used in jazz.
8 6. Harmony (the sounding of notes together) Diatonic harmony Diatonic harmonies, intervals, passages, etc. are made up with notes of the major or minor key of the moment. Chromatic harmony When chords use notes that do are not in the key of the moment. Consonant When a harmony sounds pleasing to the ear and harmonically resolved. Dissonant The opposite of consonant. When a harmony is not pleasing to the ear because the notes clash Pedal (or pedal point ) A note, usually in the bass (although it can be played high), which is held below changing harmonies above, with which it may be concordant or dischordant. Drone A continuous note or chord often with an interval of a 5 th (i.e. as used in a bagpipes). Tierce de Picardie This is the surprise sounding of a major third as the final chord in a piece otherwise in the minor key (where the last chord would usually use a minor third). Common up to the mid- 18 th century. 6. Names of each degree in the scale: 1. I Tonic i.e. C 2. II Supertonic i.e. D 3. III Mediant i.e. E 4. IV Subdominant i.e. F 5. V Dominant i.e. G 6. VI Submediant i.e. A 7. VII Leading i.e. B 8. VIII Octave i.e. C The Roman numeral also often refers to a chord based on a degree. Cadence- A closing musical sentence, e.g. the ending of a composition, phrase or section. This closing effect is achieved by certain chord progressions. The most common are: Perfect cadence: Dominant (V/5) to tonic (I/1) Sounds complete Plagal cadence: Subdominant (IV/4) to tonic (I/1) Sounds complete (like an amen ) Imperfect cadence: Tonic (I/1) or other chord to dominant Sounds unfinished. (V/5) Interrupted cadence: Dominant (V/5) to any other chord than the tonic (I) Sounds unfinished. Dominant 7 th chord (or V7) An important chord that has been used a lot by composers - it is dissonant and feels as if it wants to resolve back to the tonic chord. The Dominant seventh chord in C major is a normal G triad with the seventh degree added (GBD plus F). You can always modulate to a new key simply by introducing the V7 (or just the V) chord of the new key and then the I chord of the new key i.e. if you are in C Major and are modulating to the key of G, you would sound a D7 chord and then a G chord. 7. Tonality (scales that are used) Tonal Music which uses a single key (which could be major, minor or modal for example) Major/ minor These are the two main scales of the western tonal system. The major key is based on the major scale and the minor key is based on the minor scale. The minor scale breaks into three forms: (1) The harmonic minor, (2) the melodic minor and (3) the natural minor. These terms also refer to chords and intervals being built out of the major or minor scale. You need to be able to use and identify keys of up to 4 sharps and 4 flats: 0 sharps or flats: C Major A minor 1 sharp (#): G Major E minor 2 sharps: D Major B minor 3 sharps: A Major F sharp minor 4 sharps: E Major C sharp minor 1 flat (b): F Major D minor 2 flats: B flat Major G minor 3 flats: E flat Major C minor 4 flats A flat Major F minor Modulation To shift (modulate) from one key to another in composition. You need to be able to identify a modulation to the dominant in a major or minor key and a modulation to a relative minor or major key. The dominant key is based on the 5 th degree of the scale i.e. in C Major the first 5 notes are C,D,E,F,G so the tonic is C and the dominant is G.
9 The Circle of Fifths Order of sharps (#) in key signatures: F ather C hristmas G ave D ad A n E lectric B lanket Order of flats (b) in key signatures: B lanket E xploded A nd D ad G ot C old F eet
10 8. Structure and Form Binary form A composition in two balanced sections (often labelled A and B). After beginning in the tonic, the first section modulates to the dominant or other related key. The second section, opening in the new key, then moves back to the original key. If the original key is a minor one, then the first section ends in the relative major. Compositions in binary form are mostly short. Binary form is at the root of sonata form. Ternary form A composition in three sections in the form A B A with the first section (A) being repeated (not necessarily exactly). B represents a different middle section. Rondo form Generally, an instrumental composition in which one section recurs at certain times. By the 18 th century a standard pattern had developed as A B A C A D A, etc. appearing as the last movement of a sonata or concerto. The recurring theme A is called the rondo theme and B C D, etc. represent the contrasting sections known as episodes. However, A can be varied. Theme and variations form A form where a long musical statement (the theme) is varied in following passages or movements. Sonata Before 1750 this described any composition for a solo instrument or for one or more instruments accompanied by continuo and not in any strict form. Since 1750 the sonata became a three or four movement work for solo instrument or for solo instrument with piano accompaniment. Sonata form This structure is most used since 1750 for the first movements and sometimes slow and final movements of a sonata, quartet, symphony or overture. The form is divided into three distinct sections (sometimes after a slow introduction). (1) The exposition presents the first main subject in home key, and a contrasting second subject in another key, which is generally the dominant if in a major key, or relative major if in a minor key. A closing theme is then heard related to the first subject, and brought to an end with a codetta. (2) The development consists of material already presented but expanded and developed upon. (3) the recapitulation presents a varied repetition of the exposition, now influenced by the development section and ending in the tonic key. The codetta now develops into a coda (the concluding section at the end of a movement). Minuet & trio The standard third movement in the four-movement classical symphony. The minuet is in 3/4 time (although sometimes in 6/8 time) and is often in ternary form with the trio acting as a contrasting middle section i.e. A,B,A or Minuet, Trio, Minuet. Scherzo & trio A livelier version of the Minuet & Trio. Da capo aria A musical form prevalent in the Baroque era. It was sung by a soloist with the accompaniment of instruments: often a small orchestra. It is in ternary form. Through composed Music with no pre-conceived structure. Develops continuously and generally without repetition of sections. Cyclic form A work in which a theme connects more than one movement. Beethoven introduced it into symphonic music (e.g. in his Fifth symphony) and romantic composers developed it further. Strophic form A common form used in songs where the same music is used for each verse. Popular song forms Some song forms include thirty-two-bar form (a kind of ternary AABA structure used in jazz and later rock and pop), verse-chorus form and twelve bar blues. Arch-shape Music in at least 5 sections with the structure ABCBA. Ground bass A bass line or pattern repeated over and over while upper parts proceed. The ground bass is a foundation for varied melodic, contrapuntal or harmonic treatment. Forms that use this device include the chaconne and passacaglia. Continuo An abbreviation of basso continuo, which is the same as figured bass. This is a system where the bass part (played on keyboard or other chordal instrument) has figures written below the notes indicating the harmonies to be played above them. This system was greatly used in the baroque period as an accompaniment for soloists or to enrich the general texture of a larger composition. Cadenza A solo vocal or instrumental passage before the final cadence, generally occurring in the first movement in the classical concerto. It suggests improvisation of the main themes and a showing-off of the player s virtuosity. However, Mozart and other composers since have written out their cadenzas in full. Call and response A succession of two distinct phrases usually played by different musicians, where the second phrase is heard as a direct response to the first.
Areas of Study (as written by the exam board) 1. Timbre Instruments and voices singly and in combination as found in music for solo instruments, concertos, chamber groups, pop and vocal music (names for different types of ensembles) Generic families of instruments as found in world music Timbre, including the use of technology, synthesised and computergenerated sounds, sampling, and use of techniques such as reverb, distortion and chorus Instrumental techniques including con arco/with a bow, pizzicato/plucked, con sordino/muted, double- stopping, tremolo/tremolando Vocal techniques such as falsetto and vibrato 2. Dynamics Gradation of dynamics as follows: 1. pp, p, mp, mf, f, ff 2. cresc., crescendo, dim., diminuendo 3. sfz, sforzando 4. Hairpins Common signs, terms and symbols (accents) 11 Possible things asked of you for any listening extract 1. Timbre 1. Describe the ensemble 2. Name two instruments that are playing (and if possible their playing techniques) 3. Name the musical culture 4. What techniques do particular instruments use? 5. If there is an electric guitar, give two features of how it is played. 6. Are the singers accompanied or is it sung a capella? 7. Identify how music technology has been used. 8. Name two instruments you can hear at different times i.e. in the introduction or near the end 9. Identify instruments playing the melody / bass / accompaniment / beat 2. Dynamics 1. Identify appropriate symbols that could be used to express accents or dynamics.. 2. Describe how a particular performer (i.e. a drummer) plays a particular instrument (i.e. the snare drum), with specific reference to the beat of the bar he plays on and the dynamics / accents. 3. Rhythm and Metre Pulse, Simple and compound time Regular, irregular, free Augmentation, diminution, hemiola, cross-rhythm Dotted rhythms, triplets, syncopation Tempo, rubato Polyrhythm, bi-rhythm Drum fills 4. Texture Harmonic / homophonic, polyphonic/contrapuntal Imitative, canonic, layered Unison, octaves, single melody line, melody with accompaniment, antiphonal 5. Melody Intervals within the octave Conjunct, disjunct, triadic, broken chords, scalic, arpeggio Passing notes, acciaccaturas, appoggiaturas Blue notes Diatonic, chromatic, pentatonic, whole tone, modal Augmentation, diminution, sequence, inversion Slide / glissando / portamento, ornamentation Ostinato / riff Phrasing, articulation Pitch bend Improvisation Vocal music (melismatic or syllabic) 6. Harmony Diatonic, chromatic Consonant, dissonant Pedal, drone Cadence: perfect, plagal, imperfect, interrupted, Tierce de Picardie Identification of major, minor and dominant seventh chords using Roman numerals/ chord symbols 7. Tonality Tonal, major, minor, modal, pentatonic, chromatic, atonal Use and identification of key up to 4 sharps and 4 flats Modulation: to dominant in major or minor key / to relative major or minor (need to learn relative minor keys and the dominant keys) 8. Structure and Form Binary, ternary, call and response Rondo, theme and variations, arch-shape Sonata, minuet & trio, scherzo & trio Strophic, through composed, da capo aria, cyclic Popular song forms Ground bass, continuo, cadenza Call and response, canon 3. Rhythm and Metre 1. Identify the time signature 2. Identify note lengths used 3. Is there a rhythm or tempo change what effect does this have? 4. Do rhythm and tempo change (through one piece) 5. When comparing different versions, are the rhythm and tempo different? 6. Complete the rhythm on a score. 4. Texture 1. Describe the texture use a term if possible 2. Describe any changes in texture 5. Melody 1. Describe the melodic shape (ascending / descending) 2. How do phrases contrast? 3. Write notes out at the correct pitch (on a score) 4. What is the interval between specific notes 5. Use letters to describe the musical shape of a phrase i.e. AABB, AABC, ABAB, ABCA etc. 6. What is the interval between the first and last notes (third, fourth, fifth, sixth) 7. What compositional device is used at the start / end / middle of the excerpt? 6. Harmony 1. Name the cadence at the end of the first / second phrase 2. Fully describe the first interval between two instruments 3. Describe some (4) musical features in the accompaniment 4. Which beat of the bar does the tonic of the key always appear? 7. Tonality 1. What is the tonality? 2. What is the relative minor / dominant key? 3. Does the piece modulate? Major to minor or to the dominant key? 8. Structure and Form 1. What is the structure of the excerpt (using letters)? 2. Which of the following is this excerpt a part of (i.e. concerto, sonata, suite, symphony)? Give a reason 3. Which best describes the structure: AABBCC, ABCABC, ABCCBA, ABAABA? 4. How many bars do the verse, chorus, instrumental section last? 5. Describe two musical features of the introduction 6. Describe one difference between the two settings of particular lyrics
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