Composition lyrics

There are many composition submissions for Unit 2 which would work brilliantly as songs. I'm aware that lyric writing is an art in itself and you may not have the inclination to spend hours writing your own lyrics. The good news is you don't have to for this composition task! You do not get marked on the lyrics...but it is important that they match the stye/mood of your composition.

Feel free to use the lyrics included below in your compositions. You can edit them, change words, whole phrases, miss bits out, whatever works for you..

Lyrics for Compositions

Many thanks to Miss Glover..!

Keys and Time signatures questions

Complete this and click on submit!!!

Questions based on last week's work.

Now watch the video below, so you understand this! It explains how to read the notes on the treble clef.

Melody keywords

Click on the word to link to a definition and musical example.


Melody
intervals within the octave
conjunct
disjunct
triadic
broken chords (ex) The piano lower part is playing broken chords
scalic
arpeggio
passing notes
acciaccaturas
appoggiaturas
blue notes
diatonic
chromatic
pentatonic
whole tone
modal
augmentation
diminution
sequence (ex) Here the main tune is repeated several times at the beginning beginning on different pitches, hence in sequence.
inversion
slide/glissando/portamento
ornamentation
ostinato      riff
phrasing articulation pitch bend improvisation (ex) Here the trumpet improvises later in the piece.

Effects

Effects are often found in popular music, on the guitar. You need to be able to recognise the sound of each.
                         Chorus                                                                            Reverb

 

        Distortion

Instruments of the Orchestra

A short video to show the instruments that are used in an orchestra, and which section they are in.

Percussion Instruments

Please watch this video to gain an idea about percussion instruments in the orchestra

African Music

Listen to this podcast on African Music. The keywords have mainly been covered, but an understanding of this type of music is essential.

Indian Music

Listen to this podcast on Indian Music. It links into the keywords that you have already covered and an understanding of this type of music will help in the listening exam.

Time Signatures

Here is the podcast for Time Signatures. Compound Time and Simple Time

Dynamics podcast

Dynamics are explained here.

Rhythm and metre podcast

Rhythm and metre explained.....

Structure and Form podcast: through-composed, binary, ternary, strophic

Structure and Form podcast: through-composed, binary, ternary, strophic

Structure and Form podcast: rondo/theme+variations

Structure and Form podcast: rondo/theme+variations

What is a chord

This may be helpful understanding what a chord is.

Structure and Form

How different sections of a piece are organised.
Binary form: AB
Ternary form: ABA1
Rondo Form: ABACA
Song Form: verse, chorus, verse, chorus
Sonata Form: Exposition, Development, Recapitulation (extended ternary form)
Strophic: A, A, A
Call and Response: form for two or more performers. One performer will sing or play a musical phrase (Call); another performer or group of performers will sing or play a phrase in response
Theme and Variations: Variations on a musical statement/tune

Below are structure and form podcasts 1 & 2, these will test your knowledge of structure and form!

Listen to the extracts in each podcast, then using the sheet here match the extract with the musical form that describes it best

Here are the presentations from the lesson, for revision

Structure 1

Structure 2

Musical Devices

Here is a video that clearly explains the following keywords for melodic ornamentation: Imitation, Inversion, Sequence, Ostinato, Modulation.

Brass Instruments

These are brass instruments. Trumpets, French Horn, Trombone, Tuba (in the middle). Tuba has the lowest pitch. Get used to the sound. Oh, and this is a brass quintet (5 brass instruments).

Brass instruments might use a mute to change the sound. Watch this to see how they work, and how the sound (or timbre) is different.

String instruments

So, here are the main string instruments. Violin, Viola and 'Cello. There is also the double bass, but not in this extract.
This film features pizzicato (plucking), tremolo (that suspense effect) and arco (with the bow). Oh, and homophonic music, imitation and much more.

Violin and Cello

Now if you skip through to 2 mins into this video, you will see a violin (Nigel Kennedy playing) and a cello on their own. They are playing some Bach inventions, but it is a great way to hear the difference in sound and see what the instruments look like and how they are played. They are both string instruments.

The flute, Baroque music and jazz

Now, have a look at this. Fantastic.  Jiří Stivín, an amazing flute player who is performing two pieces: a baroque piece with a string orchestra, with homophonic texture. The second is Jazz, with improvisation and all those instruments. He then moves onto the saxophone. I challenge you not to be amazed by this.

Cadences

If you are unsure about cadences, a basic but informative video to help.
Perfect, Plagal, Interrupted, Imperfect are the keywords.

Tonality

Here is something about tonality, if you need help understanding it. From a school in Slough, but well worth watching. Looks at the keywords of major and minor, plus others.

Melody

Here are the presentations from the lessons Mr Thomas prepared, giving descriptions of the keywords.

Presentation 1

Presentation 2

Use to check that you have the correct definitions of the keywords.

The following sheet and podcast will test your knowledge. You can also use the podcast on its own. Click on the sheet to make it bigger and print from here.

 

Melody

The melody (or tune) is one of the most important parts of music. This podcast covers the keywords diminution, sequence, inversion, glissando, portamento, ornamentation, ostinato, riff, methods of articulation, pitch bend and improvisation.

Also listen to this. It starts with diminution.

Tonality

Here is the podcast for Tonality, looking at the keywords major, minor, modal and modulation.