• 20% of final GCSE grade
• Has to explore at least 2 Areas of study
• 25 hours to complete - Nov 16th
• You will need to submit a score
Guitarist can submit tablature but it has to be with rhythm.
• You will need to submit an annotation
Describe in detail what your music is doing and what can be heard.
Preferably, your account should be broken down into timings and
linked to specific events in your music. You will need to give details
of instruments, tempo, form etc. it’s important that anyone listening
to your music can follow the sounds and easily link them to your
stated intentions written. By using a composition diary through-out
your composition process will help when it comes to the write up.
How to start… Tick your AOS sheet as you go along!
You were all handed a booklet and told to come up with 3 music
ideas / riffs / beats / melodies. Without this I can do very little.
YOU WILL NEED…
1.
MP3 of final recording
2.
Screen shot of final dynamics
3.
Annotation – Write up of techniques used and
anything that cant be seen in the score
4.
Signed CRF
5.
Score / Final Cubase file as MIDI
Tick your AOS sheets as you go along!!
Chord sequence or riff?
You need to have a chord sequence or a riff / melody to start
composing. It doesn’t have to be long or something you love!
Riff or melody
Chord sequence
DON’T SPEND AGES ON LYRICS!!
I’m sorry if you had your heart set on writing a massive emo poem
to a secret loved one but lyrical content will score you 0 marks. If
singing, there has to be lyrics however don’t spend 5 hours on
them. Take inspiration from a poem of a book – much easier.
Listen to the
lyrics for ‘come
together’ by
Michael
Jackson
Lesson 1: Chord sequence – Why start with a chord sequence?
VERSE
CHORUS
A
A
When the night, has come.
F#m
F#m
And the land is dark
D
E
And the moon is the only
A
A
Light we’ll see, so darling darling
QUESTION: Which chords are used the most? Refer to numbers
QUESTION: How many chords are used
WHAT’S THE POINT? By using a scale you can’t go wrong
TASK: (On the next slide) and finalise & play your chord sequence
A
Bm C#m D
Tone
I
E
Tone SemiTone Tone
ii
iii
IV
F#m G#dim A
Tone
V
4 chord magic
I V IV IV
A
A
Stand be me
F#m
F#m
Ooooh Stand by me
D
Oh Stand
E
A
Stand by me Stand by me
Tone
vi
SemiTone
VII
VIII
Extension task
VERSE
CHORUS
A
B
C#
D
E
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
F#
G#
A
Extension task
VERSE
CHORUS
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
HOW TO PLAY CHORDS
How to play MAJOR chords…
1.
2.
3.
Put your right thumb on any note you desire.
Count up 4 notes and place your index finger there.
Count up 3 notes and place your ring finger there.
How to play DIMINISHED chords…
1.
2.
3.
Put your right thumb on any note you desire.
Count up 3 notes and place your index finger there.
Count up 3 notes and place your ring finger there.
In your books
How to play MINOR chords…
1.
2.
3.
Put your right thumb on any note you desire.
Count up 3 notes and place your index finger there.
Count up 4 notes and place your ring finger there.
How to play 7th chords…
1.
2.
3.
4.
Put your right thumb on any note you desire.
Count up 3 notes and place your index finger there.
Count up 4 notes and place your ring finger there.
Count up 3 notes and place your little finger there.
7
TASK: As a class work out any major & minor chord…
http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks2/music/piano/index.htm
COMPOSITION HELP: 1
Diatonic use of C major scale
Cmaj Dmin Emin Fmaj Gmaj Amin Bdim Cmaj
Tone
Tone SemiTone Tone
I
II
III
Tonic
Supertonic
Mediant
IV
V
Tone
VI
Sub-dominant Dominant
All piano chords: http://www.8notes.com/piano_chord_chart/G.asp
C major piano scale
Tone
SemiTone
VII
Sub-mediant Leading tone
VIII
Octave
All guitar chords: http://www.8notes.com/guitar_chord_chart/
C major guitar scale
COMPOSITION HELP: 2
Diatonic use of A major scale
Amaj Bmin C#min Dmaj Emaj F#min G#dim Amaj
Tone
Tone SemiTone Tone
I
II
III
Tonic
Supertonic
Mediant
IV
V
Tone
VI
Sub-dominant Dominant
All piano chords: http://www.8notes.com/piano_chord_chart/G.asp
A major piano scale
Tone
SemiTone
VII
Sub-mediant Leading tone
VIII
Octave
All guitar chords: http://www.8notes.com/guitar_chord_chart/
A major guitar scale
COMPOSITION HELP: 3
Diatonic use of D minor scale
Dmin Edim Fmaj Gmin Amin Bbmaj Cmaj Dmin
Tone
Tone SemiTone Tone
I
II
III
Tonic
Supertonic
Mediant
IV
V
Tone
VI
Sub-dominant Dominant
All piano chords: http://www.8notes.com/piano_chord_chart/G.asp
D minor piano scale
Tone
SemiTone
VII
Sub-mediant Leading tone
VIII
Octave
All guitar chords: http://www.8notes.com/guitar_chord_chart/
D minor guitar scale
COMPOSITION HELP: 4
Diatonic use of A minor scale
Amin Bdim Cmaj Dmin Emin Fmaj Gmaj Amin
Tone
Tone SemiTone Tone
I
II
III
Tonic
Supertonic
Mediant
IV
V
Tone
VI
Sub-dominant Dominant
All piano chords: http://www.8notes.com/piano_chord_chart/G.asp
A minor piano scale
Tone
SemiTone
VII
Sub-mediant Leading tone
VIII
Octave
All guitar chords: http://www.8notes.com/guitar_chord_chart/
A minor guitar scale
COMPOSITION HELP: 5
B Harmonic minor scale
Bmin C#dim Daug Emin F#maj Gmaj A#dim Bmin
Tone
SemiTone Tone
I
II
III
Tonic
Supertonic
Mediant
Tone SemiTone Minor 3rd Semi Tone
IV
VI
Sub-dominant Dominant
All piano chords: http://www.8notes.com/piano_chord_chart/G.asp
B Harmonic minor scale
V
VII
Sub-mediant Leading tone
VIII
Octave
All guitar chords: http://www.8notes.com/guitar_chord_chart/
B Harmonic minor guitar scale
Bass lines
TASK 1: Bass lines don’t just follow the chord sequence, but they can. Imagine
stand by me with out the bass line (listen and demonstrate chord sequence).
TASK 2: Now listen to bass line… The song would be nothing without.
TASK 2: In the key of A what notes does it use and does it stray far from the chord?
A
Bm C#m D
Tone
I
E
Tone SemiTone Tone
ii
iii
IV
F#m G#dim A
Tone
V
Tone
vi
SemiTone
VII
VIII
Bass lines
Types of bass line...
Bass line
TASK 1: Listen and discuss what you can use from these examples.
TASK 2: Compose a bass line - You did this in year 9 so doing it in year 11 will be no problem.
EXTENSION TASK: Bass line for your verse. (if you did one last week).
Drums
TASK 1: Know the drum Kit
Snare Drum
Cymbal
Tom-toms
Bass Drum
Hi Hat
KNOW: How to pitch a Bass line
BE ABLE TO: Compose a Bass line for your groups song
UNDESRATND: The role of a Bass
http://www.drumnuts.com/GAMES/Virtual-Drums-Buckle.php
PUPIL MODEL: How they can achieve
&
2
&
3
&
4
&
1
&
2
&
3
&
4
&
LEVEL 5
Drum
Count
Drum
1
LEVEL 4
Count
Drums
(With a drum fill – What is a drum fill?)
Drums
SYNCOPATION
1
&
2
&
3
&
4
&
LEVEL 6
Drum
Count
Syncopation is where the accent is shifted from the main beat to a weaker beat. It’s a
rhythm where the beats have different spacing's between them. Try and come up with
your own syncopated rhythm.
(With a drum fill – What is a drum fill?)
Riff / Hook
Float on – Modest mouse
Tinne Tempah – Pass out
What you know – Two door cinema club
KNOW: What a Riff is
BE ABLE TO: Compose a riff / hook for your groups song
UNDESRATND: Composition from a scale
STARTER: What do all 4 songs have in common
RAGE – Killing on the name of
Riff / Hook
A
Bm C#m D
Tone
I
Tone SemiTone Tone
ii
iii
C#
C#
E
E
F#
E
E
IV
F#
E
C#
F#m G#dim A
Tone
V
C#
C#
Tone
vi
C#
A
SemiTone
VII
C# E
G#
F#
VIII
E
C#
G# A
G#
This song is in the key of A major / F# minor and uses those two chords
TASK 1: Look at the note used in the riff. Are they only notes from the A major scales?
good riff will use long and short length notes as well as rests.
TOP TIPS AIf it’s
catchy your mate will be able to sing it back to you.
B
GUITAR
DRUMS
PIANO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_v1TgVEX7Y
http://youtube.googleapis.com/v/TroJUuyUP1Y
STRINGS
LESSON 5
Pizzicato / Plucked
Strummed
Bowed
Block chords & Arpeggio
Arpeggio
Rim shot
Picked
Muted
Change of Time Signature
Use a minimum of 2 of the following; 2/4, 3/4, 4/4
& 6/8.
Maybe try a free meter or an irregular time
signature like 7/8 for top marks
Change of Tempo
Use a minimum of 2 different tempos. Make
them obvious! You could also speed up or
slow down. Listen 2:18 onwards. Rallentando
Use a mixture of note lengths / Durations
= Whole
= 1/2
= 1/4
= 1/8
= 1/16
Triplets:
Dotted rhythm:
Swing time
Syncopation:
The accent is shifted from the main
beat to a weaker beat.
Polyrhythm:
2 or more rhythms being played at the same.
Augmentation: A section repeated as a longer version, often with note values doubled.
A section repeated as a shorter version, often with note values halved.
Diminution:
Rubato & Hemiola: Research these and if you can include them for A* marks..
If you’ve chosen
AoS:1 your
composition
must have…
BEFORE COMPOSING CHOOSE A KEY!
See earlier slides or next slide…
Use a mixture of chords
Major Chords. Minor chords. Diminished chords. 7th chords.
If you’ve chosen
AoS:2 your
composition
must have…
Change of Tonality
You must change tonality at least once through-out the
piece. So use at least two of the following...
Major, minor or modal
Use a Pedal or a Drone or both!
Pedal - http://www.youtube.com/v/Pgum6OT_VH8&ob=av2n
Drone- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a3NcwfOBzQ
Use a variety of Cadences:
Make them obvious!!!!
Second last chord
V
IV
I, II or IV
V
Last chord
I
I
V
Any bar I
Cadence
=
=
=
=
Perfect
Plagal
Imperfect
Interrupted
Change key / Modulate:
Keep the same tonality just taking the whole
thing up a tone or semi-tone. By doing this
you’ve taking the piece to a new key. 2:20mins.
Change key / Modulate:
To dominant (V). To Subdominant (IV). To relative major. To relative minor. Up a tone.
HARMONY: 2 or more notes played / sung at the same time
Create a Harmony
Consonant - Nice. Dissonant - clashing. Diatonic – Uses only the notes of the key. Chromatic uses notes that don’t belong in the key.
Create a Harmony Using a mixture of intervals
Interval song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nl2d4zS56cY
Multiple Textures:
Use lots of different textures
Homophonic: The melody follows the chords
2 or more melodies played at the same time of equal importance.
Polyphonic:
Single line melody: An unaccompanied melody.
Melody with accompaniment: Melody with band providing accompaniment.
Unison: All the instruments play notes at the same pitch – Vocals & instruments.
Octaves: All the instruments play the same note at different pitch
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homophony
Use multiple melodic note patterns:
When writing vocal lines or any melodic lines try to vary each one.
Conjuct:
Melody that moves mainly by step never more than
a tone. Doesn’t jump around and sounds smooth.
Disjuct:
Melody that moves using lots of jumps. Larger than
a tone.
Triadic:
Melody that moves using notes of the triad
Scalic:
Melody that moves up and down using only the notes of a scale.
They only move to the next note up or down in the scale
Use Articulation across your composition
Short stabs. Much
easier than writing in
a rest mark.
Passing note
Tenuto accents mean the notes
are to be played at full length or
even slightly longer.
Make your bass lines or chords interesting by including a few.
Riff
This sign means the note
should be played louder
Short, repeated melodic phrase. Definitely use!!!
Appoggiatura:
Acciaccatura:
Pitch bend:
A dissonant note that is approached by a leap, and then moves by
step to resolve on to a harmony note.
A quick note that happens before the main one.
Short slide up or down to another note (The wheel on end of the keyboard).
Sequence
A sequence is where a melodic phrase is immediately repeated at a different pitch, often
step by step. If the sequence gets higher in pitch its called an ascending sequence.
Alternatively, the pitch get lower, in which case it is a descending sequence. The pitch
must remain within the scale otherwise that is simply known a key change.
Improvisation
Creating new musical ideas on the spot, during a performance.
Slide / Glissando
Melodic device: literally sliding from one note to another.
http://www.youtube.com/v/0N22_L7qAtw
Trill
Turn
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlEo8WUClNk
Rapid movement back & forth
between the note.
A turn consists of the note above the one
indicated, the note itself, the note below the
one indicated, and the note itself again.
=
=
http://upload.wikimedia.o
rg/wikipedia/en/1/18/Trill
_example_A-B-C.mid
Repetition
Melodies can be repeated.
Use a variety of scales
Use as many different scales as possible.
Major: Tone > Tone > SemiTone > Tone > Tone > Tone > SemiTone
Minor: Tone > SemiTone > Tone > Tone > SemiTone > Tone > Tone
Chromatic: All semi tones only
Modal: Different starting points of a major scale Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Locrian,
Whole tone: All tones only
Pentatonic: I
II
Blues:
bIII
I
III
V
VI of any major scale
IV bV V
Use a range of intervals
Using a mixture of intervals
bVII of any major scale
Interval song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nl2d4zS56cY
Samples
www.freesound.org – List of sample you may want to include
Reverb
Chorus
Distortion
Sound lasts longer
because it’s being
reflected.
Multiplying the
instrument or vocal
line.
Makes the
instrument or voice
sound fuzzy.
Compression
Boosts the quiet
parts of a song so
they match the loud
parts. Thus creating
one dynamic.
Sequencer
A device / program used to record, edit and playback music / MIDI
Panning
Sound is electronically placed into one speaker / ear or moves
from one ear to the other. (also based on percentages).
Vocoder
An electronic device for synthesising speech. It’s half human voice
and instrumental pitch 2:20. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjPqsDU0j2I
Multi-tracking
Recording device where different tracks are recorded
separately and then played back together.
If you’ve chosen
AoS:4 your
composition
must have…
Timbre: Get it right
Timbre is a difficult one to ensure, seeing as you have to have instruments for there to
be music. It’s about making the instrument sound like it should. For example a violin
shouldn’t sound like a bass and a bass guitar shouldn’t be sounding like a banjo. Also
when choosing an instrument make sure you apply all of the particular playing
techniques.
Dynamics: Include a mixture – More than 2
Listen
Regina Spektor’s
‘The Call’ has an
excellent range
of dynamics.
Click on face to
play.
GOOD! – Carefully craft sections.
BAD! – Don’t just draw lines for the sake of it!
Drum techniques
Guitar techniques
String techniques
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cw9yk7ZkuGc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9iaSp77xB8
There aren’t as
many opportunities
with this AoS.
1. Instrumental forms: Ground bass. Continuo. Cadenza.
2. Classical forms: Strophic. Through-Composed.
3. Pop song forms: Strophic. Middle 8. Verse chorus. 12 bar blues
4. Structures: Binary. Ternary. Call and Response. Rondo. Arch shape
5. Classical works: Concerto. Sonata. Symphony. Suite
PAGE 166 of AQA GCSE MUSIC BOOK – Read it!
Keep a log / diary
Now you know what needs to go into your composition it’s worth
keeping a diary and logging what you’re including. Ensure you
include what track your editing, and what time it happens.
Example:
0:56 – I’ve added a ‘trill’ to the piano part.
1:26 – I’ve deleted my initial bass line.
1.67 – I’ve added a passing note between chord A and Bmin
How to write a R n B ballad
Everything you need to write a love song.
Lots of little bits make up a song
Lots of little parts make a massive song.
Watch this video clip and see how lots of
short loops can make a really big song.
Progression and chorus
When to change in music?
Question: What’s the time signature of this piece?
Question: on average how many bars until the music changes?
Every chorus the same?
Question: Compare the 1st and 2nd chorus. Does this give you any ideas
for your composition?
Families
http://www.dsokids.com/listen/instrumentlist.aspx
BRASS
STRING
WIND
PERCUSSION
Starting a song
How to start a song?
How are these intro’s similar? A simple solution to sorting out your intro?
FREESOUND.org
= Free Samples
Primary chords:
1st, 4th and 5th notes of the scale
In the key of C major
Secondary chords:
2nd, 3rd and 6th notes of the scale
In the key of C major
TASK:
What are the primary and secondary chords for G major and D major?