Year 8 Listening
Reflection: The Beatles
Name of students:
Name of the song:
Structure: the order of the sections
(Intro, Verse, Chorus etc). Mention
anything interesting about the
order/length/character of the sections.
Example: ‘The introduction is very long’
/ ‘The song starts with the Chorus’
Tone Colour: Instruments and
Performing Media (what is making the
sound?)
Quality of the sound (raspy, piercing,
warm, harsh)
Example: ‘The song starts with a low
rumbling bass guitar then a piercing
synth comes in creating contrast and
interest.’
Texture: layers and roles.
Example: ‘The Bass Guitar is playing the
bass line, the drum kit is playing the
rhythm line, the trumpet is playing the
main melody etc’
Duration: tempo (the speed of the
song), time signature, rhythms, beat etc
Example: ‘The introduction is very slow
with long held notes in low brass
instruments. The verse is very fast with
a driving rhythm on drum kit.’
Pitch: high/low, Major/minor
Example: ‘The vocal melody is very high
in the chorus whilst the low bass guitar
line remains throughout the piece. The
overall tonality is Major although there
are two minor chords used in the verse
chord progression.’
Dynamics and Expressive
Techniques: loud/soft,
crescendo/diminuendo, accents,
performance techniques
Example: ‘The introduction begins very
soft and then there is a long crescendo
leading into the first verse. There are
Year 8 Listening
Reflection: The Beatles
loud, harsh accents in the trumpet part
during the instrumental section.’