V-Cert Music Technology
Producing Dance Music
UNIT 6 – Stage 1
NAME: Gemma Mitchell
YOU WILL: Understand key features of dance music styles and structures
UNIT 1: Marking
Criteria
Pass
Merit
Distinction
1.1 - Identify the main dance 􏰀 music
styles
Candidates identify the main 􏰀 dance
music styles
No Merit for this AC
No Distinction for this AC
1.2 - Identify musical and cultural
developments that have influenced
the main dance music styles
Candidates identify musical and
cultural developments that have
influenced the main styles of dance
music
No Merit for this AC
No Distinction for this AC
1.3 - Describe the main rhythmic
features common to dance music
styles
Candidates describe the main
rhythmic features common to dance
music styles
Candidates demonstrate critical
understanding of the main rhythmic
features common to dance music
styles, giving a range of examples
Candidates demonstrate critical
judgment in the exploration of a
range of rhythmic features
1.4- Describe the main structural
features common to dance music
styles
Candidates describe the main
structural features common to
dance music styles
Candidates demonstrate critical
understanding of the main
structural features common to
dance music styles, giving a range of
examples
Candidates demonstrate critical
judgment in the exploration of a
range of structural features
1.5 - Describe the sounds and
instrumentation common to dance
music styles
Candidates describe the sounds and
instrumentation common to dance
music styles
Candidates demonstrate critical
understanding of the sounds and
instrumentation common to dance
music styles, giving a range of
examples
Candidates demonstrate critical
judgment in the exploration of a
range of sounds and
instrumentation
Producing Dance Music
1.1 – You should produce a timeline showing a variety of different styles of
popular dance music. You should include Bands/Artists from the 1970’s, 1980’s,
1990’s, 2000’s to present day.
1970
Abba, Hot chocolate, Gloria Gaynor
1980
Depeche Mode, Run D.M.C, Guns N’ Roses
1990
Nickleback, Akon, Sakira
Jesse Glynne,King, Mark Ronson
2000
Pussycat dolls, Britany Spears and The Killers
2010
Avicii, Emeli Sandé, Disclosure
2015
Top bands and artists in the1970’s
1975 to 1982 Pop, euro pop,
Disco and euro disco
1969-1986, 1992present.
Funk, pop, disco, R&B
1965- present.
Disco and R&B
1980’s
1980’s – present
Synthpop, new wave,
electronic, rock,
dance-rock,
alternative rock.
1981- 2002
Hip hop, rap,
rock.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCy8pJS
E2oU
1985present
Hard rock,
heavy
metal,
blues
rock.
1990’s
1995- present
Pop, Rock, Poprock,hard rock,
alternative rock, heavy
metal.
1996- present
Pop, hiphop, R&B
1990’s- present
Pop, latin pop, rock
en Española, dance
folk, world.
2000’s
2003- 2010
Dance, Pop, R&B
1992- present
Pop,
Dance,Electropop
2001- present
Pop, alternative
rock, indie rock,
post punk, revival,
new wave,
heartland rock.
2010
2007- present
EDM,
Progressive
house, country,
electro house.
2008- present
Pop, soul, R&B
2010- present
House, Future
garage, UK garage,
Synthpop, Uk funk.
Now 2015
2010- present
Pop, House , R&B.
Top song in April
2015
“Hold my hand”
2010- present
Indie dance,
electronica,
synthpop
3rd in the charts in
2015 April. “King”
1993- present.
Electronic, hip hop, soul,
funk, pop, pop rock.
Released “uptown funk”
via Bruno Mars. 8th in
the UKtop 40.
Producing Dance Music
1.2 – Pick a minimum of 3 bands or artists from your timeline and give specific
details about them. For example you could name some of their songs/tracks.
You should also try to give some specific musical characteristics of the tracks.
Abba
Top
song
Main
Instruments
used
1 interesting
facts
Mamma mia
SOS
Dancing Queen
Marmiba, Drums,
Piano, Guitar,
xylophone and of
course vocals.
ABBA's manager Stig Anderson
would often come up with titles
that musicians Bjorn Ulvaeus and
Benny Andersson would write
lyrics around, and this is an
example of that workflow. The
phrase "Mamma Mia" is an Italian
saying that literally means "My
Mother" and is used to express
surprise.
http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=8276
Avicii
Bee Gees
Wake Me Up
Heaven
The Nights
Stayin Alive
Saturday Night Fever
Synths
Computers
Samples
Drums, Bass, Keyboards,
Guitars, Strings, Horns, Vocals
(Falsetto)
For Wake Me up he used the
track from Aloe Black and
changed the genre to a club
dance style
The Bee Gees have had
tremndous success in the pop
music genre especially with
Disco styles. They have written
the sound track for many top
films such as Saturday Night
Fever
Producing Dance Music
1.3, 1.4, 1.5 – Now think about the different styles of pop music. You should now
describe some of their key features.
TIP: Add some hyperlinks to musical examples of the style to support your
description. (feel free to change any genres listed). The table below is a guide.
You may wish to produce 1 slide per style showing your musical features.
Rhythm Feature
Structure
Instrumentation
Disco
Off Beat Hi Hat Cymbals
Four to the floor kick drum
Syncopated Bass Lines
Verse Chorus structure
Extended instrumental
sections
Drums, Bass, Guitar, keys,
Strings, Horns, Vocals
Club Dance
Four to the floor
Syncopated Bass lines
Rhythmic drop sections
Verse chorus sections
Instrumental lead sections
Synths, Computers,
samples, vocals
Rap
Four to the floor, Strong
syncopated drum and bass
lines
Verse (rap) chorus section
(singing)
Drums, bass, vocals,
synths
Drum and bass
Four to the floor
Syncopated bass lines
Rhythmic hook sections
Drop
rap
Drums, bass, vocals