V-Cert Music Technology
Producing Dance Music
UNIT 6 – Stage 1
NAME : James Wright
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
Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Rolling
Stones and queen and ABBA.
1980
West life, Boy zone,
N’Sync, Take that,
Madonna, Madness,
George Micheal,U2
and Michael Jackson.
Justin Beiber, Chris Brown
1990
Justin Timberlake, Robbie
Williams and Amy
Winehouse.
2000
JLS, One Direction and Ollie Murrs
2010
2015
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.
Band/Artist 1
Band/Artist 2
Band/Artist 3
Songs/Track
Stevie Wonder
s
‘I just called to say I
love you.’
‘Happy Birthday’
‘Sir Duke’
Depeche mode
‘ I just Cant get
enough’
‘I feel you’
‘Enjoy silence’
Chris Brown
‘Fine China’
‘Take you down’
‘So cold’
‘Autumn leaves’
Instruments Piano, Drum, Electric
used
guitar, Vocals, Bass
guitar.
Electric Piano ,Drum,
Synths, Vocals.
Electric guitar, Bass
guitar, Drum,
Vocals, Piano
2
interesting
facts
Their first ever gig
was played on our
school stage. Few of
the band members
attended our school.
The band was from
Basildon.
Taught himself to
sing and dance from
the age of 2.
Played Basketball in
Elementary school
before he was a
singer.
Is one of the most
loved musician in the
20th century also
signed a label deal
with Motown records
at the age of 11.
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
Disco
Reggae
R&B
Pop
Structure
Instrumentation
Disco
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Disco is a genre of music containing elements of funk, soul, pop, salsa and psychedelic that was
most popular in the 1970’s.
Known to be played in nightclubs all over the world.
Stylistic origins : Latin (especially salsa) pop rock
Afro-Cuban music (furthestsoca)• classical • gospel •swing • blues
Typical instruments
Keyboard • drum’s• drum machine • synthesizer •violin • electric guitar •bass
guitar • piano •string section • horn section •orchestral solo instruments (e.g. flute)
• percussion.
Music examples; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fK9hK82rAM&list=PL5AFF1F0482C4C0DE&index=3 = Greatest Disco songs of all time.
Disco Artiest; Donna Summer
Bee Gees
Gloria Gaynor
Kool & the Gang
KC & the Sunshine Band
Trammps
Chic
Village People
Michael Jackson
James Brown
Reggae
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Reggae is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s.
Stylistic origins
Mento, calypso, R&B, jazz, Ska , rock steady
Cultural origins
Late 1960s Jamaica (especially Kingston)
Typical instruments
Bass, drums, guitar, organ, brass instrument, melodica
Derivative forms
Dancehall, dub, hip hop, ragga ,drum and bass.
Music example; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJeddkQqTF4 - Bob Marley greatest hits.
Famous Reggae artiest – Bob Marley
Jimmy Cliff
Shaggy
Gregory Isaacs
Peter Tosh
R&B
 Also known as Rhythm and blues.
 is a genre of popular African-American music that originated in the 1940.
 In the commercial rhythm and blues music typical of the 1950s through the 1970s, the
bands usually consisted of piano, one or two guitars, bass, drums, saxophone, and
sometimes background vocalists.
 Stylistic origins
 Blues, jazz, gospel , boogie woogie
 Typical instruments
 Drum kit, bass guitar , saxophone, horns, piano , organ, electric guitar, vocals ,
background vocal
 Music Example; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18QrECBKavY
 R&B Artiest; Mariah Carey
Beyoncé
Witney Houston
Ray Charles
R Kelly
Pop
 Pop music a genre also know as Popular music which originated in its
modern form in the 1950s.
 Contains elements from other styles including urban, dance, rock and
Latin.
 Key Instruments of Pop Music: Guitar , Piano , Keyboard, Drums, Violin
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UNIT 1: TEACHER FEEDBACK
Set up and operate a digital audio workstation
Unit
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
Positive
Improvements
Current grade
UNIT 6: QUESTION & ANSWER
Producing Dance Music
Candidate Name
Candidate Signature
Assessor Name
Assessor Signature
Question
Response
Assessment Criteria
Date
Feedback of my piece.
My dance track tempo is slow because the pitch of the track is low. I
have used the following timbres such as, electric bass, kick drum with
high hat, triangle and acoustic guitar because I wanted to go for a
calm dynamic piece. The pitch remains the same through out the
piece. The dynamics of my piece are different according to the timbre;
for example, the triangle has lower dynamics compared to the synths
as that is the main timbre in the piece.
Throughout my piece I use an rhythmic feature such as, four to the
floor on the drum kit.