GCSE Music J535
Unit B353: The Creative Task
Unit B353: The Creative Task
• 20% of the Examination.
• 45 minutes to complete – recording takes place within the
allotted time.
• Submitted as a recording on an instrument, a written score, or
a recording using ICT (Garageband; Logic; Cubase, etc).
• The task is designed to challenge candidates to build a
composition around a given stimulus. Failure to use the
stimulus in it’s given form is the equivalent of not answering
the question in an essay. This will “cap” the Response mark
depending on the extent of the misuse of the stimulus.
• A rhythmic phrase: 2 bars of 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, or 6/8.
• Popular with Drum Kit players – especially when it
is 4/4 or 2/4.
• Also frequently used by players of single line
instruments.
• Also ICT – perhaps as an ostinato pattern.
• The best responses use key features of the rhythm
throughout, often returning to it, in its original
form at key points in the piece.
• A note pattern: up to 9 notes (printed in staff notation with letter
names).
• Often used by instrumentalists – single line and pianists. Also some
ICT responses.
• The note pattern provides opportunities for candidates to create a
melody. The best responses mould the stimulus into an interesting
rhythmic shape from the outset, often by adding a balancing phrase.
• Ternary form is a common structure with a middle section in the
relative minor, or dominant key. The best responses manipulate the
stimulus into a new theme at this point, but others compose a
middle section which bears little thematic or stylistic relationship to
the opening and therefore do not add anything to the quality of the
outcome.
• A melodic phrase: 8 bars to which a second part (descant or
bass line) can be added.
• The melodic phrase is designed to provide opportunities for
those candidates who understand the principles of two part
writing. It is possible to gain full marks by simply adding a
stylish and musical second part (either a descant or a bass
line). However, many candidates extend the material.
• No marks for responses that simply extend the given melodic
phrase with additional melodic phrases - no two part writing.
• Where more than one part has been added, examiners mark
the best part.
• Where a chordal part has been added, examiners mark the
bass line.
• A chord sequence: up to 5 chords (printed as triads, with
chord names and tablature).
• Most frequently used by Guitarists – strummed and picking
variations.
• Sometimes multi tracked, or looped on a pedal - the chords
are then used to provide an accompaniment to a lead part.
• Also used by Keyboard and Piano players – again sometimes
variations on broken chord patterns, and in other cases, used
as an accompaniment to a melody line.
Chord Sequence 2
• There can be no hard and fast rule about whether extending
the stimulus with additional chords are appropriate and/or
can enhance the mark. There are good responses that stick to
the chord sequence throughout, and equally there are those
that later on in the piece introduce additional chords, (often
keeping some of the chords in the sequence, for a contrasting
section).
• There are some responses where the chords are played
through once at the start after which the piece moves into a
totally unrelated chord sequence (which may well have been
prepared earlier!). These responses gain limited credit.
• A set of words: up to eight lines in length.
• Obviously for vocalists – with a wide range of achievement.
• Can extend given words with additional verses – is the
character of the song retained?
• Can use vocal “oohs “ to add intros, transitions and Codas.
• Accompaniment not essential – in fact a poor
accompaniment (e.g. badly played block chords on a Piano)
could potentially detract from the quality of the response as
well as the communication. On the other hand a simple
block chord accompaniment may enable the candidate to
maintain their pitch throughout the piece.
• Music to describe a sequence of events – three distinct
episodes.
• Tends to attract lower quality candidates – but there
are also frequent examples of excellent work from this
stimulus
• Three clear events required, which portray the three
stages of the story appropriately – not just a generic
“fast and loud – shock and stop – slow and quiet” type
of piece that could have been prepared earlier.
Responding
0
No work.
1-4
Basic – often incoherent.
5–8
Simple – mainly limited repetition.
9 – 12
Some success – but not consistent.
13 – 16
Organised and coherent – a well taught
template with musical understanding
17 – 20
Development/sense of style.
21 - 24
Stylish and imaginative.
• Responses which use significant samples (usually sequence of
events) are unlikely to access more than 8 marks.
• Responses that either
– Only use a part of the stimulus.
– Manipulate the stimulus into something completely
different from the outset.
MAXIMUM 8 MARKS.
• Responses that make some alteration to the stimulus, without
using the given stimulus in its original form.
MAXIMUM 12 marks.
Communicating (Recorded)
0
No work.
1-2
Very limited accuracy.
3–4
Some accuracy of pitch and rhythm.
5-6
Reasonable accuracy of pitch and rhythm.
7-8
Reasonable accuracy of pitch and rhythm, with some additional
elements.
9 - 10
Good accuracy; range of additional elements; some control of
the resource.
11 – 12
Stylistic understanding – but not consistently so.
13 – 14
Musical and stylish throughout.
15
Flawless.
Communicating (Written)
0
No work.
1-2
Very limited accuracy.
3–4
Some accuracy of pitch and rhythm – no other markings.
5-6
Pitch and rhythm correct – or some other markings but P and R errors.
7-8
Reasonable accuracy of pitch and rhythm, with some additional elements.
9 - 10
Good accuracy; range of additional elements, but lacks musicality.
11 –
12
Score detail makes musical sense – lacking or excessive in some sections.
13 –
14
Musical application of the full range of score detail.
15
Excellent musical detail.
• Scores must state the instrument, and contain musical articulation,
dynamics, phrasing and tempo for 13+
Use of ICT
• Number of layers / tracks, including, where appropriate, a
drum track (are these loops or samples, or original
compositions).
• Use of texture.
• Appropriate timbres.
• Addition of appropriate effects (panning; reverb, etc) – may
require headphones.
• Quantisation.
• Synchronisation between tracks.
• Balance of final mix.
• Editing of note velocities to create phrase shapes.
0
no second part
Level 1
parts not related
Level 2
occasionally harmonic successful
Level 3
simple harmony (mainly successful). Note for note texture
Level 4
simple harmony that works - some variety between parts
Level 5
consistently balanced and musical
Level 6
+ imaginative
The success of the harmonisation and texture of the set stimulus forms the
main basis of the assessment. Successful extensions may raise the mark by
a further level. (up to 4 marks).
These criteria are used to assess the quality of the relationship to
the stimulus.
Level 1
Level 2
No relationship to mood.
Some relationship to mood.
Level 3
Level 4
Level 5
Basic effects.
Some success.
Effective and consistent.
Level 6 Successful and imaginative.
To get more than 12 for responding: must have mood + event.