btec first music unit 4: introducing music composition

BTEC First Music

Unit 4: Introducing Music Composition

Unit 4: Introducing Music

Composition

BTEC First Music


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Learning aims

A Explore creative stimuli to meet a brief

B Develop, extend and shape music for performances

C Present compositions appropriately

BTEC First Music



Note values and rhythm

Adding a dot to the right of a note lengthens it by half.

BTEC First Music



Time signatures

44

Top number = the number of beats in a bar

Bottom number = the type of beat. In this example, a crotchet is a quarter of a semibreve (the longest commonly used note) and so the bottom number is taken from the bottom number of the fraction 1/4.

This time signature is the most common time signature.

The vast majority of rock, pop and dance songs use this.

BTEC First Music



Other common time signatures – commonly used for marches

– always used for waltzes. ‘Happy Birthday’ is in 3-4.

– although 6-8 is mathematically the same as 3-4, it is divided into 2 beats in a bar, not 3.

24

34

68

BTEC First Music



Pitch

BTEC First Music



Musical notation/softwareHandwritten scores • These must be clearly and carefully written.• Use a sharp pencil and clear manuscript paper.

Notation software• This is best as it will result in clearer and more accurate work.• A variety of packages are available. • Avoid composing straight into the computer – use a musical

instrument first.

BTEC First Music



What is a short musical idea?

• Melodic idea – 4-bar melody

• Rhythmic pattern – 4-bar rhythm

• Chord progression – 8-bar chord progression

• Riff or hook – show how the riff or hook can be extended to 4 bars

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What is a more developed and extended compositional draft?

Start with… Develop and extend it into…

4-bar melody At least 2 sections of melody, e.g. 2 x 8-bar melodies with chords and accompaniment

4-bar rhythmic pattern At least 2 sections with contrasting rhythms, e.g. 2 x 8-bar rhythms with multiple parts

8-bar chord progression At least 2 sections, e.g. 2 x 8 bars, with melody and accompaniment

4-bar riff or hook At least 2 sections, e.g. 2 x 8 bars, or 1 x 8-bar verse plus 1 x 8-bar chorus with chords and accompaniment

BTEC First Music



What is a completed composition?Start with… Completed composition might be,

for example…

At least two sections of melody, e.g. 2 x 8-bar melodies with chords and accompaniment

• a song with intro, verse-chorus pattern, and outro

• a piece that follows a structure such as binary, ternary, etc.

• a piece of music for a film scene lasting approximately two minutes

• a series of pieces for a TV advertising campaign lasting approximately 2 minutes in total (e.g. 4 x 30-second pieces with variations).

At least two sections with contrasting rhythms, e.g. 2 x 8-bar rhythms with multiple parts

At least two sections, e.g. 2 x 8 bars, with melody and accompaniment

At least two sections, e.g. 2 x 8 bars, or 1 x 8-bar verse plus 1 x 8-bar chorus with chords and accompaniment

btec first music unit 4: introducing music composition

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