Music work for this class will be posted to google classroom. You will receive an invite to this class before your scheduled music lesson.
Year 8 African Music prep
Due Tues 17th March
Investigate an African musician who you think is interesting or whose music you like..
(a) Write a short biography of them, including any interesting things they’ve done or interesting views they have
(b) Choose one song you like by them. Write down its title and describe it. Include instruments and any musical patterns you can hear. If you can, find out what its about, or say what you imagine its about
(c) Give your own opinion about this artist / music
Ideas: Salif Keita, Angelique Kidjo, Oumou Sangare, Fela Kuti, Femi Kuti,
Ladysmith Black Mambaso, Touman Diabate,
All prep should be in your book: if you work on computer you must stick it in!
Y8 Film music prep 1
Due Tues 14th Jan
Write a profile for a well know film composer, including
Part 1
* how they came to become a film composer
* what sort of films they have composed the music for
* what they think about composing film music
(one paragraph)
Part 2 Choose one of their film pieces and
* write down the film its from, and the scene if you know it
* give a description of the music: what mood or atmosphere does it have? How does the composer get the music to have that feeling? What instruments play? How does the music change? What action could be happening? You can also say your opinion of this film music
(one paragraph
Here are some ideas of composers: John Williams, Hans Zimmer, Rachel Portman, Danny Elfman, Ennio Morricone, James Horner
Write in your own words. The work must be in your book, but you can print and stick it in if you want
Y8 Exam Revision sheet Michaelmas
1. Elements of music:
Pitch high and low
Timbre different sounds / instruments
Tempo fast and slow, speed of the music
Texture thick and thin, layers of sound
Dynamics loud and quiet
Duration short and long notes
2. Rock n Roll / using chords
How to make a three note chord (triad)
block chords three notes played all together
broken chords chord notes played one by one
rhythmic chords chord played in a rhythmic pattern
bassline low part in the music
roots of rock n roll : where did it come from? - America
what styles created it? -
'White' country music mixed with 'black' RnB
genre style of music
12 bar blues chord sequence: used for the backing parts (accompaniment)
C | C | C | C |
F | F | C | C |
G | F | C | C |
riff repeating pattern
blues scale scale with some clashing notes, used for the melody
blue note a clashing note in the blues scale
blues artists: Robert Johnson,
rock n roll artists Elvis, Chuck Berry, Little Richard
3. Electronic music
synthesizer instrument that makes sound electronically
pad synth soft synth sound with a slow attack, good for backing
lead synth loud synth sound with a sharp attack, good for melody or bass parts
disco 70s dance style with a fast dance beat
e.g. Donna Summer
house 80s dance style with four to the floor drum beat and simple textures
e.g. technotronic
trance 90s dance style with lots of changes of texture and breakdowns
e.g. Trinity X
sample digital clip of sound
retriggering a sample of sound repeated faster and faster - a classic feature of trance
four-to-the floor four crotchet bass drum beats- the classic feature of
house
breakdown texture suddenly gets thinner- a classic feature of
trance
Blues/ rock n roll prep
Due Tues 15th Oct
Find the song ‘Crazy Little thing Called Love’ by Queen on YouTube. Listen to it and answer the questions below
1 | 0- 5 secs | What word is correct to describe the guitar part in the intro? (a) Melody (b) ostinato (c) bassline |
2 | 5 secs-23secs | In verse 1, which word describes the bass guitar part? (a) Melody (b) broken chord (c) block chord
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3 | 5 secs-23secs | What else can you hear in the backing of verse 1?
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4 | 24secs-42secs | In verse 2, describe what the backing vocals do
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5 | 1min 20- 34 | In the guitar solo, what notes does the guitar use? (a) Blues chord (b) blues scale (c) other notes
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6 | 2min 15 - end | Describe the ending
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Investigating a Genre Project
Choose a genre (style) to investigate – e.g. blues, Jazz, soul, rock n roll, Heavy metal, Classical, Electronic,
•Find out about the most important artists in that genre, when the genre started and how it started. Was it a mix of earlier musical genres?
•Also find out about the musical features of that genre – e.g. what sort of instruments / instrument groups were used, any typical musical features like fast tempos, very electronic sounds etc
•You can also include any interesting non-musical features like the way the artists dressed or behaved
•Listen to examples of this style and add these to your project : describe an actual song in that style and describe the music you can hear as you listen to the song – how does the music change?
•Include your own opinion of the music – what do you think, what do you like or not like?
•You can present the project any way you wish- on paper, card, booklet, powerpoint, even film! It should not be in your music book however
•Make sure you write in your own words, please don’t use copy and paste
DUE: Tues 24th Sept