the tune, usually the most memorable feature in a piece of music

movement between notes based on small intervals (steps)

a short section of a melody, often lasting 1, 2 or 4 bars

the ‘home’ note in a key and the note that the key is named after (e.g. the tonic in C major is C)

C major scale

What is the difference? Ex.1

What is the difference? Ex.2

Conjunct melodies ex.1

Conjunct melodies ex.2

CfU - is this melody conjunct?

Compare the rhythms ex.1

Compare the rhythms ex.2

Focus on the ending ex.1

Focus on the ending ex.2

Which melody is more effective? Ex.1

Which melody is more effective? Ex.2

Task B melody

Compose a melody: video 1

Compose a melody: video 2

Compose a melody: video 3

Melodic fundamentals

Music

Developing a melody

Composing a chord sequence

Developing a chord sequence

Combining melody and harmony

This unit explores fundamental components of composition. It embeds and develops pupils' understanding of writing melodies, including idiomatic features and making a melody sound 'melodic'. It also explores effective writing of chord sequences, and how these intertwine with melodic writing.

Fundamentals of composition

a short, memorable part of a melody that is used multiple times

when the parts of a piece sound like they belong together; using a repeated motif can help with this in finding a balance between unity and variety

where a melodic idea is repeated in steps either rising or falling

Compare these two melodies ex.1

Compare these two melodies ex.2

Rhythmic ideas

Patterns of pitches

Mixed motif

Composing a motif in a melody

Adapting a motif in a melody

Check

Task A feedback audio

Extending a melody: repeat the first 8 bars

Extending a melody: create a contrasting 8-bar melody

Extending a melody: create a variation

Sequence

Creating a sequence: video 1

Creating a sequence: video 2

Creating a sequence: video 3

Task B feedback audio

the most useful chords in a key - chord I (1), IV (4) and V (5)

chords ii (2), iii (3) and vi (6) in a key

chord I (1). In C major, the tonic chord is a C major chord

where a chord sequence ends with chord V then I, creating a finished feeling

where a chord sequence or section of one ends on chord V, creating an unfinished feeling

Typical 8-bar chord sequence

Fewer primary chords

Chord sequence with tonic to start, dominant chord halfway and tonic to finish

Chord sequence listening for cadences

Creating a chord sequence: video

Task A feedback

Compare these chord sequences: ex.1

Compare these chord sequences: ex.2

Compare these chord sequences: ex.3

Use a mixture of primary and secondary chords

Developing a chord sequence with secondary chords

when the notes of a chord are reordered so that the root is not the lowest note

a standard 3-note chord, with notes a third apart

the bottom note in a triad, and the note the chord is named after (e.g. the note in a G chord)

a chord in which the root note is the lowest note

when the notes of a chord are not all played at the same time (in contrast to a block chord)

F major chord

It consists of three notes

First inversion

Second inversion

All three inversions

Root position only

Some inversions

Root position chords: video

Inversions: video

Using chord inversions: video

What's the difference? Ex.1

What's the difference? Ex.2

Block chords

Broken chords

C chord in first inversion

Ascending pattern using quavers

Descending pattern with semiquavers

This example starts with a block chord

The broken chord pattern should be the same for each chord: clip 1

The broken chord pattern should be the same for each chord: clip 2

Creating broken chords: video 1

Creating broken chords: video 2

Task B feedback

any note that is included in a chord (e.g. a C chord has the chord tones C, E and G)

a non-chord tone that links two chord tones by step

a conjunct melody has small changes in pitch between one note and the next (moving by ‘step’)

Which sounds better? Ex.1

Which sounds better? Ex.2

Chord sequence

Example melody 1

Example melody 2

Example melody 3

Example melody 4

The first two bars could look like this

First phrase video

chord tone modelling 2

Third phrase video

Final phrase video

Melody based on chord tones

Bar 1 passing note

Bar 2 passing note

Bars 1 and 2

Developed to

Adding passing notes

Task B feedback original

Task B feedback developed 

Help using Oak

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Year 6

Primary

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

Year 10

Year 11

Secondary

Who we are

Meet the team

Oak's curricula

Get involved

Contact us

About us

AI experiments

Curriculum

Plan a lesson

Support your team

Blogs

Webinars

Help

Guidance

Art and design

Computing

Cooking and nutrition

Design and technology

Drama

English

Financial education

Geography

History

Maths

Physical education

Religious education

RSHE (PSHE)

Science

French

Spanish

Expressive arts and design

Literacy

Personal, social and emotional development

Understanding the world

EYFS

Citizenship

German

Latin

Biology

Chemistry

Citizenship (Core)

Citizenship (GCSE)

Combined science

Computing (Core)

Computer Science (GCSE)

Physical education (Core)

Physical education (GCSE)

Physics

Religious education (GCSE)

Fundamentals of composition

Choose a lesson (5)