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Lesson 3 of 6
  • Year 5

Adding more minimalist cells to create a thicker texture

I can compose, practise and notate a repeating melodic minimalist cell, layering this with a drone and rhythmic cell underneath.

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Lesson 3 of 6
New
New
  • Year 5

Adding more minimalist cells to create a thicker texture

I can compose, practise and notate a repeating melodic minimalist cell, layering this with a drone and rhythmic cell underneath.

Copyrighted materials: to view and download resources from this lesson, you’ll need to be in the UK and

Copyrights help

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Music can be notated in many ways. The best form of notation is the most effective for reading.
  2. Cells can be rhythmic or melodic.
  3. A drone is a type of ostinato or cell.
  4. Choosing the order of cells entries and exits creates a structure for your piece.
  5. When cells are layered, they create a thicker texture and a more complex piece of music.

Keywords

  • Cell - simple musical patterns that can be rhythmic or melodic (an ostinato in minimalism)

  • Notation - a way of visually representing and recording music

  • Stave - lines on which musical notes can be placed

  • Drone - a constant, pitched sound that continues throughout a piece of music

  • Instrumentation - the combination of musical instruments used in a piece of music

Common misconception

There is a hierarchy in notation - stave notation is always best.

Notation is only effective when it can be read easily. We can notate in many different ways.


To help you plan your year 5 music lesson on: Adding more minimalist cells to create a thicker texture, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Allow time for all pupils in an ensemble to play every part. They will know their piece much better if they fully understand the structure of the piece.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Pitched percussion with C, D, E, F, G available to each ensemble. Unpitched percussion e.g. shakers or claves - at least one per group. Another form of pitched percussion with C, D, E, F, G available.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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