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      Practising a melodic accompaniment

      Lesson details

      Learning outcome

      I can practise a new melodic accompaniment and recognise strategies I can use to improve.

      Key learning points

      1. Understanding the structure of the music can help us to practise the piece in sections.
      2. Binary form is a musical structure that has two sections, usually labeled A and B, that are often repeated (as AABB).
      3. We can use practice techniques such as exploring different ways to learn to help us to play an accompaniment part.
      4. When practising in an ensemble, working together at a slower tempo at first is a good strategy to help us to improve.

      Keywords

      • Accompaniment - a musical part that supports the main melody or chant

      • Structure - the way the music is organised

      • Binary form - a musical structure that has two sections, usually labeled A and B, that are often repeated (as AABB)

      • Tempo - the speed of the music - how fast or slow the music is played

      Common misconception

      When practising in an ensemble we need to practise at our own speed so we can play our part accurately.

      When practising as an ensemble, we all need to play at the same tempo, we should start off slowly and speed up as we feel more confident.

      Teacher tip

      Setting the tempo for the ensemble and tapping a steady pulse throughout can help the pupils to play in time together.

      Equipment

      Class set of pitched percussion instruments which include the notes G, C and D.

      Licence

      This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0
      except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions
      (Collection 2).

      Lesson video

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      Prior knowledge starter quiz

      4 Questions

      Q1.
      Tempo is ...

      a description of the sound or tone of an instrument
      Correct answer: the speed of the music - how fast or slow the music is played
      the combination of different layers of sounds
      the pattern of sounds and silences that we play and sing

      Q2.
      Structure is ...

      a repeating musical pattern which can be rhythmic or melodic
      Correct answer: the way the music is organised
      phrasing of a musical thought, like a sentence in a story
      the combination of different layers of sounds

      Q3.
      An instrumental part that supports a main melody is called ...

      a duet
      a scale
      Correct answer: an accompaniment

      Q4.
      A combination of notes that make a memorable tune is called a .

      Correct Answer: melody

      4 Questions

      Q1.
      A musical structure that has two sections, usually labeled A and B, that are often repeated (as AABB) is called ...

      call and response
      Correct answer: binary form
      question and answer

      Q2.
      True or false? When practising in an ensemble we need to practise at our own speed so we can play our part accurately.

      Correct Answer: False, false

      Q3.
      True or false? A useful practice strategy is to explore different ways to learn.

      Correct Answer: True, true

      Q4.
      Understanding the of the music can help us to practise the piece in sections.

      Correct Answer: structure

      To help you plan your 4 music lesson on: Practising a melodic accompaniment, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...