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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...