Creating a melodic ostinato
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Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can create a melodic ostinato using the Dm pentatonic scale and develop the texture of my composition.
Key learning points
- The texture can be developed by creating sections of thin (few layers) and thick (many layers) texture.
- A pentatonic scale uses five notes. The Dm pentatonic scale uses D, F, G, A and C.
- We can create a melodic ostinato by improvising using a scale like the pentatonic scale.
Keywords
Pentatonic scale - A pentatonic scale is a set of five notes.
Dm pentatonic scale - The Dm (D minor) pentatonic scale includes the notes D, F, G, A and C.
Texture - The texture of music is how many layers of sound are playing at the same time. We can describe it as thick (lots of layers) or thin (few layers).
Common misconception
The pentatonic scale is limited to one octave on the instrument.
The pentatonic scale is just the names of the notes that we can use. You can use them as high-pitched notes or low-pitched notes on your instrument. Experiment with playing the scale up high and down low.
Teacher tip
Creating some 'boundaries' can encourage creativity in improvisation. Challenge pupils to create an ostinato with just one or two notes from the scale, encouraging them to think about interesting rhythms as well as pitch patterns. Reinforce that keeping the pattern simple can make it more memorable.
Equipment
A DAW or other suitable compositional tool or instrument
Licence
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