Purpose, style and a musical starting point
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Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can analyse musical starting points for a composition and apply these ideas to my composition for a brief.
Key learning points
- Compositions often begin with a simple musical idea such as a melody, riff, chord sequence or bass line.
- The brief influences important early decisions such as style, instrumentation, tempo and structure.
- A short musical idea can be developed later, so the starting point does not need to be long or complex.
- Composers may experiment with several starting ideas before deciding which one to develop.
Keywords
Brief - a set of instructions that outline the purpose, style and requirements of a composition that you must respond to in your work
Compose - to create music
Melody - the tune, usually the most memorable feature in a piece of music
Riff - a short repeated musical idea
Chord sequence - a series of chords played in a particular order that forms the harmonic basis of a piece
Common misconception
It can be difficult to start a new piece with a blank page! Some pupils may feel pressure to get their starting point exactly right first time.
Composers will often try out several different starting points to see which one could develop into a full composition.
Teacher tip
Encourage pupils to make a brief their own. Choosing a specific scenario within the requirements of a brief can help to generate ideas.
Equipment
Pupils may need access to notation software or a DAW. They may need access to their instruments to develop ideas.
Licence
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