Myths about teaching can hold you back
- Year 10
- Edexcel
Developing a melody
I can use a motif to give coherence to a melody and can extend a melody using a sequence.
- Year 10
- Edexcel
Developing a melody
I can use a motif to give coherence to a melody and can extend a melody using a sequence.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- Composers use motifs, short melodic ideas that are repeated, to give melodies a sense of coherence and unity.
- Motifs don’t need to be repeated exactly every time, but they need to sound familiar to the listener.
- Sequences are an effective melodic device for extending a melody.
- They help to maintain a balance between familiarity and contrast.
Keywords
Motif - a short, memorable part of a melody that is used multiple times
Coherence - when the parts of a piece sound like they belong together; using a repeated motif can help with this in finding a balance between unity and variety
Sequence - where a melodic idea is repeated in steps either rising or falling
Common misconception
A melody must feature a motif.
This is not necessarily true - great melodies do not have to use motifs. However, they are a useful feature to understand when learning to write melodies, because they encourage composers to balance repetition anc contrast effectively.
To help you plan your year 10 music lesson on: Developing a melody, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 10 music lesson on: Developing a melody, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 music lessons from the Fundamentals of composition unit, dive into the full secondary music curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
A DAW, notation software, a keyboard or other suitable instrument that can be used as a composition tool.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is conjunct movement?
Q2.In C major, what note is the tonic?
Q3.A __________ is a short section of a melody, normally 2, 4 or 8 bars long.
Q4.An effective melody balances __________ and contrast.
Q5.What is a scale?
Q6.Ending a melody on the __________ note in a key helps it to feel finished.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What two are features of a motif?
Q2.Which statement is not true for a motif?
Q3.What melodic device is this an example of?
Q4.What is a sequence?
Q5.This is a __________ sequence.
