- Year 11
- Edexcel
Choosing elements and comparing music
I can choose which elements to focus on in a musical description and can write an effective musical comparison.
Copyrighted materials: to view and download resources from this lesson, you’ll need to be in the UK and
- Year 11
- Edexcel
Choosing elements and comparing music
I can choose which elements to focus on in a musical description and can write an effective musical comparison.
Copyrighted materials: to view and download resources from this lesson, you’ll need to be in the UK and
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- The way we structure a description is dependent on the question.
- If the question is linked to a particular style or context, every point must link to that.
- If the question is linked to a musical purpose (e.g. depicting a specific scene) every point should link to that.
- If it is a comparison, every feature that is described should be compared to the other clip.
- Being concise, making only relevant points and using technical vocabulary are also key to effective responses.
Keywords
Musical element - the building blocks of music which include rhythm, melody, harmony, structure and others
Musical purpose - what the piece of music is trying to achieve; this could be to represent something, encourage an action or to create a mood or emotion
Common misconception
Choosing elements to discuss is just a case of thinking of the easiest ones to talk about.
While this might seem like the best option, it is more important that you choose elements that are relevant to the question. Remember, always link your points back to the purpose of the music, or to the style that they are part of.
To help you plan your year 11 music lesson on: Choosing elements and comparing music, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 11 music lesson on: Choosing elements and comparing music, 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.
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Explore more key stage 4 music lessons from the Listening: long-form writing unit, dive into the full secondary music curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
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