Myths about teaching can hold you back
- Year 11
- Edexcel
Other melodic devices
I can identify a range of common melodic devices, including ornamentation, imitation and countermelodies.
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- Year 11
- Edexcel
Other melodic devices
I can identify a range of common melodic devices, including ornamentation, imitation and countermelodies.
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
- Composers use different melodic devices to develop and enhance their melodies.
- Ornamentation is a common melodic device in many styles.
- Common ornaments are trills, grace notes, turns and mordents.
- Imitation is a device where a part of a melody is copied in another part immediately or shortly afterwards.
- A countermelody is a contrasting second melody. It plays at the same time as the main melody and has equal prominence.
Keywords
Trill - a type of ornamentation based on alternating rapidly between two notes
Mordent - a type of ornamentation that creates the effect of a short trill
Grace note - a very fast note that plays just before a main melodic note: it is sometimes referred to as an acciaccatura
Imitation - a melodic device in which part of the melody is copied immediately in another part
Countermelody - a second melody that plays at the same time as the main melody
Common misconception
Imitation and a countermelody are the same thing.
They are related, but not the same. Imitation has to include copying part of the melody, normally immediately. A countermelody usually tries to contrast with the main melody so that it can be heard clearly separately.
To help you plan your year 11 music lesson on: Other melodic devices, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 11 music lesson on: Other melodic devices, 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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The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
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Explore more key stage 4 music lessons from the Understanding melody and harmony unit, dive into the full secondary music curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
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