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Lesson 4 of 5
  • Year 10
  • Eduqas

Experimenting with texture

I can create a short composition that experiments with texture.

Lesson 4 of 5
New
New
  • Year 10
  • Eduqas

Experimenting with texture

I can create a short composition that experiments with texture.

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

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These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Texture is an important element to consider when composing. Melody and accompaniment is the most common musical texture.
  2. Composers also use homophonic, polyphonic and monophonic textures.
  3. In a melody and accompaniment texture the lead line or melody should be clear.
  4. Less important musical lines can contrast by using less interesting rhythms and melodic shapes.

Keywords

  • Monophonic - A monophonic texture is where there is only one layer of sound.

  • Melody and accompaniment - A texture that features a clear melody and separate accompaniment is called melody and accompaniment.

  • Polyphonic - A polyphonic texture is where there are two or more equally important but independent melodies.

Common misconception

A piece of music has a fixed texture all the way through

Although we can describe some pieces of music as particular textures overall there are often sections within pieces where the texture changes.


To help you plan your year 10 music lesson on: Experimenting with texture, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Encourage pupils to listen to how the different musical ideas compliment each other rather than choose a specific overall texture as an approach. Highlight that there are no right or wrong textures, although a generally successful approach is to ensure that there is clear lead line to focus on.
Teacher tip

Equipment

A keyboard (or other suitable instrument) or DAW/notation software

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
What word describes the describe the distance between two notes. e.g. C to G?

stacking
Correct answer: interval
scale
dissonance

Q2.
Which note value lasts for half a beat?

Correct Answer: quaver, a quaver, quavers, Quaver, A quaver

Q3.
A rhythm is one that emphasises (accents) notes in between the main beats.

Correct Answer: syncopated, syncopated., Syncopated, Syncopated., syncopation

Q4.
Adding chords to a melody is called .

supporting
variation
Correct answer: harmonisation
articulation

Q5.
What would be created in your music if you used melody notes outside of the chord that sounded clashing?

consonance
silence
Correct answer: dissonance
repeating
bassline

Q6.
How do we describe an interval of 8 notes?

8th
7th
Correct answer: octave
duplicate
5th

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
How do we define texture?

the feeling the listener gets from a piece of music
Correct answer: the combination of different parts, or layers, in a piece of music
the way the tempo and dynamics change in the music
the way the pitch of the melody moves up and down

Q2.
Which of these is a musical texture where there is only one line of music?

Correct answer: monophonic
melody and accompaniment
homophonic
polyphonc

Q3.
Which of these is a musical texture where there are two equally important but independent melodic parts?

monophonic
melody and accompaniment
homophonic
Correct answer: polyphonic

Q4.
which of these is a musical texture where a clear melody is accompanied by one or more other layers of music (sometimes moving at the same time)?

monophonic
Correct answer: melody and accompaniment
Correct answer: homophonic
polyphonic

Q5.
Which of these techniques would create a successful accompaniment?

Correct answer: It should be less melodically interesting than the melody.
It should be the same notes as the melody.
It should use the same rhythms as the melody.
Correct answer: It should use contrasting rhythms to the melody.

Q6.
Which of these words apply to melody?

Correct answer: conjunct
Correct answer: interval
fast
loud
Correct answer: disjunct