- Year 10
- Eduqas
Developing chord progressions
I can use harmonic devices to develop a chord progression.
- Year 10
- Eduqas
Developing chord progressions
I can use harmonic devices to develop a chord progression.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- Changing the harmonic rhythm can add interest to a composition. It can dramatically alter the mood in a piece.
- Harmonic devices such as pedal notes and drones are useful for building harmonic tension and adding colour.
- By adding extensions to chords, composers can enhance the expressive qualities of chord sequences.
Keywords
Harmonic rhythm - Harmonic rhythm is how often the chords change.
Pedal note - A pedal note is a bass note that stays the same while chords change above it.
Drone - A drone is a long, sustained sound. Often it is low pitched and consists of two notes together - the tonic and dominant.
Extended chord - An extended chord is a chord that includes more than three different notes.
Common misconception
A pedal note is just a long, low note.
A pedal note is a consistent pitch usually in the bass whilst the chords change. Encourage pupils to listen to and experiment with the pitch they choose for a pedal to hear the effect it has on the harmony.
To help you plan your year 10 music lesson on: Developing chord progressions, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 10 music lesson on: Developing chord progressions, 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 Free Composition: Extending ideas unit, dive into the full secondary music curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
A keyboard (or other suitable instrument) or DAW/notation software
Licence
Lesson video
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