Myths about teaching can hold you back
- Year 11
- Eduqas
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
- Year 11
- Eduqas
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
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.
These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.
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.
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.
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.
Equipment
Licence
Sign in to continue
Our content remains 100% free, but to access certain copyrighted materials, you'll need to sign in. This ensures we’re both staying within the rules.
P.S. Signing in also gives you more ways to make the most of Oak like unit downloads!
