Exploring timbre and colour
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can experiment with timbre and colour to create a short composition.
Key learning points
- When writing for instruments music has to be playable and maximise the unique characteristics of the instrument.
- Range, intervals and how the instrument can be played is important in idiomatic writing for an instrument.
- Some instruments can change timbre i.e. strings can play bowed or pizzicato.
- Timbre can also be changed for expressive purposes, including using vibrato.
- Creative use of timbre can add interest and variety to compositions.
Keywords
Timbre - Timbre is the distinctive sound of an instrument or voice. This might also be referred to as sonority.
Idiomatic writing - Idiomatic writing is composing for an instrument (acoustic or electronic) or voice that makes the best use of the distinctive properties of that instrument or voice.
Vibrato - Vibrato is when the pitch fluctuates up and down very slightly to intensify the sound and add expression.
Common misconception
An instrument only has one timbre.
An instrument can have a few different timbres. Give examples of how instruments can change the sound they make.
Teacher tip
Encourage pupils to consider how they can make the best of their instrument. Ensuring that the music is playable is important, but so is exploring the unique potential of the instruments they are using. They might support each other by showing and articulating their instrument specialist techniques.
Equipment
A keyboard (or other suitable instrument) or DAW/notation software.
Licence
Lesson video
Loading...
Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which word in music refers to the combination of different parts, or layers, in a piece of music?
Q2.Which word describes a short, repeated rhythmic pattern in music?
Q3.What is the name given to a chord containing 3 notes?
Q4.What is the term to describe a musical texture where there are two equally important but independent melodic parts?
Q5.Which term describes when two or more independent rhythmic patterns performed at the same time?
Q6.Which of the following are ways of showing expression in music?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which word describes the distinctive sound of an instrument or voice (also referred to as sonority)?
Q2.Pizzicato, bowed, double-stopping and tremolo are all ways of playing which type of instrument?
Q3. writing is composing for an instrument (acoustic or electronic) or voice that makes the best use of distinctive properties of that instrument or voice.
Q4.Which word in music makes the pitch fluctuate up and down very slightly to intensify the sound and add expression?
Q5.Adding chords to a melody is called .
Q6. describes movement by steps in a melodic line.
To help you plan your 10 music lesson on: Exploring timbre and colour, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 music lesson on: Exploring timbre and colour, 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: Creative starting points unit, dive into the full secondary music curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.