- Year 10
- OCR
Vocals in pop ballads
I can compose and develop an idiomatic vocal melody for a pop ballad.
Copyrighted materials: to view and download resources from this lesson, you’ll need to be in the UK and
- Year 10
- OCR
Vocals in pop ballads
I can compose and develop an idiomatic vocal melody for a pop ballad.
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
- Vocalists in pop ballads use many different techniques to add expression, including vibrato and rubato.
- Many singers use a mixture of syllabic and melismatic singing to develop melodies and add expression.
- When writing a vocal melody, we need to consider the pattern of syllables and words, as well as the phrase structure.
- This ensures that there is balance of repetition and contrast.
Keywords
Vibrato - vibrato is a technique in which the pitch fluctuates up and down slightly to add intensity and expression
Rubato - rubato is when a performer slightly changes the tempo to add expression
Melismatic / melisma - melismatic singing is when a singer sings more than one note (often many notes) during a syllable of a word; it is also called melisma
Phrase structure - the phrase structure is the pattern of phrases in a melody; it should have a balance of repetition and contrast
Common misconception
Writing a vocal melody is the same as writing an instrumental melody.
Many of the same principles apply, such as phrase structure and using notes from the chords and the key. However, a vocal melody has to fit the natural rhythms and mood of the words well - we don't have to consider this with instrumental melodies.
To help you plan your year 10 music lesson on: Vocals in pop ballads, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 10 music lesson on: Vocals in pop ballads, 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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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 Extending understanding of pop music: pop ballads and modern pop unit, dive into the full secondary music curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
DAW, MIDI keyboard and vocal recording setup (built-in mic or external if necessary)
Licence
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