Myths about teaching can hold you back
- Year 11
- OCR
Harmonic devices
I can identify a range of harmonic devices and how they are used.
Copyrighted materials: to view and download resources from this lesson, you’ll need to be in the UK and
- Year 11
- OCR
Harmonic devices
I can identify a range of harmonic devices and how they are used.
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
- Composers use various common harmonic devices to enhance harmony and create certain musical effects.
- Drones, pedals and ground bass are all determined by the bass parts and how they relate to the chords.
- Modulations are changes in key that can radically alter the mood of a piece of music.
- Suspensions are a specific type of dissonance that is used to create harmonic tension and resolution.
Keywords
Pedal - a bass note that stays the same while the chords change above it
Drone - a sustained sound that plays underneath other parts
Ground bass - a bass pattern that repeats while the upper parts develop above
Modulation - when the key changes during a piece of music
Suspension - when a note is held to play over a chord that it doesn’t fit with, creating dissonance
Common misconception
A modulation is when the chords don't use the tonic.
A modulation is actually when the tonic changes. Sometimes music can sound like it will modulate, but then it stays in the same key. For a true modulation, it must feel like the tonic itself has changed.
To help you plan your year 11 music lesson on: Harmonic devices, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 11 music lesson on: Harmonic 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.
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