AS Music Course Handbook

 Edexcel AS Music Course Handbook 1. THIS YEAR AT A GLANCE UNIT 1: Performance (30% of AS Grade; 15% of A2 Grade) You will prepare and record a performance of five‐six minutes, either as a soloist and/or part of an ensemble. You can choose music in any style. Any instrument(s) and/or voice(s) are acceptable. Notated and/or improvised performances may be submitted. Marked by the department and moderated by Edexcel. UNIT 2: Composition (30% of AS Grade; 15% of A2 Grade) You will compose a three‐minute piece based on a brief (chosen from a choice of four) issued by Edexcel. You will then answer three questions in the form of a CD sleeve note to describe aspects of your final composition and explain how other pieces of music have influenced it. Completed under controlled conditions. Both the composition and sleeve note are externally assessed. UNIT 3: Developing Musical Understanding (40% of AS Grade; 20% of A2 Grade) Over the year you will study ten set works from the Edexcel Anthology of Music. Instrumental Music: Tippett — Concerto for Double String Orchestra: movement I Webern — Quartet Op. 22: movement I Haydn — String Quartet in E flat, Op. 33 No. 2, ‘The Joke’: movement IV J. S. Bach — Partita No. 4 in D, BWV 828: Sarabande and Gigue Vocal Music: Berio — Sequenza III for Female Voice Bruckner — Locus Iste Dowland — Flow my Tears Gershwin — ‘Summertime’ from Porgy and Bess Desmond Dekker and the Aces — You Can Get It If You Really Want Oasis — Don’t Look Back in Anger You will sit a two‐hour written exam of three sections: 1 ASMusicCourseHandbook Section A (Listening) contains two questions and will require you to listen to extracts of music from one instrumental set work and one vocal work that you have studied. You may be asked to identify devices, harmony, cadences, keys, etc., and may be required to dictate a rhythm or melody. Section B (Investigating Musical Styles) will require you to write extended ten‐mark and eighteen‐mark answers. You will have a choice of answering questions on either instrumental or vocal music, but must answer two questions from one category. The first question will ask you to provide contextual information about one of the set works you have studied. The second question will ask you to compare and contrast two elements across two set works. Section C (Understanding Chords and Lines) will require you to study a skeleton score (provided by Edexcel in the exam) and identify chords, keys, devices, and other musical features. You will also complete a short passage of four part for Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass. For this you may use a keyboard with headphones, and must handwrite your answer. You are given five minutes’ reading time at the start of the examination, but do not have access to an anthology during the exam. 2. COMPOSITION MARKING CRITERIA 36–40 31–35 26–30 21–25 Outstanding Impressive and imaginative in style, ideas and development. Complete (or almost complete) control of compositional methods and techniques used. Sense of musical wholeness with no passage sub‐standard. Excellent Convincing throughout in style, ideas and development. Good control of compositional methods and techniques used. Any errors and/or misjudgements are marginal. Confident Convincing for most of the time in style, ideas and development. Some control of (perhaps a narrow range) compositional methods and techniques. Some errors and/or misjudgements, but too few to have a big impact. Competent Generally secure in style and ideas, but development may be limited. Some effective control of (probably a narrow range) compositional methods and techniques. Some errors and misjudgements, but the piece still has some direction and flow. 3. SLEEVE NOTE QUESTIONS 2 ASMusicCourseHandbook Answer the following questions in as much detail as you can. Examiners often comment that many marks are lost on this section from people making little effort. 1. Explain and comment on form and structure, indicating in particular how repetition and contrast are balanced. [4] 2. Mention four other features of interest. You can refer to any two or more of the following:  Rhythm;  Melodic development;  Texture;  Handling of instrument(s) and/or voice(s);  Harmony. [4] 3. Refer to pieces from the New Anthology of Music and/or elsewhere, to explain how other pieces of music have influenced you in your composition. [12] Your answers must be written in full prose. Check your spelling and grammar incredibly carefully. Remember:  Commas work in pairs, for example, like brackets, or for separating clauses.  A semicolon is used to expand upon a point; both clauses of the sentence should be able to be sentences in their own right.  A colon is used to list or to expand more forcefully: do not use it anywhere else.  A hyphen – when correctly used – should work like a bracket, bringing something out of the sentence.  Write as succinctly as possible; do not use extra words when you actually are better using fewer because your reader might get bored.  Donʹt use contractions.  The words ʹfurtherʹ, ʹhoweverʹ, ʹfor exampleʹ and ʹa lotʹ are overused. Do not use them.  Be creative in your language in order to preclude tautology.  If the computer highlights that you have spelt a word incorrectly, you probably have.  Always make sure you have answered the question and provided enough points. You should write more than four points for a four mark answer, for example. 4. EXEMPLAR SLEEVE NOTES WITH EXAMINERʹS COMMENTS 3 ASMusicCourseHandbook Spelling mistakes in the originals have been retained. Exemplar 1 Question 1 My composition is in ternary form (ABA), and a G pedal is repeated for the majority of the A section. The Double Bass and Viola parts reflect this in their parts. A melody is introduced in Violin 2 and harmonized note for note in the viola. The main motif, repeated at various stages, [?is] consistent with the main melody in rythmic unison, in 12/8. Based around the Dorian and Mixoledian. The time signature and tempo change in section B which takes 3/2 and moves into a series of linear crochets and the motif introduced in the beginning of B is repeated for 9 bars directly and after that the phrasing is derivative but not directly repeated. This section as does section A, uses a consistent ostinato, and switches between D minor and F major every two bars. It is a contrast to section A, although at the end of B introduces G major (Mixo‐ledian and dorian). The sections are changed through a small series of transformative fermatas, and the new motifs, representative of the sections are introduced. Examinerʹs Comment: Marked holistically. Fits the descriptor for 3 marks. Discussion of the points is quite hard to follow in places and there are several prominent spelling errors. 3 marks Question 2 1. The rythm is a steady and consistent series of quavers that are played in formation of: quaver, quaver, eighth‐note rest, grouping in 3’s, abiding by 12/8 time signature. 2. The melody is introduced after a 4‐bar introduction of G‐pedaled quavers, and is developed elaborately in bar 9, and partially loses structures as it wanders in harmony around Doric/mixoledian. Motifs of the basic melody are repeated between violin [1] and violin 2 and they wander gradually upwards over 4 bars in a sequence like motion, and then descend below the starting point in 2 bars, to introduce the new repeated motif over the original G pedaled ostinato. 3. The harmony is based largely on the G‐major pedal, the melody plays on the dorian/mixoledian scale and the parallel fifths played in Violin 1 are introduced again at a few points, in harmony with the melody. The repition of a few motifs constructs the violin parts and viola in Section A. 4. The parallel fifth phrase played at the beginning in the violin section serves to represent 17th century monk‐singing of parallel fifths which specifies an atmosphere and environment for the following melody to play in, as the G pedal would otherwise be bland and unspecified, those fifths are repeated in different parts of orchestra at various stages. Examinerʹs Comment: 4 ASMusicCourseHandbook Marked holistically. Fits the descriptor for 3 marks. Point 1 is a fairly basic description of the note values and as such is not really a creditable point of interest. As in Question 1, syntax and spelling are not fully secure. 3 marks Question 3 The parallel 5ths played at the start, that set the atmosphere and environment that the melody plays in, are influenced directly by early 12th/11th/earlier/century monk religious chanting. The 5th was seen as the early musical epitomized interval of perfection; pure and so on. This beginning phrase is indicative of the rest of the piece which takes features of a folklore dance.  My underlying ‘Battle’ narrative is set to life by the dorian/mixoledian harmonies that are played in the strings, reminiscent of the Irish fiddle.  ‘What do you do with a drunken sailor’ was an inspiration for both the melody and the parallel fifth.  The piece is not set in the Baroque and post‐Baroque conventional harmonies in section A, as the G pedal  in Double Bass and cello prevails and where not directly played is implied, for example in the solo of Violin 2, bar 7, the G pedal is ever‐present as the melody wanders. John Williams and film‐music encouraged and inspired me to use atmospherics, such as the dorian/mixoledian that would validate and make vivid my narrative for ‘The Night Before the Battle’. John Williams ‘Imperial march’ uses a similar type pedal in the strings for several bars before the introduction of the melody.  The folklore and Irish ideas strongly implied are also slightly superficial as elements reminiscent of the tonic, sub‐dominant, and dominant shine through. In Bar 21, the viola plays a mercato C, D, G – consistently over the next 5 bars and also the corresponding A section recapitulation. Film music uses simillar superficial atmospherics, neo‐classical or otherwise to set a backdrop for a narrative, as does my piece. In John Williams ‘Star Wars’ introduction, he uses a sustained I, IV, and V harmonies as his first notes of his ‘Star Wars’ piece, played repeatedly for a short time before his first notes of the melody. The sustained string inspired me to do a simillar thing, but at the end of my composition.  In section B, the tempo changes as does the key signature, in my piece and the chordal harmonies make a melody less detectable. My B section changes between D minor and F major, the relative minor and major, and they do this every 2 bars for 9 bars – my inspiration is from popular music and ska for this, as they do this as well. The ‘Choral’are a band that use this technique and listening to the rapid change of harmony, every 2 bars, inspired me to do the same. Studying minimalism in my musical studies, showed me how one idea could be repeated and developed very slowly, with the introduction of instruments gradually, and so on.  This was a direct inspiration for my bar 19–26 as violin 2 repeats the exact same notes, syncopated against the bar structure.  The 5 ASMusicCourseHandbook viola played the appropriate marcato accompanying notes after 2 bars and after almost another 2 bars, the original pedal G repeated quaver formation join this new motif. The dynamics here are achieved by pioneers such as Phillip Glass and Steve Reich. Steve Reich’s ‘Piano phase’ repeats a technic [?] piano motif over 10 minutes that is unchanging, and this was an inspiration for me, in particular with these bars. The music of films combines ecclectic former ideas to create a new processed atmospheric for a narrative, and I thought that using simillar ideas would be effective. Examinerʹs Comment: 12 ticks for valid points. 8 marks rather than 9 because of QWC [careless syntax and rushed ending, but it fits the descriptor]. The answer starts well but there is a gradual loss of detail. 8 marks ================================================================= Exemplar 2 Question 1 The structure of my piece is verse chorus, verse chorus, bridge section and then chorus. Before the chorus there is a pre‐chorus that links the verse to the chorus. However in the middle section the pre‐chorus is 4 bars long. The difference between the middle section and the verses is different chords are used and there’s a modulation in the middle section. The –re‐chorus after the bridge is different to the previous ones to have some variation and contrast in my piece making it more interesting. The chorus following the middle section brings back the original familiar melody. Examinerʹs Comment: Marked holistically. Fits the descriptor for 3 marks. The main points are covered but more detail would be required for 4. 3 marks Question 2 6 ASMusicCourseHandbook 1. Handling of instruments – I’ve written for 5 instruments, use of ad libbing and improvisation in piano and voice part – electric guitar chord variation. 2. Harmony – Use of unusual chords e.g. B[flat]m, G[flat] maj, E[flat]m, A[flat] maj. The pre‐chorus chords change after the bridge from G[flat] A[flat] to Am, Bm, A and B major. 3. Texture – The piano begins the piece with a solo 8 bar introduction. All the other instruments play throughout until the middle section where the electric guitar drops out. 4. Melodic Development – The melody is the same for both verses and changes for the pre‐chorus and then a completely different melody for the chorus and then a different melody for the bridge to the verse. Examinerʹs Comment: Marked holistically. The main points are covered but overall there is a lack of detail. 2 marks Question 3 ‘Chariot’ by Gavin Degraw uses the piano the guitar, the drum kit and the voice which is similar to my piece however mine also uses a bass guitar. The piano part plays chords with use of ad libbing also which I also do in my composition. Chariot also begins with a short piano introduction before the other instruments join in  however when all the instruments begin to play the voice sings the melody but in my piece the voice doesn’t begin until after the entire introduction is finished. In my composition the voice provides the melody, the electric guitar is the rhythm guitar giving a variation of the chords and the bass guitar playing the bass line. With reference to the song ‘I’m Leavin’ You’ by Chester Burnett in the anthology there is use of ad lib in the piano part – especially in the middle contrasting section where my piece uses ad lib. The anthology piece also consists of the same instruments I use in mine with the exception of the lead guitar.  My composition uses the verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus x 2 structure. This is similar to the song ‘Beautiful Disaster’ by Kelly Clarkson  which uses the same structure as mine, this song also uses pre‐choruses to link the verses to the choruses. One difference  is that the pre‐choruses in ‘Beautiful Disaster’ are four bars long whereas mine are only two bars long.  In Beautiful Disaster there is a bridge section that contrasts the original melody  like I have in my composition and it has modulated  to a different key. However, one difference would be that after the bridge section instead of having a pre‐chorus there is an additional but shorter verse than the previous ones, then a pre‐chorus and the chorus repeated. ‘Beautiful Disaster is also comprised of some unusual chords but the verses always maintain the same chord pattern as do the choruses there is only a change when we reach the middle section. Examinerʹs Comment: 7 ASMusicCourseHandbook 10 ticks for valid points. Fits the descriptor but there is some vagueness so the lower of the two marks has been awarded. There is a tendency to describe the influences without providing detailed references to the candidate’s composition. 6 marks 5. STARTING YOUR COMPOSITION Schöenbergʹs Chord Chart This chart helps you work out what chords fit with the key you want. Capital letters are for
major keys and the lower case are for minor keys. The immediate letters around any given
letter are chords that belong to that key and/or are chords you would expect.
8 ASMusicCourseHandbook Around any given letter are eight chords which relate to that key. Decide on an initial key and write below sixteen chords (i.e. two eight‐bar progressions). Remember to write major chords with capitals and minor chords in small letters. ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ For each chord above, now write out the notes in that chord. For major chords, you will need the note of the chord, plus the note four semitones up, plus the note three semitones up. For minor chords it is the other way around (i.e. the note of the chord, plus the note three semitones up, plus the note four semitones up). Check: note skip note skip note E.g. F# major: F# A# C# Bb minor: Bb Db F 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 1 2 3 Remember that a chord with # in its name must not have notes spelt with a b and vice versa. Check that each of your chords is spelt with letters that are a third apart (i.e. note‐skip‐note‐
skip‐note). Write the three notes in each of your chords in the table below. The root of the chord (the note the chord is named after) should go at the bottom of each row of three. 9 ASMusicCourseHandbook You now have a sixteen bar chord sequence. To every other chord now add either a note that is another three semitones above the highest note in the chord, or a note that is seven semitones above the highest note in the chord. This adds a minor seventh (it is seven letters away from the root of the chord) or a major ninth (nine letters away from the root of the chord). If you are writing in a jazz style you may want to use both added notes. Again, if the chord involves #s the note should not be spelt with a b and vice versa. Write these added notes above or below the table. The Harmony Matrix It is important to consider voice‐leading when writing chords. Voice leading refers to how smooth an individual path is between, for example, the top notes in each chord, or the notes second from top, etc. In order to write music that flows, voice leading must be secure. The harmony matrix allows you to achieve smooth voice leading in your harmonic progressions. Your first chord must be written in root position (i.e. the note that the chord is named after must be at the bottom). So, for G major, I would write: D B G The letters of each subsequent chord need to be placed in to the row of the matrix closest to the letters in the previous chord. Say I wanted to then write a chord of C major (C, E, G). My harmony matrix would now look like this: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 ⟶ ⟶ ⟶ D B G E C G For the voice leading to be smooth, the C major chord has to be written in first inversion (i.e. tipped up once so that the root (C) is now in the middle. The arrows show the resulting smooth voice leading between each of the parts. It also means that this is now easily playable on the piano, rather than having to jump. Hooray. Remember that since you have added sevenths and/or ninths to your chords, some chords will have four notes. This does not matter – concentrate on getting the main three parts as smooth as possible and then put whichever note is left in the fourth row. Now fill in your harmony matrix for the first sixteen bars. 10 ASMusicCourseHandbook You now have a harmonic progression which has smooth voice leading. This is your first musical section. Your piece must have a number of musical sections, and the order in which they come determines the form (the overall structure or plan). Binary: A B Rounded Binary: A B (where the B section ends with a return of part of the A section) Ternary A B A Compound Ternary: A (where each section is AB Rondo: A1 (where each A section is varied) Sonata Form: Exposition
Development
Recapitulation
Coda
B AB B A AB) A2 C A3 etc. First subject group (the first theme – in one key); Second subject group (second theme – in the dominant key); Transition (brings music back to first themeʹs key); Two ideas put against each other – FIGHT; Each idea infiltrates the other; More (related?) keys explored; Each theme undergoes variation; Minor ⟶ Major or Major ⟶ Minor; Transition (brings music back to first themeʹs key). First subject group reappears in its original key; Transition (to link to second subject group); Second subject group reappears (in first themeʹs key) First key wins over the second key; Home key confirmed again and again and again; Harmonic acceleration (chords change more quickly); Dynamic intensification (gets louder); BANG (stab chord). 11 ASMusicCourseHandbook Once you have decided on a structure, use the matrices below to plan your sixteen bar sections in the same way as before. If you have chosen sonata form you should aim to use sixteen bars for each line of description (with the exception of the BANG chord). 12 ASMusicCourseHandbook 13 ASMusicCourseHandbook Writing a Melody Below are some ideas for how to start writing your melody.  Start by writing crotchets that use each note of your chord. Do this across your sixteen bar section. Fill in any thirds with a quaver on the note in between (this is called a ʹpassing noteʹ). You can then begin to add rhythmic interest by changing the rhythm of the bar around; or you can start adding chromatic notes (other sharps or flats). Make sure that any chromatic notes are added between the beats and not on them – otherwise it will sound strange.  Play your chord progression at the piano and sing over the top. Try to work out on the piano what you naturally sing to the chord progression. Or you could input the chords into Sibelius and use the playback function to play the chords as you sing over the top.  Who says you have to use a major or minor scale? Why not try an octatonic scale, which alternates semitones and tones (i.e. semitone, tone, semitone, tone, semitone, tone, etc.). Or why not experiment with modal melodies? Modes were used by musicians before the rules for forming major and minor scales were decided. The formulas below start on the tonic (1st) note of the key you have chosen. Ionian mode: tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone, tone, semitone. (this was later renamed the major scale) Dorian mode: tone, semitone, tone, tone, tone, semitone, tone. (sad sound; often used in medieval churches for chant and now often in folk music) Phrygian: semitone, tone, tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone. (often used in Spanish music) Lydian: tone, tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone, semitone. (has an air of mystery to it because the fourth note is higher than you expect) Mixolydian: tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone, semitone, tone. (often used in folk music) Aeolian: tone, semitone, tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone. (called the natural minor scale; often used for representing the countryside) Lochrian: semitone, tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone, tone. (called the devilʹs mode – sounds very angry)  Why not create a small rhythmic cell of a bar or two, and then base the rest of the section on successive developments and variations of that cell? You could then base your piece on
that melody and its various developments:
a. Double/halve the rhythm?
b. Up/down an octave?
c. Syncopated/tripletised/metric displacement (4 beats in a time signature of 3?)?
d. Fragmented?
e. Inverted?
f. Retrograded?
14 ASMusicCourseHandbook 
If you feel more confident thinking in rhythm rather than pitch, why not compose your piece rhythmically? You could use some of the ideas from the previous bullet point and layer up your rhythms, or concatenate them (string them together). You could then input the rhythms into Sibelius and move the individual notes up and down with the up/down arrows. Make sure that the notes fit with the chords from your matrix though. 6. WRITING FOR INSTRUMENTS If you have chosen to write for a number of instruments, you need to demonstrate to the examiner that you are aware of the idiosyncrasies of that instrument (i.e. the peculiar effects you can get from it, or the way that the music is written for them). There are several good places to start to understand the effects that various instruments can create. The Philharmonia have released a number of videos on YouTube which explain about each instrument and the effects they can produce. YouTube ʹ*instrument name* philharmoniaʹ and you will find it. The AB Guide to Music Theory, Part II, also has chapters on each family of instruments. Wikipedia also often contains interesting sections on techniques you can use for each instrument. When in doubt though, always ask! Here are some suggestions you may wish to consider putting in your piece. Section Techniques
Typical Uses
Pizzicato, arco, double stopping, mutes, Cello ostinati harmonics, tremolo, use of their huge range, Slow moving Strings slow moving chords, cello repetitive ostinati violin/viola melodies to create suspense, etc. Double bass to add depth Huge range of instruments, warm timbre, To double strings Woodwind mainly used to double the strings for a thicker Flute for light sound sound/texture, characterful instruments such Clarinet for warm as the bassoon and clarinet etc. sound and large range Slow moving chords to create suspense, Horns to pad out Brass dramatic crescendos/diminuendos/accents, texture mutes, trumpets create military/action feeling Trombones to add to etc. double bass Timpani/snare drum/cymbals to create Percussive use of suspense; piano Glockenspiels/marimbas/xylophones for Timpani to create Percussion warmer/brighter sound, hand percussion to suspense add brightness, piano can be used Sporadic snare drum percussively or more ‘musically’ and harp for to create tension/action lighter feel etc. 15 ASMusicCourseHandbook 7. MAKING YOUR COMPOSITION EVEN BETTER Have you considered using:  Cluster chords – useful for rhythmic effect – low on piano or high in woodwind – eerie! 
Ostinati – based on an arpeggio or first 3 degrees of the chosen scale – creates sense of motion. 
Pedal notes – in bass instruments whilst chords change around on top – more options and suspense. 
Melodies – use most of the notes in the chord with upper and lower auxiliary notes/passing notes. 
Dialogue – imitation, canon, call and response between instruments – pads out the texture. 
Added chords – add in a D to a C major chord or a G to an A minor chord – more options and softens the sound of the chord. 
Inversions – use a mixture of root/1st inversion chords – provides variety and smoothness between chords. 
Tempo changes – use dramatic or gradual tempo changes – creates instability. 
Layering – adding one note at a time to a clashing chord – creates tension. 
Motor rhythms – repeated rhythm in an instrument/group of instruments – creates motion and suspense. 
Harmonising – try harmonising the same melody with different chords e.g. harmonising a C in the melody with a C chord, then an A minor chord then an F major etc. – gives a sense of development. 
Triplets/quintuplets – use polyrhythms and cross‐rhythms across parts – sense of chaos/tension. 
Rhythmic augmentation/rhythmic diminution – double or halve the rhythms of a melody or ostinato – creates a sense of speeding up or coming to a halt. 8. BEGINNING ANALYSIS OF SET WORKS AT HOME Below are some useful starting questions to ask when listening to a piece for the first time. For each piece, write answers down on a separate piece of paper in the form of notes. Do not just write ʹhighʹ, but ʹwoodwinds are playing in a high tessituraʹ, for example. Melody:
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Big or small range?
Which instrument performs the main melody?
Does the melody stay in that one instrument?
Is the rhythm of the melody mainly made up of quavers, minims or a mixture?
Is there a big range of the dynamics?
16 ASMusicCourseHandbook 
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Is the tessitura (average note) high or low?
Is the melody syllabic or melismatic?
Is the melody pentatonic/minor/major?
Is the melody conjunct (scalic) or disjunct (leaps)?
Rhythm:
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What is the time signature – does it change?
Is the rhythm on the beat or off the beat?
Are there polyrhythms, cross rhythms, hemiolas?
Is the rhythm of the melody the same as the accompanying instruments?
Are the rhythms complicated/straightforward in the verse/chorus/A section/coda etc.
Are the rhythms improvised in the verse/chorus/A section/coda etc.?
Are the rhythms repetitive?
Harmony:
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Is the music mainly major, minor or modal?
Are there many different chords used in the piece?
What is the key signature – does it change?
Any added/chromatic notes in the harmony?
Are there any ostinati?
Which instrument(s) play(s) the accompaniment?
Structure:
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How many sections are there?
How many themes are there?
How does the composer suggest a new section?
Are there any ostinati?
Do the sections repeat? If so, are they the same each time or different?
Texture:
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What is the texture at the beginning/end of the piece?
How are the instruments layered?
Is there any use of canon?
Polyphonic/monophonic/heterophonic or monophonic?
Does the texture change?
Dynamics:
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Is there a big range of dynamics?
Do the dynamics change? If so, is it a sudden change?
17 ASMusicCourseHandbook Timbre:
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What is the function of the clarinet/oboe/violin/guitar/bass guitar?
What instruments can you hear in this extract?
What ensemble is this piece written for?
What instrument(s) can you hear at the start/end of this extract?
What effect (panning, EQ, tremolo etc.) can you hear?
How is word painting used in this piece?
Tempo:
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Does the tempo change? If so, does it change suddenly?
Is there a big range of tempo?
Describe the way clarinet/oboe/violin/guitar/bass guitar etc. is played
9. QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE TO SIBELIUS To use panoramic mode (to see your music appearing from right to left rather than scrolling
around the document manually)
 Hold ‘shift’ and press ‘p’
 To go back to normal view hold ‘shift’ and press ‘p’
Add in dynamics
 Click on the note where you want to add the dynamics
 Press “Control and E”
 A flashing cursor will appear – right-click just to the side of the flashing cursor
 Options for dynamics will appear
 Once you select it you can copy and paste it around the music
Tempo marking
 Right-click anywhere on the music (without selecting a note)
 Click “Text”
 Click “Tempo”
 Click where you want the tempo to start
 A flashing cursor will appear – right-click just to the side of the flashing cursor
 Your options will appear
Press the letter “L” on the keyboard
 Lines such as trills, diminuendos and rallentandos will appear
Press the letter “Z” on the keyboard
 Symbols such as ornaments will appear
18 ASMusicCourseHandbook 
Click on the ornament and then click where you would like it to appear on your screen.
Once you click on the ornament on your score you can drag it around using the mouse
whilst holding down the left click button
Press the letter “K” on the keyboard
 It’ll change your key signature
 Click “K”
 Click on the key you want
 Click on the bar you want it to start
Press the letter “T” on the keyboard
 It’ll change your time signature
 Follow the directions for changing your key signature
Press the letter ‘I’ on the keyboard
 It’ll add an instrument
Keypad
 Staccato (short, detached notes), accents (make the note louder) and tenuto (where you
ever-so-slightly pause on a note) marks are available on the keypad (where you select
your notes)
Slurs
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Select two consecutive notes or more
Press the letter “S” on the keyboard
A slur will appear between the two
Useful for writing lyrics or for slurring notes for a woodwind instrument in particular
Bars
 Add a bar at the end of your music – click on last bar and press ‘Control’ and ‘b’
 To delete a bar – hold ‘Control’ and left click on the bar you want to delete (it should
turn a pink/purple colour) – then press delete
 To add a bar in the middle of your music – click where you want to add and press
‘control’ and ‘shift’ and ‘b’
General tips
 The ‘escape’ button is your best friend – if Sibelius doesn’t seem to be working press
‘escape’ and carry on
 Undo – ‘Control’ and ‘z'
Remember to save your work every few minutes!
19 ASMusicCourseHandbook 10. COMPOSITION LOG Use the table below to record how long you have spent writing up your composition. This does not include preparation time. You have 14 hours to write up your composition. Date
Composition Time
Total Composition Time
20 ASMusicCourseHandbook 11. LISTENING EXAM JARGON Below is a list of phrases that typically appear in questions. Write down examples of answers. What chord is used?
How does the ‘element’ change?
Comment on the ‘instrument’ in bar ‘number’
What happens in bar ‘number’?
Contrast the ‘instrument/vocal’ part of bar ‘number’ with the ‘instrument/vocal’ part of bar ‘number’
Describe the ‘element’ of bar(s) ‘number’ (to number)
Name the type of dissonance at bar ‘number’
Name the key at bar ‘number’
What type of cadence is heard at bar ‘number’?
Describe the harmonic/rhythmic/melodic/textural device at bar ‘number’
Explain how the device is used
How do the chords at the beginnings of bar ‘number’ and ‘number’ differ from one another?
What type of scale is used in the ‘instrumental/vocal’ part of bar ‘number’?
Comment on the writing for the ‘instrument/vocal’ part in bars ‘number’ and ‘number’
21 ASMusicCourseHandbook Describe the writing for the ‘instrument/vocal’ part in bars ‘number’ and ‘number’
Describe the piano accompaniment in bar ‘number’
Comment on the piano part in bar ‘number’
Name the ornament at bar ‘number’
Describe the harmonic progression in bars ‘number’ to ‘number’
How much lower is the phrase that begins at bar ‘number’ than the previous part?
Comment on the writing for voices in bars ‘number’ and ‘number’
Describe the instrumental techniques employed in bars ‘number’ and ‘number’
12. MUSICAL DEVICES Use this table to compile a list of devices. An example of each has been provided in each element. Circle of fifths, Harmonic Ritornello, Structural Sequence, Melodic Canon, Textural Motor rhythms, Rhythmical 22 ASMusicCourseHandbook 13. KEYWORDS WORD CLOUD 23 ASMusicCourseHandbook 14. ELEMENTS OF MUSIC MELODY When answering questions for Unit 3, think of MAD T SHIRT (melody, articulation, dynamics, texture, structure, harmony, instrumentation, rhythm and metre, and tonality/tempo). Below are some terms to help you discuss the set works. Fill out the table below to aid revision. Term Brief Definition
Can be found in (+ bar ref.)
Conjunct Disjunct Arch‐Shaped Melody Monotone Motifs Leitmotifs Note Rows Balanced Phrasing Irregular Phrasing Fragmentation Ornaments Melodic Decoration Passing Note Auxiliary Note 24 ASMusicCourseHandbook MELODY (cont.) Term Brief Definition
Can be found in (+ bar ref.)
Anticipation Blue Note Pitch Bend Term Brief Definition
Can be found in (+ bar ref.)
Staccato Accent Slur Tie Tenuto Marcato Term Brief Definition
Can be found in (+ bar ref.)
ppp pp p mp mf ARTICULATION DYNAMICS 25 ASMusicCourseHandbook DYNAMICS (cont.) Term Brief Definition
Can be found in (+ bar ref.)
f ff fff Term Brief Definition
Can be found in (+ bar ref.)
Homophonic Melody‐Dominated Homophony Contrapuntal Polyphonic Imitative Canonic Fugal Two‐Part Three‐Part Four‐Part Cantus Firmus Monophonic TEXTURE 26 ASMusicCourseHandbook Brief Definition
Can be found in (+ bar ref.)
Antiphonal Polarised Dialogue Doubling Phasing Parallelism Role of Rests Alberti Bass Ostinato/i Walking Bass Term Binary Form Brief Definition
Can be found in (+ bar ref.)
Rounded Binary Form Ritornello Form Ternary Form TEXTURE (cont.) Term Heterophonic STRUCTURE 27 ASMusicCourseHandbook STRUCTURE (cont.) Term Brief Definition
Can be found in (+ bar ref.)
Rondo Form Sonata Form (Exposition, Development, Recapitulation) Head Arrangement Verse and Chorus Form Colotomic Structure Through‐Composed Introduction Interlude Episode Fugato Stretto Codetta Coda Use of Motifs at Cadential Points Periodic Phrasing Monothematic Structure 28 ASMusicCourseHandbook HARMONY Term Brief Definition
Can be found in (+ bar ref.)
Primary Triads Root Position Chord Inversion Dominant Seventh Secondary Seventh Chromatic Chord Diminished Seventh Augmented Sixth Chord Neapolitan Sixth Functional Harmony Cadence Perfect Cadence Plagal Cadence Imperfect Cadence Interrupted Cadence Phrygian Cadence 29 ASMusicCourseHandbook Term HARMONY (cont.) Brief Definition
Can be found in (+ bar ref.)
Modal Circle of Fifths Twelve‐Bar‐Blues Pedal Inverted Pedal Harmonic Sequence Tierce de Picardie Suspensions Substitution Chords Family INSTRUMENTATION Instruments (clefs)
Can be found in
Woodwind Brass Strings Percussion Keyboard Voices 30 ASMusicCourseHandbook Term Ametric Rhythm Polyrhythm Cross‐Rhythm Hemiola Fermata Anacrusis Syncopation Ostinato/i Augmentation Diminution Triplet Dotted Rhythm Double‐Dotted Rhythm Quintuplet Septuplet RHYTHM AND METRE Can be found in (+ bar ref.)
Additative Rhythm Brief Definition
31 ASMusicCourseHandbook Term Brief Definition
Can be found in (+ bar ref.)
Swung Quavers Straight Eights Simple Time Compound Time Simple Duple Metre Simple Triple Metre Simple Quadruple Compound Duple Compound Triple Compound Quadruple Irregular RHYTHM AND METRE (cont.) Scotch‐Snap (lombardic rhythm) Term TONALITY Brief Definition
Can be found in (+ bar ref.)
Major Minor Modal 32 ASMusicCourseHandbook TONALITY Term Brief Definition
Can be found in (+ bar ref.)
Chromatic Atonal Pentatonic Hexatonic Modulation Relative Major Relative Minor Tertiary Shift (terzgewandschaft) Dominant Pedal Other Points to Discuss: Resources:  Large or small orchestra? Any solo parts?  Natural brass or fully chromatic brass?  Solo instrumental music? Idiomatic writing? Extended techniques?  Chamber music? Interplay between the instruments?  Continuo instruments? What role they play?  Unusual instruments or instrumental combinations?  Layered or Pointillist textures?  Contrasting timbres? Composerʹs use of timbre?  Special performance techniques?  Solo voice or choral writing?  Mixed choir or all male choir?  Accompanied voices or a capella?  Syllabic or melismatic word setting?  Vocalising?  Declamatory vocal styles (e.g. recitative)?  Word painting?  Text repetition?  Genre of the work? (opera, piano sonata, string quartet, symphony, concerto grosso, church music, etc.)  Original performance circumstances? 33 ASMusicCourseHandbook