Unit 4 Guide t3 14

UNIT 4: AURAL PERCEPTION SKILLS Course materials 2014 - 2015

TERM 3

LEVEL 3 (90 CREDIT) DIPLOMA IN MUSIC

Unit Study Guide Learning information Aims: The aim of this unit is to help learners develop a critical ear and knowledge about melodic parts, harmonic progressions, rhythms and texture. Unit Content: Intervals: major; minor; perfect; augmented; diminished; simple; compound Pitches: tones; semi-tones; degrees of the scale Types of chord: major; minor; dominant; augmented; diminished; seventh chords Chord progressions: standard progressions in both diatonic and chromatic forms Time signatures: duple; triple; compound; complex eg 7/8 Rhythms: regular; dotted; syncopated; triplets; subdivisions eg 2+2+3 in 7/8 Harmony: diatonic harmony; chromatic harmony Tonality: tonal; atonality; bitonality; polytonality Learning Outcomes

1. Know about different intervals and pitches 2. Know about chord and chord progressions 3. Know about simple and complex rhythms 4. Know about harmony and tonality Assessment and grading criteria To achieve a pass grade the evidence must show that the learner is able to:

To achieve a merit grade the evidence must show that, in addition to the pass criteria, the learner is able to:

P1 identify, in a variety of types of music, simple intervals and pitches [IE, RL] P2 identify, in a variety of types of music, simple chords and chord progressions [IE, RL] P3 identify, in a variety of types of music, simple rhythms [IE, RL] P4 identify, in a variety of types of music, simple harmony and tonality. [IE, RL]

M1 describe, in a variety of types of music, simple intervals and pitches

To achieve a distinction grade the evidence must show that, in addition to the pass and merit criteria, the learner is able to: D1 explain, in a variety of types of music, simple intervals and pitches

M2 describe, in a variety of types of music, simple chords and chord progressions

D2 explain, in a variety of types of music, simple chords and chord progressions

M3 describe, in a variety of types of music, complex rhythms

D3 explain, in a variety of types of music, complex rhythms

M4 describe, in a variety of types of music, simple harmony and tonality

D4 explain, in a variety of types of music, simple harmony and tonality.

Learning Resources Recommended reading;

Textbooks Adler S – The Study of Orchestration (W.W. Norton & co, 2002) ISBN 9780393975727 Bowman D and Terry P – Aural Matters (Schott, 1995) ISBN 9780946535224 Taylor E – The AB Guide to Music Theory (ABRSM, 1991) ISBN 9781854724472 Formative Assessment: Weekly verbal feedback and guidance. Additional formative feedback sessions will take place in weeks 4 and 6. Summative assessment: Assignment 3: Written Exam (Analysing harmonic language) (P4, M4, D4) Timing of summative assessment: Week 8 Overview: Welcome to Aural Perception! All musicians, whatever stage of the musical journey they are involved with would benefit from this unit. Aural perception skills are fundamental to success for all types of musicians. Studying this unit involves listening to many different types of music and learning how to describe individual parts and the effects created by the combination of these parts. You will develop the skills needed to analyse a piece of music, recognising the different elements involved and the different textures created by a variety of types of instrumentation. You will listen to many different kinds of music during the study of this unit. Performers, composers, engineers and producers working professionally need good aural perception skills. They need to be able to hear the musical elements, so that they can comment constructively. Performers need to be able to listen critically to rehearse effectively. Composers and producers need to hone their awareness of part writing, rhythm, instrumental timbre and texture. Engineers would benefit tremendously from being able to communicate with performers using a common musical.

English Functional Skills – Level 2 Unit no:

Assignment title

English skills

Grading Criteria

Unit 4: Aural Perception 1 : The Elements of Music (Written Test / Oral response to

Unit 4: questions) Aural 2 : Adding Interest Perception

(Oral response to questions / performance of sections)

Writing: analysing and comparing textures from a number of pieces of music.

P1, M1, D1 P2, M2, D2 P3, M3, D3 P4, M4, D4

Programme: Level 3 (90 Credit) Diploma in Music

Term 3

Unit 4: Aural Perception (Universal)

Week 1

Objectives  Revise A&T from Term 2

Please note that this Unit requires manuscript paper to make notes. By now you should be able to recognise all simple intervals, as well as recognising, singing and playing the major and minor triads. You should be familiar with the root position, 1st and 2nd inversions and how to notate them. You should be familiar with the time signatures 3/4, 4/4 and 6/8 and be able to clap, sing and transcribe rhythms including dotted notes and ties. Furthermore, you have learned how to transcribe melodies and bass-lines, combining your knowledge of intervals and rhythms.

Intervals

Major and minor triads

Rhythm in 4/4

Rhythm in 6/8

Inversions

Transcribing a melody and bass-line

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT: Play the melody and bass-line above on the keyboard. Make sure to take your time. Don’t rush, and if it helps you, count the beats out loud while playing. Keep the tempo slow until you are sure you are playing it correctly. The bass clef is to be played with your left hand. Start off with playing each voice separately until you can do this with no errors. Then you can put them together.


Term 3


Week 2

Objectives  Revise scales  Song structure (pop)

The major scale

The natural minor scale

Intervals

Triads

Song structure (pop) Now that your knowledge of music transcription is reaching a certain level, we can start to apply it more and more to transcribing “real” songs. Ultimately, being able to analyze and transcribe a full song would be the goal, as this is something professional musicians often have to do. Understanding structures in songs is a big part of this. The structure is like the frame of the song. A very common structure in pop songs could be: Intro Verse 1 Pre-chorus Chorus (Re-intro) Verse 2 Pre-Chorus Chorus M8 / Bridge / Solo Chorus Chorus Outro This is in no way written in stone, and you will see many varieties of this structure. You don’t necessarily have to have a pre-chorus, and intros and outros are optional, as is a M8/bridge. All these sections of a song have different “roles” to play in the song. Your tutor will tell you more about this, and play you some examples:

Examples

of songs with pop structure

”Broken Strings” by James Morrison and Nelly Furtado ”Life is a Highway” by Rascall Flatts ”Hit me with your best shot”” by Pat Benatar

Even though we can call this sort of structure “pop structure”, that doesn’t mean that it is only used in pop songs. There are thousands upon thousands of songs that follow the pop structure more or less. Try to start noticing the structure of the songs you normally listen to. Do they fall into this category? There are many other types of songs structures. We will get to these in later units.

Transcribing melody and bass-line

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT: Listen to the following song and analyze the structure of the song. Write down the names of the sections in the song:

 “You Oughta Know” by Alanis Morisette


Term 3


Week 3

Objectives  Rhythms with triplets  Rhythms with swing feel

Rhythms with triplets

Rhythms with swing feel

Transcribing melody and bass-line

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT: Play the melody and bass-line on your keyboard. You will play this in class next week.


Term 3


Week 4

Objectives  Diminished and augmented triads  Song structure (AABA)

Diminished and augmented triads Write the chords and notate the chord symbol above.

Rhythms Swing:

Straight (including triplets):

Song structure (AABA) The AABA structure is an older structure than the “pop” one. It was the most common structure used in jazz and blues, and also other popular music genres back in the first half of the 1900s. The A section is normally the “main” section of the song. It contains something memorable, and parts of this can be repeated in the other A sections. The B section gives some sort of contrast. We will discuss in class how the AABA structure can also be used in contemporary styles.

Examples

of songs with AABA structure

”Yesterday” by The Beatles ”These are the Days” by Jamie Cullum ”Girl from Ipanema” by Atrud Gilberto

Intervals (simple)

Transcribing melody and bassline

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT Listen to the following song and try to analyse and write down the structure:

”You Are The Sunshine of my Life” by Stevie Wonder


Term 3


Week 5

Objectives  Sus-chords  Transcribing chords with bassline  Instrumentation

Rhythms Swing:


Triads (Major, minor, diminished and augmented)

Sus-chords (Sus4 and Sus2)

Transcribing chords with bassline (The chords will be in different inversions)

Instrumentation In your theory lessons you have been starting to analyse instrumentation in songs. We will delve deeper into this in this unit. We will discuss in class the sounds and roles of different instruments in the following songs:

Examples

for instrumentation

”Rehab” by Amy Winehouse ”Talkin’ bout a revolution” by Tracy Chapman ”Steady as She Goes” by The Raconteurs

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT Listen to the following song. Map out the structure, and notate which instruments are present in each section. What is the time signature? What is the key signature?

”Everybody Hurts” by R.E.M.


Term 3


Week 6

Objectives  Structure (Other)  Writing chord charts

Chords (Major, minor, diminished, augmented and sus-chords)

Intervals (Simple)

Structure (other) We have looked at the common pop structure, and AABA structures. Of course, there are other ways to structure a song as well. Most commonly in genres like folk, hip hop, jazz and in many electronica genres. We will discuss in class how to analyse songs that have other structural forms.

Examples of songs with other structure ”I Gotta Feeling” (Black Eyed Peas) ”Seven Nation Army” (White Stripes)

Writing Chord charts Being able to write out a chord chart is a must-have skill for any musician (singers as well). It is important that you know how to write this clearly so that it can easily be read. This will save you a lot of time in rehearsals. In a chord chart you have all the basic information about the chords and the structure of the song. You can also add small comments or extra notes about stops/breaks and dynamic changes. You can also inform about the time signature, feel and tempo of the song. Your tutor will explain to you how to write out a chord chart properly. We will now listen to some songs and write down the chord chart for them

Examples ”Happy Together” by The Turtles ”Let Me Entertain You” by Robbie Williams

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT Try to find 1 or 2 songs that have a structure significantly different from the pop or AABA structures. Bring them with you next week, ready to play them in class.


Term 3


Week 7

Objectives  Writing a leadsheet  Transposing

#Chords (Major, minor, diminished, augmented and sus-chords)

Rhythms Swing:


Writing a leadsheet A leadsheet is a piece of paper containing all the information you need about the melody, chords and structure of a song. In the chord charts we did last week there was no information about the melody. A leadsheet could look like this:

This arrangement is made for the sole purpose of use within the Institute and may not be used for any other purpose without the possibility of infringing copyright. The original title of the work is Stuck in a Moment by U2. In particular, it may not be PUBLICLY PERFORMED, RECORDED, REPRODUCED or BROADCAST.

Transcribing chords with bassline (The chords will be in different inversions)

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT: Write out a chord chart fitting the leadsheet of “Stuck in a Moment”. Also, identify these chords that are present in the song: I

IIm

IV

V

VIm

Student Notes

Action Checklist prior to exam


Term 3


Week 8

Summative Assessment Assignment 3: Written Exam (Analysing harmonic language) (P4, M4, D4) This lesson will be used for a summative assessment. The assessment will be based on the lesson content from the previous weeks.

Unit 4 Guide t3 14

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