Music Knowledge Organiser: What Makes a Good Song PDF

YEAR NINE – UNIT 1: WHAT MAKES A GOOD SONG? TOPIC GUIDE 1. Musical Context 2. Terminology Verse/Chorus structure Tonality Major or minor A Verse moves the song narrative, will have Structure The o...

YEAR NINE – UNIT 1: WHAT MAKES A GOOD SONG? TOPIC GUIDE 1. Musical Context 2. Terminology Verse/Chorus structure Tonality Major or minor A Verse moves the song narrative, will have Structure The order of the sections in a piece of music same melody but different lyrics Rhythm Length of notes and how they are organised A Pre-Chorus, acts as a build up to the chorus, Tempo Speed of the music will have same melody and lyrics Timbre The tone quality of a sound A Chorus is the main hook of the song and will Dynamics The loudness/softness of the music have same lyrics and melody A Bridge is 8 bars of complete contrast, Pitch How high or low the notes are usually as the penultimate section EDM 3. Vocabulary § EDM is 'Electronic Dance Music'- a genre of Perfect cadence V I (sounds finished) music that uses electronic instruments Imperfect cadence ….. V (sounds unfinished) § 4 on the floor – bass drum on every beat Primary chord I, IV and V § Break – categorised by the '4 on the floor Major chord Root + 4 semitones + 3 semitones pattern' Secondary chords Ii, iii and vi § Build up/Drop - categorised by snare drum Minor chord Root + 3 semitones + 4 semitones and then back to '4 on the floor' Monophonic One instrumental line Rap Homophonic Chordal/all parts moving at the same time A Flow is "the rhythms and rhymes" of lyrics Melody-dominated Tune and accompaniment in a song, and how they work together homophony ‘Old school’ flows were relatively basic and Polyphonic Multiple independent music lines heard at the same time slower Countermelody Two or more independent melodies being heard at the same Drill and grime in the UK is more time complicated, and is faster in tempo Hook Catchiest part of the song Riff A short catchy phrase, often found in intro or instrumental Interval The distance between two notes