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Year 8

How can chords be used to compose a melody?

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Year 8

How can chords be used to compose a melody?

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. In this lesson, we will learn how melodies are related to chords, and analyse melodies from Pachelbel's Canon in greater depth. We will learn how to use the ground bass from Pachelbel's Canon to create a ground bass of your own. We will then explore how to structure your melodies in a Digital Audio Workstation.

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This content is made available by Oak National Academy Limited and its partners and licensed under Oak’s terms & conditions (Collection 1), except where otherwise stated.

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Starter quiz

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10 Questions

Q1.
What is a chord?
A repeated note
Correct answer: More than one note played at the same time
Two notes
Q2.
What is a triad?
Correct answer: A chord with three notes, root, 3rd and 5th
A three sided note
Three notes next to each other: 1, 2, 3
Q3.
What are the primary triads?
I, iii, V (1, 3, 5)
Correct answer: I, IV, V (1, 4, 5)
ii, iii, vi (2, 3, 6)
Q4.
What is a bassline?
A basso continuo
A melody in the bass.
Correct answer: The lowest part of a piece of music, often repeated.
Q5.
What are the primary triads in D major?
D, Em, F#m
D, F#, A
Correct answer: D, G, A
Q6.
What are the secondary triads?
I, iii, V (1, 3, 5)
I, IV, V (1, 4, 5)
Correct answer: ii, iii, vi (2, 3, 6)
Q7.
How do you create a basic bassline?
Use all the notes of the scale
Correct answer: Use the root of the chord
Use you musical ear to come up with something
Q8.
How could you vary a bassline?
Change the instrument
Correct answer: Change the rhythm
Make it faster
Q9.
What is a passing note?
A missed out note
Correct answer: A note directly between two pitches
A repeated note
Q10.
What would a suitable passing note be to move between C and A?
A
Correct answer: B
E

Exit quiz

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10 Questions

Q1.
What is a chord?
A repeated note
Correct answer: More than one note played at the same time
Two notes
Q2.
What is a triad?
Correct answer: A chord with three notes, root, 3rd and 5th
A three sided note
Three notes next to each other: 1, 2, 3
Q3.
What are the notes of a D major triad?
D, E F#
D, F# B
Correct answer: D, F#, A
Q4.
How do the pitches of melody 1 relate to the chords?
Correct answer: All the notes are the root, 3rd or 5th of the chord
Half of the notes are from the chords, the others are passing notes
They are the root of the chord
Q5.
What are the note values of melody 1?
1 beat - crotchets
1/2 beat - quavers
Correct answer: 2 beats - minims
Q6.
What is the shape of melody 2?
Ascending to the middle, then it descends
Ascending, then it descends at the end
Correct answer: Descending, then it ascends at the end
Q7.
Describe the melody of melody 1
Correct answer: Moves completely by step
Moves completely in leaps
Moves in a combination of steps and leaps
Q8.
How could you vary a melody?
Change the instrument
Correct answer: Change the rhythm
Make it faster
Q9.
What is a canon?
When a different part comes in at the same time, creating a polyphonic texture
When a different part comes in later, creating a polyphonic texture
Correct answer: When exactly the same same part comes in later, creating a polyphonic texture
Q10.
How do you create a canon on a DAW?
You copy the melody and change the instrument
Correct answer: You copy the melody and move it so the copy comes in after
You create a new melody to play over the top of the old melody