Year 11 - Music
Using technology to refine a composition
Composition exemplars: completing a composition
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
Pupils analyse exemplar compositions to understand how composers complete and refine a finished piece. They explore idiomatic writing, performance directions, instrumental writing and use of technology to produce effective, polished compositions.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to identify ways to use technology to refine a composition, and can use some of these effects to refine your own composition.
Key Notes
- Technology can be used in many different ways to refine a composition. These vary between musical styles.
- Common tools to use across many styles include reverb, EQ and volume automation.
- In modern styles (e.g. pop and electronic genres) songwriters often use echo, filters, chorus, auto-tune and sampling.
- It is generally best to use these tools subtly, but in some cases it can be appropriate to use them at higher levels.
Vocabulary To Learn
- reverb: an effect that creates the impression of a sound being played in a more 'echoey' space
- volume automation: a DAW tool that allows you to gradually increase or decrease dynamics within a track
- balance: the relative volume of the different parts; creating effective balance is crucial when composing
- chorus: an effect that makes it sound like more than one voice or instrument is playing the part at the same time
- EQ: a process that adjusts the sound frequencies within a track (short for 'equalisation')
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Digital effects should only be used in modern genres.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the lesson in two key points.
Technology can be used in many different ways to refine a composition. These vary between musical styles. Common tools to use across many styles include reverb, EQ and volume automation.
2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'reverb'
an effect that creates the impression of a sound being played in a more 'echoey' space.
3. Correct this common mistake.
Mistake: Digital effects should only be used in modern genres. Correction: It is appropriate to use digital effects in older genres, but generally this should be done subtly to be idiomatic. Common examples include adding a small amount of reverb, adjusting the timbres with EQ and using volume automation to create balance.
More Lessons In This Unit
Browse all guides in the Year 11 Music guide library.