Year 11 - Music
Identifying melodic shape
Listening: dictation
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Unit Summary
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Lesson Summary
You will learn to identify the shape of a melody and represent it visually.
Key Notes
- Identifying the shape of a melody is key to melodic dictation.
- The melodic shape has to account for ascending and descending pitch, as well as conjunct and disjunct movement.
- With disjunct intervals, we have to listen carefully to notice whether they are large or small leaps.
- We can represent melodic shape using a line.
- We can then approximate the correct pitches by drawing notes in to fit the rough melodic shape.
Vocabulary To Learn
- Melodic dictation: the process of listening to a melody and writing it down
- Melodic shape: the shape of a melody, including how it ascends and descends and where it is conjunct or disjunct
- Conjunct: a melody (or part of a melody) that moves by small intervals (semitones or tones)
- Disjunct: a melody (or part of a melody) that moves by intervals larger than a tone
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Only advanced musicians can work out a set of notes by listening to them.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the lesson in two key points.
Identifying the shape of a melody is key to melodic dictation. The melodic shape has to account for ascending and descending pitch, as well as conjunct and disjunct movement.
2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'Melodic dictation'
the process of listening to a melody and writing it down.
3. Correct this common mistake.
Mistake: Only advanced musicians can work out a set of notes by listening to them. Correction: Anyone can work out notes by ear, if they practise the correct strategies. Identifying the melodic shape, representing it with a line, then carefully converting it into notes is an effective first step in melodic dictation.
More Lessons In This Unit
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