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Year 4 - Music

Major melodies and the major pentachord

Compose and Create: composing a major melody on a stave

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils explore the tonality of a major melody through listening to a range of music. Pupils learn the major pentachord, the first five notes of the scale, on tuned percussion. They use this new scale to compose and notate short melodies.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to read, sing and play the major pentachord and know it uses the first five notes of the major scale.

Key Notes

  • A major scale is a group of notes centered around the note do, which often sound bright when used to create melodies.
  • The major pentachord is the first five notes of the major scale: do, re, mi, fa and so.
  • Solfège is a system of naming pitches so we can recognise musical patterns by ear.
  • We can play songs using the major pentachord with a pitched percussion instrument, like the xylophone or glockenspiel.
  • When we are learning to play a melody, we should play slowly and at a steady tempo.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • Solfège: a system of naming pitches so we can recognise patterns by ear, e.g. so mi do
  • scale: a group of notes used to create melodies
  • major pentachord: the first 5 notes of a major scale - do re mi fa so
  • pitched percussion: an instrument that can play musical notes of one or more pitch when we strike it, for example, a glockenspiel

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • It is common to try and play songs too quickly when learning them on an instrument.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain the lesson in two key points.

A major scale is a group of notes centered around the note do, which often sound bright when used to create melodies. The major pentachord is the first five notes of the major scale: do, re, mi, fa and so.

2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'Solfège'

a system of naming pitches so we can recognise patterns by ear, e.g. so mi do.

3. Correct this common mistake.

Mistake: It is common to try and play songs too quickly when learning them on an instrument. Correction: It's always better to start slowly and at a steady tempo, then gradually build up speed when feeling confident.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 4 Music guide library.