Study Guides

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 identify a major melody and describe its character.

Key Notes

• It is essential to warm up the voice before singing to keep it strong and healthy and to prevent injury.
• Many songs have a tonal centre, or tonality. Often, this can be described as major or minor.
• Major tonalities are organised around the note 'do' and are often bright sounding.
• When describing the character of a melody, I could mention the tonality, its melodic shape and other musical elements.

Vocabulary To Learn

• warm up: a sequence of exercises used to prepare the mind, body and voice for singing / playing instruments
• tonality: the organisation of notes around a central note, the tonic, which helps to shape the music's sound and character
• major and minor: the major scale is organised around the note do and can feel bright; the minor scale is organised around the note la and can feel dark
• ascending and descending: a melody could ascend (go up) or descend (go down)

Common Mistakes To Avoid

• Songs with a major tonality are always happy.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

More Lessons In This Unit

• Composing and notating a major melody Study Guide
• Major melodies and the major pentachord Study Guide
• Reading and performing major melodies Study Guide
• Reading and playing major melodies Study Guide
• Reading the five note major pentachord scale Study Guide