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Year 5 - Music

Minor melodies and the minor pentachord

Compose and Create: composing a minor melody on a stave

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils learn songs and listen to music that has a minor tonality. Pupils learn the toneset for the minor pentachord (la, ti, do, re, mi) and use this to compose a minor melody. An analysis of Benjamin Britten's Old Abram Brown inspires the shaping of the pupils' compositions.

Lesson Summary

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

Key Notes

  • The minor pentachord uses the notes la, ti, do, re and mi.
  • Many folk songs are based around the minor pentachord. We can sing and play them on a pitched percussion instrument.
  • We can sing and pay a new rhythm: Taa-di.
  • Melodies can ascend and descend, and use leaps and steps.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • minor pentachord: the first 5 notes of a minor scale - la, ti, do, re, mi
  • scale: a group of notes used to create melodies
  • ascending and descending: a melody could ascend (go up) or descend (go down)
  • steps and leaps: melodies can move up or down one note at a time (steps) or jump up or down several notes (leaps)

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • A scale always starts on the note do.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain the lesson in two key points.

The minor pentachord uses the notes la, ti, do, re and mi. Many folk songs are based around the minor pentachord. We can sing and play them on a pitched percussion instrument.

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

the first 5 notes of a minor scale - la, ti, do, re, mi.

3. Correct this common mistake.

Mistake: A scale always starts on the note do. Correction: We are used to using the Solfège note names in the order - do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do. This is only correct for major scales. A minor scale starts on the note la.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 5 Music guide library.