Study Guides

Unit Summary

This unit introduces minimalism with its repetitive, hypnotic, short musical cells. Pupils will use Terry Riley's In C to inspire their compositions. Working in groups, pupils will create short musical cells and decide how to use these to create and rehearse a larger minimalist piece.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to compose, practise and notate a repeating rhythmic minimalist cell.

Key Notes

• A repeating cell can form the structure of a minimalist composition.
• Ostinato is an Italian word meaning obstinate and describes a musical phrase or rhythm that is repeated persistently.
• We can use a piece of minimalist music to inspire a new composition.
• Taka-mi is a new rhythm to us, with a one beat short-long-short rhythm pattern.

Vocabulary To Learn

• minimalism: a musical genre originating from the 1960s that includes the layering of multiple short, repeated musical ideas (cells) that subtly change over time
• cell: simple musical patterns that can be rhythmic or melodic (on ostinato in minimalism)
• 2-time, 3-time, 4-time, 5-time: the organisation and feel of the beats, beginning with a strong beat
• pitch: how high or low a note is
• rhythm: the pattern of sounds and silences that we play and sing

Common Mistakes To Avoid

• Minimalism has no structure.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

More Lessons In This Unit

• Adding more minimalist cells to create a thicker texture Study Guide
• Building a minimalist piece Study Guide
• Notating a minimalist piece Study Guide
• Rehearsing, performing and appraising a minimalist performance Study Guide
• The key features of minimalism Study Guide