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Year 5 - Music

Layering part-singing: adding a three note melody

Sing, play, perform: adding tuned accompaniment to part-singing

Unit Summary

This unit focuses on adding vocal and instrumental layers to songs. Pupils rehearse contrasting songs in parts and become confident holding the pitch and pulse of a line before layering this into four and five part textures with added tuned percussion accompaniments.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to play a three note melody, partnering this with a different song.

Key Notes

  • Practising well prepares us for singing three-part rounds and three partner songs.
  • Instrumental melodies can be layered under songs.
  • A sound sense of pulse is essential when combining instrument melodies and singing together.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • melody: a combination of notes to make a memorable tune
  • texture: the combination of different layers of sounds
  • pulse: the regular, steady heartbeat of the music

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Layering an instrumental melody with a different song will not create pleasing harmonies.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain the lesson in two key points.

Practising well prepares us for singing three-part rounds and three partner songs. Instrumental melodies can be layered under songs.

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

a combination of notes to make a memorable tune.

3. Correct this common mistake.

Mistake: Layering an instrumental melody with a different song will not create pleasing harmonies. Correction: Partner songs are selected to work together because their notes fit together harmoniously. It doesn't matter if we play or sing the melody, it will work equally well.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 5 Music guide library.