Year 9 - Music
Using the voice creatively
Approaches to contemporary composition
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit pupils are introduced to contemporary compositional approaches and techniques. They learn about a range of current contemporary music and the differences in approach of how this is structured and put together from earlier classical style music and current popular music.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to identify some extended vocal techniques and use them in a short vocal composition.
Key Notes
- Extended vocal techniques are when a singer uses their voice in non-traditional ways to create unusual sounds.
- These are often explored by contemporary Western composers and some are common in music from different traditions.
- Techniques include clicking, popping, whispering and whistling, as well as more complex techniques like multiphonics.
- Vocalise - singing without words - is another way to use the voice.
- Creating an interesting, varied musical composition by exploring extended vocal techniques.
Vocabulary To Learn
- extended vocal technique: when a singer uses their voice in non-traditional ways to create unusual sounds
- vocalise: a technique where a singer sings without words
- multiphonics: a technique where more than one note is produced at the same time
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- The human voice can only produce one note at a time.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the lesson in two key points.
Extended vocal techniques are when a singer uses their voice in non-traditional ways to create unusual sounds. These are often explored by contemporary Western composers and some are common in music from different traditions.
2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'extended vocal technique'
when a singer uses their voice in non-traditional ways to create unusual sounds.
3. Correct this common mistake.
Mistake: The human voice can only produce one note at a time. Correction: Every sound we make has multiple different notes, its just that the main note is much louder than the others. Think about when you have a croaky voice - it almost sounds like multiple notes, because it is! Multiphonics just amplify the quieter notes.
More Lessons In This Unit
Browse all guides in the Year 9 Music guide library.