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Year 9 - Music

Singing an ostinato accompaniment

Year 9 song guides

Unit Summary

The song guides cover a diverse selection of songs, designed to develop vocal technique, musical expression and ensemble skills, and building confidence and musical literacy. They can be broken down across multiple lessons to integrate them into the sequence, but can also be taught as full lessons.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to sing an ostinato pattern in a homophonic texture.

Key Notes

  • Using a range of warm ups to prepare the body for singing
  • Pop songs often use a highly repetitive chord sequence and a verse chorus structure
  • Syncopation can drive the music forward
  • Adding dynamics and emphasis within the phrase can add shape to a melody
  • Singing a syncopated melody

Vocabulary To Learn

  • chord sequence: a pattern of chords that usually lasts for 4, 8 or 16 bars
  • syncopation: a rhythm which emphasises (accents) notes in between the main beats, often referred to as off-beat rhythms
  • anacrusis: the opening note or notes of a phrase which starts before the first beat of the bar (also called a pickup)

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • The balance is the same throughout a song.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain the lesson in two key points.

Using a range of warm ups to prepare the body for singing. Pop songs often use a highly repetitive chord sequence and a verse chorus structure.

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

a pattern of chords that usually lasts for 4, 8 or 16 bars.

3. Correct this common mistake.

Mistake: The balance is the same throughout a song. Correction: The balance changes depending on the parts and texture. The melody line would usually be the most prominent part. In an accompaniment texture all parts are more likely to be equal. It's important to listen and be aware of the lead line.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 9 Music guide library.