A framework for answering aural questions using the 6 concepts of music.

 Read the question carefully and take careful note of key words.  Which of the concepts are involved?  Words like unity, contrast and interest!

 On first listen work out the structure of the excerpt.  This gives you the opportunity to answer with reference to a number of sections and fills out your answer.  Use dot points or short sentences with one idea per point or sentence.

 Listen to an excerpt and write down the structure. Harmony a. Describe the overall harmony/chords used (major/minor, atonal, modal, dissonant) b. Does the piece modulate (change tonal centre or key and where?).

 Intro/Section 1  Are there any repeated chord patterns?  What is the rate of harmonic change (fast or slow chord changes).  What types of chords are used? (triads, arpeggios or broken chords).  Are there any cadences? (a harmonic motion associated with the ending of a phrase).  Where do cadences occur?

 Repeat the questions for each section.

 What instrument plays the main melody?  Is the pitch range wide or narrow?  Describe the contour of the melody (smooth, jagged, steps, leaps, ascending, descending, sequence?) Draw the melody graphically and identify any intervals you can.  Are the phrases long, short, symmetrical or uneven in length.  Count the number of bars in phrases.

 What instrument plays the counter melody?  Describe the contour of the counter melody.  Describe the phrases in the counter melody (long, short, symmetrical etc)  Count the number of bars for the counter melody.

 What instrument plays the riff or melodic ostinatos?  How many notes in the riff/ostinato?  Describe the contour of the riff/ostinato (smooth, jagged, steps, leaps, ascending or descending).  Draw the contour of the ostinato.  Identify any intervals you can.  Where does the interval appear?

 Is there call and response in the piece?  What instruments and where in the music?  Describe the use of repetition?  Describe the use of imitation?  How do the different melodic structures interact with themselves and each other?

 Unity refers to anything that is the same or similar.  Repeating melodies using the same instruments that introduce it or different instruments.  Melodies with similar contours (jagged, smooth etc)  Range and register.  Phrase lengths.

 Contrast refers to difference and diversity!  High and low sounding instruments.  Range and register.  Variations and ornamentation to the melody.  Changes in tonality/modulation.  Chord structures.

 Melody is a series of notes played one after another.  Harmony is at least 2 notes played at the same time.  Scales are a series of pitches based on a home pitch.  Tonic is the first note of a scale.  Key is the home pitch and scale used for a composition.

 Drone or pedal point is a long continuous low pitch played to maintain a tonal centre.  Semitone is the smallest interval in diatonic harmony.  Tone is two semitones.  Modulation is when the key centre changes during a piece of music.  Chords are at least 3 or more pitches played at the same time.

 Cadence is a two chord progression that acts like a punctuation point in a musical phrase of section. The most common cadence is the V – I or perfect cadence.  Consonance is when two or more pitches played together sound “settled” or “sweet”.  Dissonance is when two or more pitches played together sound “unsettled” or “clashing”.