Composing
| Grade | Work Samples |
|---|---|
| End of Stage 4 (end of Year 8) | |
| Grade A | Dale Kendall Lou |
| Grade B | Sam |
| Grade C | Casey Ricky Jerry |
| Grade D | Ariel |
| Grade E | Ashley |
Description of activity
Students compose a piece of music using sequencing software for a minimum of 3 instruments and containing both rhythm and pitch patterns. The composition is to be a minimum of 24 bars in length and to demonstrate an understanding of structure as it relates to the 12-bar blues progression. Students are encouraged to include introductions, codas and multiple verse structures. Pitch patterns should display an understanding of the C blues scale and use rhythm patterns studied in class. It may also include riffs and drum fills as required.
Context
Students have engaged in a unit of work that involves performing, composing and listening activities based on the units ‘The Origins of Rock’ and ‘Rock Music’, with a focus of African Music and the 12-bar blues. As a group, and individually, they have responded to a variety of listening repertoire through concept-based listening and they have performed a number of pieces of African and blues origin.
In this composing activity, students are required to draw on their experiences with the 12-bar blues progression and the blues scale.
Areas for Assessment
Outcomes
A student:
4.4 demonstrates an understanding of musical concepts through exploring, experimenting, improvising, organising, arranging and composing
4.6 experiments with different forms of technology in the composition process
Criteria for assessing learning
(These criteria would normally be communicated to students with the activity.)
Students will be assessed on their ability to create a composition which:
- uses a range of different rhythm patterns
- uses pitch patterns – specifically 12-bar blues patterning
- explores appropriate tone colours and sound sources to represent their ideas
- structures their ideas to create a composition reflective of the 12-bar blues structure
- successfully organises and records their ideas using appropriate technology.