Topic title: Songwriting

Year group: 8
When taught: February half term to Easter

What are we learning?
• About the common chord sequences
• About common popular music structures
• Choosing chords to create your own chord structures
• About perfect and imperfect cadences and where to use these in a chord sequence to make an effective musical phrase (known as internal structure)
• Continuing to learn about the points of the major scale and the roles of primary and secondary chords.
• Writing effective melodies using the major scale
• Writing melodies that fit lyrics.

Why is this important to know?
• The skills we are learning here are the building block of how to create compositions in any style of music. It looks at extended structure, melodic writing and     harmony. This allows pupils to write music to express themselves and share with others. This is a core fundamental skill in music.

Where does this link into our past and future learning?
• In year 7 pupils looked at writing short melodies of roughly 8 bars in length. They have had a go at improvising using set scales in year 8 and have played     effective melodies in a number of styles and pieces.
• In year 8 we have played common chord sequences in our Blues and Reggae topics and have looked at the importance of the primary chords in these styles.
• In our next topic on film music pupils will continue to develop their composing using a variety of approaches to create different moods.
• In the rest of key stage 3, key stage 4 and going forward in their musical futures, being able to compose is key to them being able to express themselves. At     GCSE and A level composition is 30% of their examined content and preparing pupils for this is key to everyone being able to access music at these levels. For    all pupils regardless of whether they carry on taking music academically it gives them the tools to be able to approach these skills on their own.

How will we be assessed on this topic?
• Pupils will be assessed on the effectiveness of their compositions. The specific marking criteria can be seen on the attached Song writing topic and     assessment sheet. Broadly they will be assessed on the effectiveness of their melody, chords and structure in meeting the set criteria.

What makes a strong piece of work in this topic? What are teachers hoping to see?
• That the melodic line is predominantly conjunct but uses a few chosen leaps. That the melody fits their chosen lyrics with at least one pitch per syllable.
• That the chord patterns use mainly the primary chords but with well chosen secondary chords included. That perfect cadences are used at the end of phrases    (like full stops) and imperfect ones at central points in the phrase (like commas)
• That the melody and chords fit well together
• That the piece has a clear structure
• For an extension pupils can create an accompanying bass line.

What key words are there in this topic?

What can I try if I want to stretch and challenge myself on this topic?
• Have a go at adding in extensions to your chords (6ths, 7ths, 9ths)
• Have a go at using chord substitutions i.e. replacing a chord from your pattern with another chord. This could be from the secondary chords OR it could be     chord from outside the scale.
• Consider using different chord sequences in different parts of your song.

What wider reading can be done on this topic? 
Listen to a wide range of music. Look up the chord sequences for pieces you listen too. Have a go at playing them. What do you like about their chord sequences? Have a go at playing melody lines – which leaps do they use in the melody? How often do they use them?
Using interactive websites such as the following to help with learning the notes in scales and chords.
Tonesavvy.com
Musictheory.net
Teoria.com

Supporting document/links:
Songwriting keywords and assessment information sheet