Compositional

Devices
Analysing – Year 7 Music
There are 7 Accompaniment Contrast Development Subject/theme

‘main’
Compositional
Devices
Transition Unity Variation
  The musical layering that
provides rhythmic or harmonic
support
• Riffs
• Loops
• Rhythms

Accompaniment
 • Repetition
• Imitation
• Sequencing

Unity
 Maintaining consistency
by repeated similar ideas
 • Key change
• Breakdown
Transition  Shift from one
musical idea or
section to another
 Examine and
Identify judge the
differences significance
Analysing and
Consider in
Evaluating
Identify
similarities
detail to find
meaning
Music

Identify
patterns
 What is the social context of this piece and for whom would it
be performed?

How have the elements of music and instruments been used

in this piece?

Consider What compositional devices were used in your piece?

What are the strengths of this composition?

What improvements could be made?

Analyse and Evaluate
Your Phone Number
Composition
Example – Analysis of Mrs Harre will demonstrate a

a Pop Song
think-out-loud analysis of
 Choose In groups of 3 choose a popular song to analyse (if not chosen in 5 minutes, Mrs Harre will
choose for you! Hint: choose your remix song to make your life 1000 times easier!!)

Decide Decide on the social context of the piece

Group Task:
Analysing a Allocate Allocate a music element for each group member to analyse (Texture / Timbre /
Structure)

Pop Song
Allocate Allocate a compositional device for each group member to analyse (Accompaniment /
Transition / Unity)

Create Create a mind map