The document provides revision material for an upcoming Year 8 music exam. It will cover all topics studied that year, including the elements of music (pitch, duration, tempo, etc.), instruments families, basic music theory on rhythm and pitch, developing motifs, 12 bar blues form, and key terms for programme music. Students are advised to use the powerpoint and other online resources to prepare for the listening exam.

1. Year 8
Music revision
Your music exam will be next lesson. It
will be a listening exam, where you
are played music and asked questions
about them. It will cover all the topics
you have done this year, plus some
general music questions.
There is a copy of this powerpoint
on the VLE, in Music KS3, and on
NUMU in Projects. Use it to revise!

2. The Elements of Music
Contrast Element
Pitch
Duration
Tempo
Dynamics
Timbre
Texture
Structure
SILENCE!
…all the way from the start of Year 7… you should know all of these!

3. The Elements of Music
Contrast Element
High/low Pitch
Long/short Duration
Fast/slow Tempo
Loud/soft Dynamics
Tone colour Timbre
Thick/thin Texture
The overall plan Structure
SILENCE!
…all the way from the start of Year 7… you should know all of these!

4. What are the different families
of instruments?

5. What are the different families
of instruments?

6. Which family does this instrument belong
to?
• Why?

7. Which family does this instrument belong
to?
• The saxophone is a
woodwind instrument –
even though it is made of
metal.
• This is because it has a
reed, just like a clarinet.

8. What type of instrument is the piano?

9. What type of instrument is the piano?
The piano is a percussion
instrument, because the hammers hit
the strings.

10. Basic music theory: rhythm and
time signatures

11. Basic music theory: rhythm
Name Symbol How many
beats?
2 quavers:

12. Basic music theory: rhythm
Name Symbol How many
beats?
Crotchet 1
Minim 2
Semibreve 4
Quaver ½ each
Rest 1
2 quavers:
There will be questions in the exam where you have to write
down rhythms.

13. Basic music theory: pitch

14. Basic music theory: pitch
The notes in the
spaces are easy to
remember:
Every
Good
Boy
Deserves
Food
Every
Green
Bus
Drives
Fast

15. Basic music theory: pitch
There will be questions in the exam where you have to write down a
simple melody that you hear.

16. Interval = the distance between
two notes
• Count the note you are starting from as
1. Then just count up or down to the
other note, i.e.
• We call this interval a sixth (not a 6!)
D = 1 so B = 6

17. Developing a motif: definitions
• Motif = a small tune
• Sequence = repeating the motif higher or
lower each time
• Interval = the distance between two
notes
• Parallel motion = two parts moving
together, always the same distance apart

18. Developing a motif: more
definitions
• Contrary motion = moving in opposite
directions. The opposite of parallel
motion.
• Inversion = playing it upside down
• Retrograde = playing it backwards
• Augmentation = make each note twice as
long

19. 12 bar blues
C C C C
F F C C
G F C C (G)
turnaround

20. Two or more notes played together
Flip the notes of the chord
Four notes in the chord: the extra one is a
seventh above the root, i.e. G7=GBDF
Making it up on the spot
Fitting in with the style: stylish
When you substitute a G(7) chord in bar
12, to take you back to the start
The lowest part
for blues

21. Programme music: key terms
A scale moving in semitones, playing all
the white and black notes.
A scale moving in tones, i.e.
C D E F# G# A#
A fast wiggle between two next door
notes
Clashy
An interval of three tones, i.e. B-F
A shock-horror chord! D F Ab B
A long held note, above or below which
other things happen