VCE MUSIC 2011–2015
MUSIC PERFORMANCE UNITS 1 TO 4
Outcome 3: Musicianship
1. Introduction
This resource:
•
is based on Outcome 3 in VCE Music Performance Units 1 to 4 and assessment information
provided by VCAA
•
includes notation, sound files and links to other documents on the VCAA website:
www.vcaa.vic.edu.au
•
must be read with the current study design, assessment handbook and examination specifications
which are available for download on the VCAA website
is not a textbook. VCAA expects that teachers will use a range of resources to support teaching
of this area of study including material they develop themselves, commercial publications, ICT
applications and online resources.
•
In VCE Music Performance Units 1 to 4 the Musicianship area of study is designed to support
learning in the Performance, Performance Technique and Organisation of Sound areas of study.
In the Musicianship area of study content (key knowledge and key skills) is organised in a sequential
manner with most knowledge and skills developed across Units 1 to 4.
Across Area of Study 3, aural, theoretical and practical knowledge and skills are presented in a
connected manner. For example, in Unit 1:
Key knowledge
Key skills
• scales/modes
– naming conventions …
– concepts of tonality and key
– sound and intervallic structure …
• Identify ascending and descending …
presented aurally or in writing
• Use conventional music notation to write …
scales
• Use a system to sing … scales.
VCE MUSIC 2011–2015
2. Sources of information
VCE Music Study Design 2011–2015 and Advice for teachers
Unit 1 pages 16–18 and 56–57
Unit 2 pages 22–25 and 62–62
Unit 3 pages 32–35 and 71–72
Unit 4 pages 41–44 and 76
School-assessed Coursework information pages 36 and 77
Assessment handbook (download from index page)
Examination specifications
3. Notation Guide
This guide is based on the key knowledge for Units 1 to 4 Music Performance.
The opening points of key knowledge in each unit are general concepts that underpin all learning in
this area of study.
•
A system to assist the singing of scales, intervals, chords, melodic phrases, rhythmic phrases and
diatonic chord progressions
To implement this key knowledge, schools/teachers select a system that:
•
suits the needs of their students, for example a system associated with a specific music pedagogy
•
will assist students to build understanding of the content they are studying
•
support students to make connections across aural, theoretical and performance contexts.
The chart below provides a guide to music notation conventions referred to in the key knowledge.
Notes:
In the Unit 3 and 4 end-of-year Aural and Written examination (see Examination Specifications):
1.
rhythmic conventions relating to grouping, beaming and the organisation, value and subdivision
of beat and pulse in simple and compound duple, triple and quadruple metres and asymmetric
metres with 5 pulses per bar, dotted notes, triplets, duplets, syncopation and ties may be included
2.
the upper tonic will not be repeated when scales are presented in ascending and descending
format. The sound files presented in this resource do repeat the upper tonic, to match the
provided notation
3.
either ‘English’ – semibreve, minim or ‘American’ – whole note, half note’ time names may be
used
4.
identifying an interval using an enharmonic response will not be accepted in response to
questions where information about the tonality of the excerpt is available to students. For
example, where the pitch of the lower note of an interval is given as the starting note for writing
an augmented 4th, the upper note must be written as an augmented 4th not as a diminished 5th. If
students are asked to identify the same interval with only aural material and a notated rhythm to
guide them, enharmonic equivalents will be accepted
5.
Key signatures will not be used in the presentation of questions. When writing responses students
are advised to use accidentals rather than key-signatures.
©VCAA 2011
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VCE MUSIC 2011–2015
Treble clef
Bass clef
Key signatures
See study design and examination specifications for information about
examinable keys.
Accidentals
Chord symbols
©VCAA 2011
Chord Symbols can be combined to indicate many different types of chords.
No specific system of writing chord symbols is mandated for VCE Music.
The following conventions provide a guide that can be used in VCE Music,
for example when completing a harmonic transcription:
•
Letter Name (e.g., C) = Major chord
•
min = minor chord, ‘m’ is not accepted in VCE written examinations
•
+ = Augmented chord
•
o = diminished chord
•
7 = minor seventh
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VCE MUSIC 2011–2015
•
Maj7 = Major seventh, ‘M7’ is not accepted in VCE written
examinations
•
Ø = half-diminished chord
•
o7 = diminished seventh chord
See Examination Specifications for further detail.
Rhythmic notation
Semibreve/Whole note and rest
Minim/half note and rest
Crotchet/quarter note and rest
Quaver/eighth note and rest
Semi-quaver/sixteenth note and rest
Dotted notes
A dot is used to increase the rhythmic value of a note by half. The end-ofyear Units 3 and 4 aural and written examinations may use dotted minims,
crotchets, quavers and semi-quavers and equivalent rests but not dotted
semibreves or dotted semibreve rests.
Triplets
Three notes in the time of two. Usually notated with the figure ‘3’ placed
within a slur or a bracket. Sometimes, just the figure ‘3’ is used. Triplets can
be added to any rhythmic value.
Duplets
Two notes in the time of three. Usually notated with the figure ‘2’ placed
within a slur or a bracket. Sometimes, just the figure ‘2’ is used. Duplets can
be added to any rhythmic value.
©VCAA 2011
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VCE MUSIC 2011–2015
Ties
Ties connect notes of the same pitch, forming a longer note. Ties can be
placed across or within beats or across bar lines. Rests are never tied.
Syncopation
A temporary displacement of a regular metrical accent where the accent shifts
from a strong to a weak beat. Syncopation can be created using notes and/or
rests.
Simple timesignatures
In simple time-signatures the division of beats are grouped in twos except in
where a group of thee quavers or three individual quavers may be used
Compound timesignatures
Generally, in compound time-signatures the division of beats are grouped in
threes.
– crotchets are grouped in threes and quavers in twos.
Asymmetric timesignatures
Assymetric time-signatures do not fit duple, triple or quadruple categories.
For the Unit 3–4 end-of-year examination only assymetric time-signatures
with 5 pulses per bar are examinable.
Bar-lines
Note: Repeats signs will not be used in notation for Aural and written
examination papers.
©VCAA 2011
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VCE MUSIC 2011–2015
Rhythmic grouping
and beaming Units 1
to 4
©VCAA 2011
Generally:
• notes within a beat or other subdivision are grouped together
• dots are used to extend a note’s duration within a rhythmic grouping
• ties are used to extend a note’s duration across rhythmic groups and/or
bar lines; the second note is not sounded/played, for example:
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©VCAA 2011
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Scale degree names
©VCAA 2011
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VCE MUSIC 2011–2015
Scales and modes
Unit 1
Examples are shown starting on C. Upper tonic is repeated to match notation.
Note that the upper tonic will not be repeated in VCE end-of-year aural and
written examination aural questions.
1.16 Major
Scale.mp3
1.17 Natural minor Scale.mp3
1.18 Hrmonic minor scale.mp3
1.19 Melodic minor scale.mp3
©VCAA 2011
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VCE MUSIC 2011–2015
1.20 Chromatic scale.mp3
Scales and modes
Unit 2
Major, natural minor, harmonic minor, melodic minor (see unit 1) and, Major
(do) pentatonic.
1.48 Major Do
Pentatonic.mp3
Minor (la) pentatonic
1.49 Minor La
Pentatonic.mp3
Blues scale
Note: In the study design, the Blues scale is described as (minor pentatonic
plus flat 5). The intervallic structure of this scale can also be described as flat
3, #4, flat 7. For further details, consult a reputable jazz theory text.
Blues scale.mp3
Scales and modes
©VCAA 2011
As for Unit 1 (except chromatic) and Unit 2 and, Dorian mode
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VCE MUSIC 2011–2015
Unit 3 (and Unit 4)
1.62 Dorian
mode.mp3
Mixolydian mode
1.63 Mixolydian
mode.mp3
Intervals
Unit 1
Perfect
1.21 Perfect Unison.mp3
1.30 Perfect 4th ascending.mp3
©VCAA 2011
1.31 Perfect 4th descending.mp3
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VCE MUSIC 2011–2015
1.32 Perfect 5th ascending.mp3
1.33 Perfect 5th descending.mp3
1.42 Perfect 8ve ascending.mp3
1.43 Perfect 8ve descending.mp3
Major
©VCAA 2011
1.24 Major 2nd ascending.mp3
1.25 Major 2nd descending.mp3
1.28 Major 3rd ascending.mp3
1.29 Major 3rd descending.mp3
1.36 Major 6th ascending.mp3
1.37 Major 6th descending.mp3
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VCE MUSIC 2011–2015
1.40 Major 7th ascending.mp3
1.41 Major 7th descending.mp3
minor
1.22 minor 2nd ascending.mp3
1.27 minor 3rd
descending.mp3
Intervals Unit 2
1.26 minor 3rd
ascending.mp3
1.34 minor 6th ascending.mp3
1.35 minor 6th descending.mp3
1.38 minor 7th ascending.mp3
1.39 minor 7th descending.mp3
Diminished
1.51a Diminished 4th
descending.mp3
©VCAA 2011
1.23 minor 2nd descending.mp3
1.51 Diminished 4th
ascending.mp3
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VCE MUSIC 2011–2015
1.53a Diminished 5th
descending.mp3
1.53 Diminished 5th
ascending.mp3
For VCE Music Performance, in written contexts, other augmented and
diminished intervals that may occur within an octave include:
augmented unison, diminished octave.
Triads
Unit 1
Major triad
1.44 Major triad.mp3
minor triad
C minor triad
1.45 minor triad.mp3
Primary chords (Unit 1) Major
1.46 Primary triads
major.mp3
minor
1.47 Primary triads
minor.mp3
©VCAA 2011
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VCE MUSIC 2011–2015
Triads and Chords
Unit 2
As for Unit 1 and
1.55 Augmented
triad.mp3
1.56 Diminished
triad.mp3
1.57 Dominant
7th.mp3
Triads in a major key
Unit 2
Triads in a minor key
Unit 2
1.58 Triads major
key Unit 2.mp3
1.59 Triads in minor
key Unit 2.mp3
Dominant 7th
©VCAA 2011
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VCE MUSIC 2011–2015
1.60 Dominant 7th
Major Key.mp3
Triads and chords
Units 3 and 4
1.61 Dominant 7th
minor key.mp3
As for Units 1 and 2 and
1.64 Suspended
4th.mp3
1.65 Major 7th
chord.mp3
1.66 minor 7th
chord.mp3
1.67 Half diminished
minor 7 flat 5 chord.mp3
C half diminished
1.68 Diminished 7th
chord.mp3
In the examination, students will be asked to identify or write chords either
according to quality or within a scale. See sample questions 17–22.
Triads in a Major key
©VCAA 2011
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1.69 Triads in Major
key Unit 3.mp3
Triads in a minor
key
1.70 Triads in minor
key Unit 3.mp3
Scale tone 7th chords in a Major key
(Note: In a major key, vii, leading note, minor 7 flat 5 is half-diminished.)
Scale tone 7th
chords C major.mp3
Scale tone 7th chords in a minor key
(Note: In a minor key, vii, leading note, is a full diminished 7th.)
Scale tone 7th
chords minor.mp3
©VCAA 2011
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