1.4 Composition

REQUIREMENTS

Students will be required to produce a digital outcome portfolio that demonstrates they can shape music ideas to create an original composition.

The outcome portfolio will consist of THREE artifacts:

a recording of the original composition
a visual representation (as stylistically appropriate)
a short description of the creative process (as supporting evidence).

Full details of the assessment can be found here.

Composition Requirements:

The completed original music must display a variety of compositional concepts appropriate to the style the candidate is exploring. It must be no longer than THREE minutes in length.

Format and Evidence:

The completed original music must be presented in a stylistically appropriate format, such as audio or video recording, a screencast of DAW file, or a written score. Permitted file types include .pdf, .pptx, .MP3 and .MP4.

Written Aspect:

The short descriptive statement is where candidates can identify the intent of the composition, including its style, and may include references to the creative process, concepts used, and the overall structure of the piece. This may be presented as a written response, slideshow, screencast, or video, and should be no longer than 200 words.

Group compositions must identify the individual contribution of each candidate by NSN and the written response must be unique to each candidate.

The visual representation must be appropriate for the music style of the piece and in a format that can be recreated by others. Examples of appropriate representation could be annotated screenshots, fully notated scores, chord lyric charts or a representation that clearly shows the creative process.

Acceptable file types are: WORD docs, pdfs, MP3 and MP42.

Hamish's Annotated Screen Cast.mp4

Student Exemplar

Copy of Annotated Screen Cast.mp4

Student Exemplar

Ata's Annotated Screen Cast.mp4

Student Exemplar

RESOURCES TO GET STARTED

Intention

What style of music would best fit your intention?

What style of music best fits your intention?

You need to Create original music that is stylistically coherent. This involves selecting and using appropriate music concepts to create music in accordance with an identifiable style.

Music concepts are the building blocks of music. Examples of music concepts can include:

elements of music, eg, rhythm and melody
mātauranga Māori in music, eg, whakapapa, the origins and evolution of the music that can acknowledge mana whenua, tikanga, and the behaviours and protocols in the function of music
conventions of music, eg, notation, instrumentation.

What is your intention or purpose for this song?

Intent refers to the effect that the you are trying to create through music creation.

Brainstorm an intention for your music. Make sure it’s something meaningful to you.

Is the intent Happy, Sad, Angry? What emotion are you trying to convey?

Write these down. They will help with your songwriting later on. Don’t over think things. Keep it simple.

Make a list of COMPOSITIONAL ELEMENTS that might help you reach your intention. Think about instrumentation, sturcture, vocal style, etc

Don't forget your creative brief requires you to create and write about your song meeting a specific

STYLES OF MUSIC

What style of music would best fit your intention?

What style of music best fits your intention?

You need to Create original music that is stylistically coherent. This involves selecting and using appropriate music concepts to create music in accordance with an identifiable style.

Music concepts are the building blocks of music. Examples of music concepts can include:

elements of music, eg, rhythm and melody
mātauranga Māori in music, eg, whakapapa, the origins and evolution of the music that can acknowledge mana whenua, tikanga, and the behaviours and protocols in the function of music
conventions of music, eg, notation, instrumentation.

Instrumentation

What instruments are most commonly used in this style of music

What instruments are commonly used in this style of music?

For example, in reggae you will usually always hear these instruments:

Drums, Bass, Electric Guitar, Keys

Horns, Vocals

List the instruments you hear in the style of music you’ve chosen. Then begin creating your own musical ideas…

Musical Ideas

Create small musical ideas for each instrument that fit the style of music

Most musical ideas start with four of the most common concepts: Beats, Chords, Basslines and Melody. Check out these resources to help get you started:

You can also add other ideas such as sound FX, found sounds and samples.

Structure

Organise your musical ideas into a structure commonly used in the style of music

You need to create structured, original music. This involves:

developing, shaping, and representing music
using music concepts to create the deliberate organisation of sounds.

What to do

Listen and write down common structures used in the style of music you have chosen. Have a look at the picture to your left for some guidance around song structure basics.
Check out this resource to see how different structures are organised: https://learningmusic.ableton.com/song-structure/song-structure.html

NZ Songwriting Booklets

Check out these short online Booklets from New Zealand songwriters, they could provide you with tips and techniques to help write your own song.

Page updated

Report abuse