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AURAL
AURAL
This is where we develop the skill of listening. Try not to think about it as written work or theory, but more about how you practise the skill of hearing things better.
Practise it just as you'd practise your instrument.
*Disclaimer: This method was created by Max Woods
It's a questioning framework called ALARM (A Learning and Responding Matrix) and his website is www.alarmeducation.com.au
Have a look at the end product below!
Have a look at the end product below!
Exemplar script.pdfTHE 4 SKILLS OF LISTENING ARE
IDENTIFY | DESCRIBE | EXPLAIN SIGNIFICANCE | ANALYSE
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE HOW YOU CAN MASTER EACH SKILL LEVEL
THE FIRST SKILL OF LISTENING: IDENTIFY
THE FIRST SKILL OF LISTENING: IDENTIFY
To Identify, we name Sections, Instruments and Roles
Develop these skills below
Level 01 - Identify instrument
Level 01 - Identify instrument
Train your ear to recognise individual instruments
Describe what you hear - this will help you identify it next time
More instrument practise
More instrument practise
Still finding instrument identification difficult?
Try doing this test without looking and confirm your answer after!
Level 02 - Identify significant instruments
Level 02 - Identify significant instruments
Train your ear to recognise individual instruments when they all play at once - look at the main ones that contribute to:
melody
harmony
rhythm
bass
Click on a random genre, then click on the arrow to get a 30 second sample
Level 03 - Identify Sections
Level 03 - Identify Sections
Train your ear to recognise when a piece of music changes sections
AD BREAK
AD BREAK
Can you identify the instruments and sections?
Level 04 - Identify ROLES
Level 04 - Identify ROLES
Every instrument plays role in a piece of music. These roles may change as sections change. Train your ear to name the role of each instrument in each section.
Roles: Melody | Harmony | Bass | Rhythm
What Should IT Look Like?
What Should IT Look Like?
A map of the piece! Aim to have your listening structure done by the 2nd or 3rd playings.
THE second SKILL OF LISTENING: describe
THE second SKILL OF LISTENING: describe
To 'Describe', we list the events played by the instrument
The events an instrument can play in a song is best described through the language of music.
What's the language of music? The Concepts of Music!
The Concepts of Music
The Concepts of Music
Pitch: Melody & Harmony
Duration: Rhythms and how they are used
Texture: Roles and use of different layers
Tone Colour: Describing the sound
Dynamics and Expressive Techniques: Shifts in volume and instrumental techniques
Structure: Defining sections and how they are used
LEVEL 01 - Identify EVENTS
LEVEL 01 - Identify EVENTS
Have the acronym you want to focus on in front of you (in a new tab) and tick off all the events you hear when you click on a genre
LEVEL 02 - Identify | Describe
LEVEL 02 - Identify | Describe
Do the first part of ALARM! Focus on 1-2 acronyms at a time
Identify Sections, Significant Instruments and Roles
Describe each layer using 4-6 terms - exhaust the main concept first, then use other concepts to fill out the terms needed.
What Should IT Look Like?
What Should IT Look Like?
4-6 terms per layer. Mainly use terms from the Concepts of Music outlined in the question. In this example, the question would be "Discuss how Pitch and Duration are used in this excerpt"
Remember: 4-6 terms per layer
Answer the question first (use the acronym from the question) then support with other acronyms.
THE third SKILL OF LISTENING
THE third SKILL OF LISTENING
explain significance
explain significance
We look at why the instrument played the events we heard in 'Describe'
To help you, we have an acronym!
FAT MURVIC
EVENTS found IN 'DESCRIBE' Create...
EVENTS found IN 'DESCRIBE' Create...
Familiarity
Anticipation
Tension
Mood
Unity
Resolution
Variety
Interest
Contrast
Familiarity // Anticipation // Tension // Mood // Unity // Resolution // Variety // Interest // Contrast
What Should IT Look Like?
What Should IT Look Like?
Maximum 2 terms per section. Draw arrows to specific 'Describe' events that contribute to the term. In this example, for Section A, 4 events have contributed to Interest, and another 4 have contributed to Variety.
THE fourth SKILL OF LISTENING: analyse
THE fourth SKILL OF LISTENING: analyse
We look at how the layers/sections relate to each other
To help you, we have our final and most important acronym!
LEVEL 01 - Identify EVENTS
LEVEL 01 - Identify EVENTS
Have the Analyse acronym in front of you and tick off all the events you hear when you click on a genre
LEVEL 02 - Identify | Describe
Explain Significance | Analyse
LEVEL 02 - Identify | Describe
Explain Significance | Analyse
Complete a full ALARM! Focus on 1-2 acronyms at a time
Identify Sections, Instruments and Roles
Describe each Instrument using 4-6 terms
Draw arrows to 2 FAT MURVICS per section
List as many Analyse events as you can for each section
What Should IT Look Like?
What Should IT Look Like?
Try to get over 20 'Analyse' events over the whole excerpt. You can repeat observations for different sections, just make sure you keep focusing on the events that relate to the question. Also, remember to add the instruments involved, otherwise it becomes a random observation.
SOME MORE EXAMPLES BELOW
SOME MORE EXAMPLES BELOW
New Rotated Exemplar Scripts.pdfON THE EXAM DAY
ON THE EXAM DAY
30 mins before the exam
30 mins before the exam
Go to everynoise.com and practise the Identify skill on each 30 second example. This will warm up your ears and get you confident with shifting from section to section.
15 mins before the exam
15 mins before the exam
Complete a response from start to finish - this will really warm up your ears. The exam has 4 questions, act as if it has 5 questions and get into the groove before the exam starts! Go to auralpapers.com and choose a question.
Write your notes
Write your notes
After the 5 minute reading time finishes, you can start writing! The first thing you hear will be an introduction track that goes for about 40 seconds. Write the 'Analyse' Acronym and one other in this time. This way you have visual prompts to help you for the whole exam!
EXAM STRATEGY
EXAM STRATEGY
Identify
Identify
- Focus on Sections for the first 2 playing's
- Focusing on the MELODY only will help. Sometimes rhythm is super clear too
- Quickly think about the genre (In a typical small ensemble piece, the instruments will most likely be the same Section to Section)
- Write down quick observations if you hear it in describe or analyse
Describe
Describe
- FOCUS ON THE CONCEPT IN THE QUESTION FIRST
- Describe the most ‘in your face’ instrument first
- Use word prompts if you get stuck
EXPLAIN SIGNIFICANCE
EXPLAIN SIGNIFICANCE
- 2 words only per section and remember arrows!
- IF ITS IN THE QUESTION, USE THAT TERM ONLY
- Eg. How does Pitch and Duration create Interest in this excerpt - use only 'Interest' in Explain Significance
Analyse
Analyse
- CHOOSE EVENTS THAT ARE IN THE CONCEPT IN THE QUESTION FIRST
- Eg. If the question is 'How is Duration used in the excerpt?', then choose 'Duration events' from Analyse as much as you can
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