Exploring as a researcher

Identify a piece of music and ask the following:

When and where?

• Consider why you are choosing this piece of music for the purpose of the inquiry.

• Outline information on musical influences and inspirations for the music.

• Identify the background information of the artist, the music’s message and its time, historical and cultural contexts.

What?

• Describe the musical structures and form of the piece of music.

• Describe the musical instruments used in the piece of music.

• Explain the musical and/or production elements and compositional devices that define the piece of music.

• Explain the function of musical and/or production elements.

How and why?

Discuss the function of the identified musical elements and compositional devices in relation to the area of inquiry.

• How was the melody developed? Why were these musical choices made?

• How was the rhythm developed? Why was this rhythm be chosen?

• How was harmony developed? Why were these musical choices made?

• How was the piece produced? Why were certain production techniques applied?

• Consider the artist’s intention in applying these musical elements and compositional devices.

How:

Examine how the music is constructed.

Why:

• Discuss the original purpose of the piece.

• Investigate the musical choices made to achieve the original purpose, artistic intentions or specific musical conventions.

• Explore how the piece has been presented and communicated.

Possible focuses

• Discuss what is unique or unexpected about this music.

• Evaluate how effectively the piece realizes its identified intention.

• Propose interpretations for performed music.

Collected evidence consists of:

• appropriate subject-specific language, including, but not limited to, musical terminology

• citations and accurate location of musical information in scores and recordings using bar/measure numbers and/or timings.

Collected evidence may also consist of:

• annotated screenshots or graphics, including, but not limited to, annotated excerpts from the score

• recordings of the musical excerpts.