Academic Discipline
Throughout Term 2, students have been focussed on using a subject’s key words to enhance the clarity of their writing. Each academic discipline has its own terminology that is used to communicate complex or specific ideas. In class, students have taken part in activities where they identify the key words in examples of high quality answers, construct sentences together and practice using vocabulary. The more students practice using these terms, the more confident they will feel when analysing concepts or expressing their thoughts.
Here are some of the terms Year 7 students have been using to describe musical elements of songs. Next time you’re listening to the radio or playing a tune at home feel free to ask “How would you describe the texture or tempo of this song?”
| Element | Key Terms | Description |
| Instruments / Texture | Guitar Piano Keyboard Electric Guitar Drums Bass Banjo | Example for Instruments/Texture: The song “Hello” features the piano, drums, vocals. It starts with a thin texture, just piano and vocals. The texture stays quite thin until the second chorus when the drums and backing vocals begin. |
Tempo | Allegro (fast) Adagio (slow) Moderato (moderate) Andate (walking pace) | Example for Tempo: The tempo in “Hello” starts adagio (slow) in theintroduction and changes to moderato (moderate) in the chorus. |
Dynamics | Piano (soft) Forte (loud) Crescendo (gradually louder) Diminuendo (gradually softer) | Example for Dynamics: The dynamics in “Hello” start piano (soft) and then moves to forte (loud) by the secondchorus. |
Timbre | Warm Sweet Smooth Clear Bright Powerful Airy Metallic Dry Rich Lush Cold Gritty Gentle Harsh Thin Muddy Ringing Brilliant Buzzing | Example for Timbre: The electric guitar played in the verse of “Hello” creates a harsh and bright sound. This is very different to thedark and muddy sound that we hear in thechorus once the drums are introduced. |
| Lyrics | Meaning Repeats Audience | Example for Lyrics: The words “Hello” are repeated often throughout the song, reminding the listener that the speaker wants to be heard. The speaker is using ‘I’ and ‘you’ suggesting that the audience of this song is a specific person. This song is about love and heartbreak. |
