Performing and composing ideas
Some of the techniques found in Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds can be transferred to other performances and composing. By understanding the effects of each may develop musicianship skills. They are shown in this table.
| In performance | In composing | |
| Instrumentation/ timbre/sonority | Ensuring that the ensemble is balanced when playing amplified instruments. Levels need to be set correctly. | Write a piece using a traditional rock band line-up. New instruments could then be added such as brass and keyboard. When composing for electric guitar, consider adding some distortion or tremolo to help achieve that rock feel. |
| Verse-chorus structure | Create contrast between the different sections by increasing the dynamics during the chorus. | This format could be followed when writing a rock or pop song. |
| Using primary chords | Thinking about the cadence points and the chords that underpin them can give the performer clues as to the music鈥檚 structure. This can help shape a musical performance appropriately. | Create a chord progression using only chords I, IV and V. |
| Modulation | Make sure to pay attention to new sharp and flat notes when moving from one key to another. | A modulation can be used to change the mood of a piece, e.g. modulating to the relative minor key could reflect that something unsettling has occurred, symbolising a change in emotion that was originally portrayed. |
| Hook | Repetitive element eg hooks make the music memorable. But keep thinking about how the 鈥榟ook鈥 can be performed in slightly different ways each time so it doesn鈥檛 become too repetitive and dull. | Write a memorable and catchy melodic line that could be repeated and used as a basis for a chorus. Harmony could be added a third above to create some variation. |
| Melody and accompaniment | Be aware that there is one line of melody and the ensemble, duo, etc is the accompaniment. Make sure that it is balanced. | A melody should be the centre of attention in the composition and the other instruments need to accompany it. Homophonic means melody and accompaniment. |
| Inspiration | When performing famous songs from the history of popular music, performers can think about what has inspired them and how they can add their own imprint into the performance of the song. | Choose a picture or painting as a starting point. |
| Instrumentation/ timbre/sonority | |
| In performance | Ensuring that the ensemble is balanced when playing amplified instruments. Levels need to be set correctly. |
| In composing | Write a piece using a traditional rock band line-up. New instruments could then be added such as brass and keyboard. When composing for electric guitar, consider adding some distortion or tremolo to help achieve that rock feel. |
| Verse-chorus structure | |
| In performance | Create contrast between the different sections by increasing the dynamics during the chorus. |
| In composing | This format could be followed when writing a rock or pop song. |
| Using primary chords | |
| In performance | Thinking about the cadence points and the chords that underpin them can give the performer clues as to the music鈥檚 structure. This can help shape a musical performance appropriately. |
| In composing | Create a chord progression using only chords I, IV and V. |
| Modulation | |
| In performance | Make sure to pay attention to new sharp and flat notes when moving from one key to another. |
| In composing | A modulation can be used to change the mood of a piece, e.g. modulating to the relative minor key could reflect that something unsettling has occurred, symbolising a change in emotion that was originally portrayed. |
| Hook | |
| In performance | Repetitive element eg hooks make the music memorable. But keep thinking about how the 鈥榟ook鈥 can be performed in slightly different ways each time so it doesn鈥檛 become too repetitive and dull. |
| In composing | Write a memorable and catchy melodic line that could be repeated and used as a basis for a chorus. Harmony could be added a third above to create some variation. |
| Melody and accompaniment | |
| In performance | Be aware that there is one line of melody and the ensemble, duo, etc is the accompaniment. Make sure that it is balanced. |
| In composing | A melody should be the centre of attention in the composition and the other instruments need to accompany it. Homophonic means melody and accompaniment. |
| Inspiration | |
| In performance | When performing famous songs from the history of popular music, performers can think about what has inspired them and how they can add their own imprint into the performance of the song. |
| In composing | Choose a picture or painting as a starting point. |