Year 8 Music

What our students will learn in Year 8

Our termly overview

Term	Topic	Content Overview	Vocabulary
1 & 2	Chords, Blues and the 12 Bar Blues	What is the ’12 Bar Blues’, and where did it come from? How was the ’12 Bar Blues’ influenced by the slave trade? What are the variations of the ’12 Bar Blues’ structure? What is a chord? How are chords constructed? What is the difference between a major and minor chord? How can we use chords to play the ’12 Bar Blues’? What is a ‘walking bass line’? What is the ‘pentatonic scale’?	Chords Tonality Major Minor Key 12 Bar Blues Country Blues City Blues Structure Improvisation Pentatonic
3 & 4	Samba	Where does Samba come from and what is its musical/historical context? What is a ‘polyrhythm’? How can we use the ‘elements of music’ in Samba? What is an ‘ostinato pattern’? What are the traditional Samba instruments, and how do we play them? What is the role of the Maestre? What role does Samba play in Brazilian carnivals and culture? What musical structure is used in a traditional Samba performance?	Rhythm Polyrhythms Agogo Surdo Tamborim Festival Carnival Atmosphere Groove Layering Texture Maestre
5 & 6	Introduction to Dance Music	What are the features of ‘Dance’ music? What is are MIDI and ‘audio’, and what are the differences between them? What is a MIDI sample, and how can I use it? How can I use loops, riffs and ostinato in Dance music? How can I add and loop a sample? Why are texture and layering so important in Dance music? Why is structure so important in Dance music? How can I use editing techniques to manipulate my audio/MIDI sample?	Track Audio Software Instrument MIDI Loops Ostinato Riff Layering Editing Verse Chorus Introduction Structure Automation Stereo Field Panning Reverb Equalisation (EQ)