Composition
Handbook
Name
PAM
1
Contents
Looking for Page
Getting Started 3
Structures in Composition 3
Writing a melody 4
Melodic phrases 5
Scales 5
Melodic Intervals 6
Another few things to consider 6
Melodic examples 7
Chords and Inversions 12
Accompaniments 15
Accompaniment Patterns 16
Musical Conventions 20
Planning your compositions 28
Composition Planning Sheets 29
Composition Logs 45
Assessment Criteria
Useful Links
Getting Started
Virtually every piece of music we listen to has the same core
features:
A planned structure
A steady pulse which might change at some point in the piece
A tune of some description
An accompaniment
Structures in Composition
If a piece of music is to make sense and feel logical it must have a
structure. This is what holds it together. In order to give your
music structure it is necessary to decide on a compositional form
that is appropriate to your compositional idea.
There are FIVE main types of compositional form you can use to
create your five pieces:
3
ABA Ternary Form
This is a satisfying music form because it finishes in the same way as it starts i.e.
Section A is repeated at the end. It rounds off the piece.
Either Section A is repeated exactly after contrasting Section B has happened or it can
be slightly developed and varied from its original but still contrasts with Section B.
AoS1 Bach, Beethoven is sonata form, which is developed from ternary form.
A0S 2 - Purcell
AoS 2 Queen
AoS 3 Wicked
AoS 4 Afro Celt Sound System, Esperanza Spalding
4
Writing a Melody
The character of a melody is shaped by its rhythm, pitches, overall
form and pace.
Good melodies are:
Singable!
Mainly made up of stepwise movement, with occasional leaps.
The total range is no more than 1 octaves (e.g.: middle C up to the G).
Use repetition
of the way through, the music comes to a high point and then subsides.
Usually constructed of balanced melodic phrases, made up of pairs of fours. Four
bar phrases are usually in an arch-shape, where the highest point is reached in the
third phrase. They can be based on a short motif which is either extended or
contrasted.
5
Musical Conventions
In this section, all the composing techniques, tips and tricks that all our
different set works writers have used are explained so you can experiment
with them in your own pieces.
Area of Study 1
Bach Brandenburg Concerto No.5
Melody: Tonality:
Conjunct melody A section D major
Scalic runs B section A major and B minor
Rising sequences
Ornaments Harmony:
Instrumentation: Standard chords of I, IV & V
Dominant sevenths
Flute, violin, viola, cello, double bass, Perfect cadences
harpsichord
Form/structure:
Tempo/metre/rhythm:
Ternary form (ABA)
2/4 or 6/8
Triplets and dotted rhythms Texture:
Semiquaver runs
Polyphonic/contrapuntal
Dynamics:
Terraced dynamics f or p
20
Area of Study 1
Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor
Melody: Modulation to related keys
Instrumentation: Form/structure:
Piano Sonata form exposition, development,
recapitulation, coda
Tempo/metre/rhythm:
Texture:
Grave
4/4 Homophonic
Dotted rhythms Monophonic
Septuplets Melody and accompaniment
Tonality: Dynamics:
C minor ff to pp
fp, sfz
21
Area of Study 2
Purcell Music for a while
Melody: Tonality:
Conjunct movement A minor
Passing notes Chromatic, non-diatonic
Small leaps Modulation to related keys, confirmed
Rests by perfect cadences
Ornaments
Harmony:
Instrumentation:
Functional, diatonic chords
Voice and continuo Suspensions
Dissonances
Tempo/metre/rhythm: Perfect cadences
Slow Form/structure:
4/4
Quavers and semiquavers Ground bass structure
Dotted rhythms
Texture:
Melody and accompaniment
22
Area of Study 2
Queen Killer Queen
Melody: Harmony/Tonality:
Syllabic text setting E flat major
Backing vocals use a mixture of words Ambiguous tonality
and vocalisation Passing modulations
Conjunct Root position chords
Sequences Dissonance
Angular leaps Seventh chords
Circle of fifths
Instrumentation: Extended and altered chords
23
Area of Study 3
Defying Gravity Wicked Stephen Schwartz
Melody:
Syllabic text setting Form/structure:
Hook
Legato, conjunct, triplet-based Verse chorus form
melodies
Vocalisation Harmony:
Sequences
Angular leaps Root position chords
Unrelated chord progressions, shifts of
Instrumentation: semitones
Dissonance
Duet for two voices
Pedal
Some spoken dialogue
Text delivered spoken, half
Tonality:
spoken/sung, sung
Large orchestra woodwind, brass, Ambiguous in opening
strings, percussion, electric guitars Chromatic and unrelated chords
D major
Tempo/metre/rhythm: Moves through B major, F major, and
G major
Numerous tempo changes
Rallentandos used between sections
Texture:
3/2 2/2 4/4 2/2
Syncopation and dotted rhythms Sparse in opening
Rests Melody and accompaniment
Off beat entries Homophonic
Fermatas Ostinato accompaniment
Unison
Contrapuntal ending
24
Area of Study 3
Main Title/Rebel Blockade Runner Star Wars:
Episode IV A New Hope John Williams
Harmony:
Mainly tonal
Chords in root position or first
inversion
Tertiary relationships
Atonal effects Dynamics:
Dissonance - clusters
Tritons ff throughout
Chords from different keys Occasional diminuendos and crescendos
Tonality: Instrumentation:
B flat major Full symphony orchestra 60+ players
Less clear tonality woodwind, brass, strings
Based around C Doubling of parts
Dissonance atonal Solos
Bitonality No electronic effects
Texture: Tempo/metre/rhythm:
Homophonic Fast tempo
Thickly scored 4/4, march style
Block chords Triplets
Melody and accompaniment Syncopation
Octave doubled melody
Homorhythmic chords
Pedals
Ostinatos
25
Melody: Contrary motion
Sequences
Rapid repeated notes
Triplets
Leaps
Anacrusis
Area of Study 4
Release Afro Celt Sound System
Harmony/Tonality: Looping
Layering
Diatonic Glissando
C minor Ornamentation
Chromaticism
Repetitive chord sequences
Slow harmonic pulse
Extended chords
False relations
Texture:
Homophonic
Layering
Loops
Tempo/metre/rhythm:
Polyphonic
Heterophonic Free time
Steady tempo
Dynamics: 4/4
100bpm
No markings in score Short rhythmic phrases
Rhythmic ostinato
Instrumentation: Swung quavers
Area of Study 4
Samba Em Preludio Esperanza Spalding
Harmony:
Tonal
Jazz and American popular song
influence
Chords I, II, IV, V Instrumentation:
Chord extensions
Diminished sevenths Female voice
Chromatic chords Acoustic guitar
Cadences Acoustic bass guitar
Descending chromatic movement Syllabic word setting
Active bass part
Texture: Virtuosic solo acoustic guitar part
Monophonic Tempo/metre/rhythm:
Homophonic
Polyphonic
4/4
Free
Tonality: Bossa nova
Complex vocal rhythms
B minor
Triplets and rests
No modulation
Syncopation
Dynamics: Melody:
No markings in score
27
Two main melodies separately then Form/structure:
combined
Sequences Verse form no choruses
Arpeggios
Conjunct
28
Develop
motifs/riffs
7 using
compositiona
l devices
Dynamics
8 and
articulation
9 Textures
Length of
10 Piece
Form/Structu
2 re
Instrumentati
3 on
A brief
outline of
each section
5 include the
beginning
and ending
Main
6 motifs/riffs
Develop
motifs/riffs
7 using
compositiona
l devices
Dynamics
8 and
articulation
9 Textures
Length of
10 Piece
Form/Structu
2 re
Instrumentati
3 on
A brief
outline of
each section
5 include the
beginning
and ending
Main
6 motifs/riffs
Develop
motifs/riffs
7 using
compositiona
l devices
Dynamics
8 and
articulation
9 Textures
Length of
10 Piece
Form/Structu
2 re
Instrumentati
3 on
A brief
outline of
each section
5 include the
beginning
and ending
Main
6 motifs/riffs
Develop
motifs/riffs
7 using
compositiona
l devices
Dynamics
8 and
articulation
9 Textures
Length of
10 Piece
Form/Structu
2 re
Instrumentati
3 on
A brief
outline of
each section
5 include the
beginning
and ending
Main
6 motifs/riffs
Develop
motifs/riffs
7 using
compositiona
l devices
Dynamics
8 and
articulation
9 Textures
Length of
10 Piece
Form/Structu
2 re
Instrumentati
3 on
A brief
outline of
each section
5 include the
beginning
and ending
Main
6 motifs/riffs
Develop
motifs/riffs
7 using
compositiona
l devices
Dynamics
8 and
articulation
9 Textures
Length of
10 Piece
Form/Structu
2 re
Instrumentati
3 on
A brief
outline of
each section
5 include the
beginning
and ending
Main
6 motifs/riffs
Develop
motifs/riffs
7 using
compositiona
l devices
Dynamics
8 and
articulation
9 Textures
Length of
10 Piece
Form/Structu
2 re
Instrumentati
3 on
A brief
outline of
each section
5 include the
beginning
and ending
Main
6 motifs/riffs
Develop
motifs/riffs
7 using
compositiona
l devices
Dynamics
8 and
articulation
9 Textures
Length of
10 Piece
Form/Structu
2 re
Instrumentati
3 on
A brief
outline of
each section
5 include the
beginning
and ending
Main
6 motifs/riffs
Develop
motifs/riffs
7 using
compositiona
l devices
Dynamics
8 and
articulation
9 Textures
Length of
10 Piece
Form/Structu
2 re
Instrumentati
3 on
A brief
outline of
each section
5 include the
beginning
and ending
Main
6 motifs/riffs
Develop
motifs/riffs
7 using
compositiona
l devices
Dynamics
8 and
articulation
9 Textures
Length of
10 Piece
Form/Structu
2 re
Instrumentati
3 on
A brief
outline of
each section
5 include the
beginning
and ending
Main
6 motifs/riffs
Develop
motifs/riffs
7 using
compositiona
l devices
Dynamics
8 and
articulation
9 Textures
Length of
10 Piece
Form/Structu
2 re
Instrumentati
3 on
A brief
outline of
each section
5 include the
beginning
and ending
Main
6 motifs/riffs
Develop
motifs/riffs
7 using
compositiona
l devices
Dynamics
8 and
articulation
9 Textures
Length of
10 Piece
Form/Structu
2 re
Instrumentati
3 on
A brief
outline of
each section
5 include the
beginning
and ending
Main
6 motifs/riffs
Develop
motifs/riffs
7 using
compositiona
l devices
Dynamics
8 and
articulation
9 Textures
Length of
10 Piece
Form/Structu
2 re
Instrumentati
3 on
A brief
outline of
each section
5 include the
beginning
and ending
Main
6 motifs/riffs
Develop
motifs/riffs
7 using
compositiona
l devices
Dynamics
8 and
articulation
9 Textures
Length of
10 Piece
Form/Structu
2 re
Instrumentati
3 on
A brief
outline of
each section
5 include the
beginning
and ending
Main
6 motifs/riffs
Develop
motifs/riffs
7 using
compositiona
l devices
Dynamics
8 and
articulation
9 Textures
Length of
10 Piece
Form/Structu
2 re
Instrumentati
3 on
A brief
outline of
each section
5 include the
beginning
and ending
Main
6 motifs/riffs
Develop
motifs/riffs
7 using
compositiona
l devices
Dynamics
8 and
articulation
9 Textures
Length of
10 Piece
Composition Log
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Every composition lesson, please complete one of these logs.
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If writing, roughly how long have you spent on this, this lesson?
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Is this lesson experimenting or writing? ________________
If writing, roughly how long have you spent on this, this lesson?
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