Subject 04 / Research centre
Composition & expression
Follow the relationships between voices, musical structures and creative choices.
6 published articles · Read in sequence or follow a question.
- 01Foundation · 5 min read
Chords and triads
Build major, minor, diminished and augmented triads, distinguish a chord's root from its bass, and hear how voicing changes a familiar set of notes.
- 02Developing · 5 min read
Harmony and voice leading
Hear a progression as both changing chords and moving lines, then use common tones, stepwise motion and purposeful leaps to connect an arrangement.
- 03Developing · 5 min read
Consonance and dissonance
Separate acoustic interaction, stylistic stability and personal preference, and explore why a sound described as dissonant can still be compelling or beautiful.
- 04Foundation · 5 min read
Musical texture
Listen to the relationship between musical parts, distinguish several texture types, and make an arrangement clearer by changing roles rather than merely changing volume.
- 05Foundation · 5 min read
Musical form
Map repetition, contrast and return across a piece, distinguish section labels from musical evidence, and use a small formal plan to shape an original composition.
- 06Developing · 5 min read
Improvisation
Practise making decisions in real time, develop a small idea through variation, and learn how preparation, listening and agreed constraints support spontaneous music.