Answering listening and study piece questions

The exam

• Component 1, Understanding music, is a listening and written exam of 1 hour 30 minutes, worth 96 marks and 40% of the GCSE.
• Section A: listening questions on unfamiliar music from all four areas of study.
• Section B: questions on the study pieces you have studied in class. Check AQA's website for the current list.

Answering listening questions

• Read each question before the extract plays, and underline what it asks: melody, rhythm, texture and so on.
• Use the elements (DR SMITH is a useful reminder: dynamics, rhythm, structure, melody, instruments, texture, harmony).
• Be precise: say "pizzicato strings" rather than "strings playing"; "a perfect cadence" rather than "it ends".
• For dictation questions, work out the rhythm first, then the pitch, using steps and leaps.

Study piece questions

• Know the context (composer, period and purpose) and the main features of each element in each piece.
• Longer answers should use specific examples from the music, linked to their effect.

Key terms

Unfamiliar music

Music you haven't studied, played in Section A.

Study piece

A set piece of music studied in detail for Section B.

DR SMITH

A reminder of the elements: dynamics, rhythm, structure, melody, instruments, texture and harmony.

Dictation

Writing down a melody or rhythm you hear.

Context

The background of a piece: who, when, where and why.