KS3 Starter Booklet

Spring Term 2020

Listening Skills

Name: ___________________________
Class: ____________________________

Teacher:_________________________
 My Listening Progress

Mark your score on the chart each week so that you see the progress you are
making.
Starter 1: Haydn Symphony No. 94 in G major (“Surprise”) – 2​nd
Movement (0.00 – 1.45)

Listen to the extract, which will be played 2 times, and answer the following
questions.

1. What instrument is playing the melody at the beginning of the extract?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ [1]

2. How would you describe the tempo of the extract?

____________________________________________________________________________________________ [1]

3. What happens to the dynamics in the middle of the extract?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ [1]

4. What instrument takes over the melody towards the end of the extract?
____________________________________________________________________________________________ [1]

5. How many beats are in each bar?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ [1]

6. Describe what the violin is doing towards the end of the extract.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ [1]

7. How does the texture change throughout the extract?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ [2]

Total: /8
 Starter 2: Stupid Cupid by Connie Francis (0.00 – 1.34)

Listen to the extract, which will be played 2 times, and answer the following
questions.

1. Name 3 different instruments you can hear in this song.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ [3]

2. Describe what the singer does on the second syllable of the word “cupid” at the
end of the line “stupid cupid, stop pickin’ on me”
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________ [1]

3. What is added in the second verse?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ [1]

4. What instrument plays the solo in the instrumental section at the end of the
extract?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ [1]

5. How would you describe how the solo instrument is playing during the
instrumental section?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ [1]

6. What decade do you think this song was written in? Circle the correct answer.
[1]
1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s

Total: /8
Starter 3: Three Little Birds by Bob Marley (0.00 – 1.30)

Listen to the extract, which will be played 2 times, and answer the following
questions.

1. What part of the world do you think this music comes from? (circle the correct
answer) [1]

West Africa Caribbean Australia Europe

2. How many beats are in each bar?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ [1]

3. How would you describe the mood/atmosphere of this song?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ [1]

4. How many times does the riff play before the singer enters?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ [1]

5. Name the three structural elements of the song you can hear in this extract.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ [3]

6. What is the tonality of this song? Circle the correct answer. [1]

Major Minor Atonal Pentatonic

Total: /8
 Starter 4: We Go Together from the musical Grease (0.00 – 1.46)

Listen to the extract, which will be played 2 times, and answer the following
questions.

1. How would you describe the tempo of this song?

____________________________________________________________________________________________ [1]

2. How many bars of introduction are heard before the singing starts?
Circle the correct answer. [1]

4 8 12 16

3. Once the singing starts, what extra rhythmic feature can be heard in the
accompaniment? Circle the correct answer. [1]

Whistling Clapping Tambourine

4. What is the tonality of this song? Circle the correct answer. [1]

Atonal Major Minor Pentatonic

5. This is the last song in the final scene of the musical. What message do you
think the song is giving to the audience?
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________ [2]

6. What is the solo instrument in the instrumental section at the end of this
extract?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ [1]

7. How would you describe the dynamics in this extract?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ [1]

Total: /8
 Starter 5: The Lazy Song by Bruno Mars (0.00 – 1.30)

Listen to the extract, which will be played 2 times, and answer the following
questions.

1. What beats of the bar are the chords in the accompaniment playing on? Circle
the two correct answers. [2]

1 2 3 4 5

2. Which of the following can be heard in the chorus? Circle the correct answer.
[1]

Clapping Whistling Tambourine

3. How would you describe the tempo of this extract?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ [1]

4. Name two instruments that you can hear in this extract.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ [2]

5. Two of the following statements are true. Tick the two statements that are
correct. [2]

The tempo gets faster towards the end of the extract

The tempo stays the same throughout the extract

The backing vocals enter just before the final chorus of the extract

The backing vocals can be heard throughout the extract

Total: /8
Starter 6: Vivaldi – ‘Spring’ from The Four Seasons (0.00 – 1.12)

Listen to the extract, which will be played 2 times, and answer the following
questions.

1. Name three instruments that you can hear in this extract.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ [3]

2. How many beats are there in each bar?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ [1]

3. Of the three statements below, only one is true. Tick the correct statement. [1]

The dynamics remain the same throughout the extract

The dynamics alternate between forte and piano

The dynamics gradually get louder and quieter throughout the extract

4. How would you describe the tempo of this extract? Use musical language to
answer the question.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ [1]

5. What happens to the texture when the second section starts (from 30 seconds
into the extract)?
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ [2]

Total: /8
Starter 7: Mundian to Bach Ke by Punjabi MC (0.00 – 1.30)

Listen to the extract, which will be played 2 times, and answer the following
questions.

1. What part of the world do you think this music originates from?
___________________________________________________________________________________________ [1]

2. Tick the correct statement below: [1]

T The texture builds up, with the instruments entering one at a time

T The texture is thick from the beginning; all instruments enter at once

The texture starts thick, and then the instruments drop out one at a time

3. There is a simple riff played on the tumbi (one-stringed fiddle) that repeats
throughout the extract. How many different notes make up the riff?
Circle the correct answer. [1]

2 3 4 5

4. This song is a fusion of traditional Punjabi music and Western pop music.
Identify two features of this song that you think makes it more modern.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ [2]

5. What sort of event/occasion do you think this type of music would be

performed at?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ [1]

6. Describe the dynamics of this extract.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ [2]

Total: /8
 Starter 8: John Williams – Flying theme from E.T. the Extra-terrestrial
(0.00 – 2.15)

Listen to the extract, which will be played 2 times, and answer the following
questions.

1. Name an instrument from each of the instrumental families below that you can
hear in this extract: [4]

Strings: _________________________________________________
Woodwind: _________________________________________________
Brass: _________________________________________________
Percussion: _________________________________________________

2. In this scene of the movie, E.T. is flying across the sky on a bicycle. How does
the music help to convey this to the audience using pitch and dynamics? [2]
Pitch: ________________________________________________________________________________
Dynamics: ________________________________________________________________________________

3. Tick the correct statement below, relating to the tempo of the piece: [1]

The tempo speeds up throughout the extract

The tempo remains the same throughout the extract

The tempo speeds up and slows down throughout the extract

4. How would you describe the melody of this extract?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ [1]

Total: /8
 Starter 9: Chopin – Nocturne op.9 No. 2 (0.00 – 1.57)

Listen to the extract, which will be played 2 times, and answer the following
questions.
1. What is the name of the solo instrument?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ [1]

2. What is the tonality of this extract? Circle the correct answer. [1]

Atonal Major Minor Pentatonic

3. Choose the correct word below to describe the texture of this extract: [1]

Monophonic (one single line of music)

Homophonic (melody plus accompaniment)

Polyphonic (two or more melody lines heard at the same time)

4. How would you describe the dynamics of this extract? Use musical language.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ [1]

5. How would you describe the tempo of this piece of music?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________ [2]

6. How would you describe the mood/atmosphere of this extract?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ [1]

7. Did you enjoy this piece of music? Give a musical reason for your answer.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________ [1]

Total: /8
 Starter 10: LeeAnn Rimes – How do I live (0.00 – 2.41)

Listen to the extract, which will be played 2 times, and answer the following
questions.

1. Name three instruments you can hear in this extract:

________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________ [3]

2. How many bars of introduction are there before the singer enters? Circle the
correct answer. [1]
2 3 4 5

3. Describe the tempo of this extract.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ [1]

4. Describe two differences you can hear in the chorus compared to the verse.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________ [2]

5. What decade do you think this song was written in? Circle the correct answer.
[1]

1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s

Total: /8
Starter 11: Zorba Music – Sirtaki (0.00 – 2.04)
Listen to the extract, which will be played 2 times, and answer the following
questions.

1. How many beats are there in each bar? Circle the correct answer. [1]

2 3 4 5

2. Describe how the tempo changes throughout the extract.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ [1]

3. What country do you think this music originates from? Circle the correct
answer. [1]
USA Greece Japan South Africa

4. Describe how the texture changes throughout the extract.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ [1]

5. This piece of music is a popular dance. Give two musical reasons why you think
this piece of music would be good to dance to.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ [2]

6. Did you enjoy this piece of music? Give a musical reason for your answer.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ [1]

Total: /8
Starter 12: Theme from Batman (0.00 – 2.37)
Listen to the extract, which will be played 2 times, and answer the following
questions.

1. Name two percussion instruments you can hear in this extract.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ [2]

2. Thinking about the musical dimensions below, give one way each dimension
helps to build up the tension in this extract. [3]
Dynamics: ________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

Tempo: ________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

Texture: ________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

3. What is the name of the very last instrument heard in the extract?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ [1]

4. Describe what you think might be happening in this scene. Give musical
reasons for your ideas.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ [2]

Total: /8
Dimensions of Music – Word Bank
Dynamics – the volume of the music

Fortissimo – very loud

Forte – loud
Mezzo forte – moderately loud
Mezzo piano – moderately quiet
Piano – quiet
Pianissimo – very quiet

Crescendo – gradually getting louder

Decrescendo / diminuendo – gradually getting quieter

Sforzando – suddenly loud/with force

Tempo – the speed of the music

Presto – very fast

Allegro – fast
Vivace – fast, lively
Allegretto – moderately quick, cheerful
Moderato – at a moderate speed
Andante – at a walking pace
Adagio – slow
Lento / largo – very slow
Grave – very slow and serious

Accelerando – gradually getting faster

Rallentando / ritardando – gradually getting slower
Rubato – at a flexible speed
Silence – no sound at all
Texture – the different layers in a piece of music

Monophonic – a single line of music with no accompaniment

Homophonic – melody line with accompaniment (usually chords)
Polyphonic – two or more melody lines played at the same time
Thick / dense – lots of instruments playing at once
Thin – only a few instruments playing together
Unison – more than one person playing/singing the same part
Solo – one person playing/singing

Rhythm & Duration – the effect created by combining a variety of notes

of different lengths

Bouncy
Smooth
Syncopation – notes played ‘off the beat’
Note values e.g. crotchet, quaver, minim, semibreve, semiquaver
Dotted rhythms
Triplets
Polyrhythm – two or more independent rhythms played at the same time

Pitch & Melody

Pitch – how high or low the note is

Moves by step – next door notes
Moves by leaps – notes that are further than 3 notes apart
Chromatic – notes that don’t belong to a key
Scalic – ascending/descending patterns in a scale
Ostinato – repeated pattern
Riff – a short repeated pattern, often in the bass
Interval – distance between two notes
Sequence – repeated pattern at a higher or lower pitch

Structure – how the music is organised

Introduction, verse, chorus – used in pop songs/popular music

Ternary form – ABA (three sections, where the first and last section are the same)
Binary form – AB (two different sections)
Tonality – the key of a piece of music

Major – mainly used in happy, joyful and celebratory pieces of music

Minor – mainly used in sad, solemn and unhappy pieces of music
Atonal – not written in a particular key
Pentatonic – a 5 note scale

Articulation – how the note is played

Legato – smooth
Staccato – short/detached

Timbre – the sound quality (how we can tell the difference between
different instruments)

Words we can use to describe the timbre of different instruments:

Bright
Dark
Brassy
Reedy
Harsh
Noisy
Thin
Buzzy
Pure
Raspy
Shrill
Mellow
Strained
Breathy
Warm
Light
Piercing
Clear