Music: Revision Topics

Year 7 Music Revision Notes – 2025

1. Notes on the Treble Clef Stave

• Music is written on a set of 5 lines called a stave.
• The treble clef is a symbol that shows where the notes are.
• From bottom to top, the lines spell E G B D F ("Every Good Boy Deserves Football").
• The spaces spell F A C E (just like the word "face").

2. White Notes on a Keyboard

• The white notes repeat the letters A to G: A B C D E F G.
• Middle C is the note near the middle of the keyboard.
• Each note has a certain pitch (how high or low it sounds).

3. Drink Rhythms

• Rhythms can be shown using drinks to help remember them:
  • Tea = 1 beat (like a crotchet)
  • Coffee = 2 fast sounds (like quavers)
  • Coca-cola = 4 quick sounds (semiquavers)
• You might clap or say the drinks to help keep the beat.

4. Time Values of Notes

• Each note has a time value (how long you hold it):
  • Semibreve (whole note) = 4 beats
  • Minim (half note) = 2 beats
  • Crotchet (tea) = 1 beat
  • Quaver (coffee) = ½ beat
  • Semiquaver = ¼ beat

5. Sounds of Instruments

• Learn to recognise the sound of different instruments (e.g. violin, trumpet, flute, drum).
• You might be asked to match a sound to an instrument name.

6. MAD T-Shirt (Musical Elements)
Each letter stands for something in music. Know what they mean:

• M = Melody (the main tune)
• A = Articulation (how notes are played: smooth or jumpy)
• D = Dynamics (volume: loud or quiet)
• T = Tempo (speed of the music)
• T = Texture (how many layers of sound)
• S = Structure (how the music is built: verse/chorus etc.)
• H = Harmony (more than one note played at once)
• I = Instruments and Timbre (which instruments, and their unique sound)
• R = Rhythm (pattern of the beats)
• T = Tonality (is it happy (major) or sad (minor)?)

7. Orchestral Instruments

• Instruments are grouped into families:
  • Strings (violin, cello) – played with a bow
  • Woodwind (flute, clarinet) – blown with air
  • Brass (trumpet, trombone) – also blown but have a metal mouthpiece
  • Percussion (drums, cymbals) – hit or shaken
• Know what the instruments look like and their family.

8. Gamelan Music

• Traditional music from Indonesia.
• Uses gongs, metallophones, and drums.
• Often played in a group with layered patterns.
• Has a calm, echoing sound.

9. Voices and Vocal Music

• Voice types: soprano (high female), alto (low female), tenor (high male), bass (low male).
• Styles include pop, classical, opera, and rap.
• Look at how voices are used to tell stories or show emotion.

10. Musical Theatre

• A mix of acting, singing, and dancing.
• Examples: The Lion King, Matilda, Hamilton.
• Music helps tell the story and show characters’ feelings.

11. Keywords

• Learn the meanings of important music words you've learned this year.
• Examples:
  • Tempo = speed
  • Dynamics = loud or quiet
  • Pitch = high or low sound
  • Rhythm = pattern of notes
  • Melody = tune

FAQs

What is a stave and how do you read n