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Arrangement 01
Descant, the high-pitched counter-melody, is found in hymns.

Arrangement 01

Build confidence with KS3 arrangement skills. Explore how composers shape a piece using instruments, texture and balance, then test your listening and writing.

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(quiz starts below)

Fascinating Fact:

Doubling a melody in two instruments can make it sound stronger, but it can also hide other parts if the balance is not managed.

In KS3 Music, arrangement is about deciding how musical ideas are shared across voices and instruments. You learn how to change texture, layer parts, vary dynamics and choose timbres, so the music stays clear, balanced and interesting.

Key Terms

  • Arrangement: A planned version of a piece that decides which instruments or voices play each part, and how those parts fit together.
  • Texture: How many layers of sound there are, and how they combine, for example monophonic, homophonic or polyphonic.
  • Timbre: The tone colour of an instrument or voice, which helps you tell sounds apart even when they play the same note.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

What does arrangement mean in KS3 Music?

In KS3 Music, an arrangement is how you organise a piece for voices or instruments, including who plays the melody, harmony, bass line and any extra patterns.

How do I change texture in an arrangement?

You can change texture by adding or removing layers, switching between a single melody line and chords, or introducing independent parts that interweave, like a counter-melody.

How do composers create balance in an arrangement?

Balance is created by controlling dynamics, register and instrumentation, so important parts are heard clearly and no single layer overwhelms the rest of the music.

Try These Related Quizzes

1 .
What does 'Question and Answer' mean?
Dominant-to-tonic resolution by a different (B) voice
A 4-bar section which is constantly repeated
A section which is constantly at a loud dynamic
All of the above
Remember, A to B, dominant to tonic passages
2 .
What is an interlude?
A 16-bar section which features a drone
A long composition comparable to a symphony
A short piece in-between parts of longer compositions
None of the above
Interludes are shorter pieces of music which are inserted between longer sections
3 .
What kinds of music feature improvisation?
Jazz solo sections
Rock guitar solo sections
Classical recitative sections
All of the above
Most commonly found in music from 1900+ but still found in many classical pieces and modern day recordings
4 .
Which of the following is the bass line?
A mid-pitched line played usually a 3rd below the melody
A high-pitched line which plays out the tune
A low-pitched line played by rhythm section instruments
All of the above
You'll find basslines in a lot of popular music, from jazz and blues to funk and electronic. But wherever it is, a bassline is played by the low-pitched instruments in the rhythm section
5 .
'Tone quality' or 'Tone colour' specifically relates to .......
dynamic markings
key signatures
timbre
time signatures
Timbre is what makes each musical sound different, even when they have the same pitch and loudness. For example, a trumpet and a piano playing the same note at the same volume still sound 'different'
6 .
A harmonic accompaniment is mainly provided by .......
several instruments with underlying chord progressions
very loud dynamics
fast playing
None of the above
The harmonic accompaniment provides support for the melody or main themes of a piece of music
7 .
What is a descant?
A counter-melody at a higher pitch than the main melody
A fast section of music
A loud and accented bass line
A piece in the key of D major
Descants are commonly found in church hymns
8 .
A Coda is .......
a quiet kind of dynamic marking
a passage which brings a movement to a conclusion
a type of accelerando
a type of classical movement
Often consists of a few bars, sometimes a section!
9 .
What high-pitched counter-melody is found in hymns?
Bass line
Descant
Falsetto
Tenor line
Descant means 'voice above'
10 .
What type of passage brings a section to a conclusion?
A Coda
A pause
A ritardando
An accelerando
The word Coda is Italian for 'tail'
You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - Music

Author:  Thomas Daish (Keyboard & Woodwind Specialist, Music Teacher & Quiz Writer)
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