Analysis of Conventions in Composition from the History of Music Repertoire and Current Music

Music composition uses standardised structures like sonata form, ternary form, fugue, rondo, and 12-bar blues.
Melodic motifs are short phrases or sequences repeated for effect; examples include Beethoven’s 5th symphony.
Harmonic techniques like chord progressions, modulations, and suspensions are key to shaping the emotional impact of a piece.
Rhythmic characteristics such as syncopation, polyrhythm, swing, and time signatures can define a genre or style.
A song’s mood will reflect its thematic content, and composers use key, tempo, and dynamic changes to convey this.
An understanding of textural variety and its impact (e.g., monophonic, polyphonic, homophonic compositions) is necessary.
Music often draws on cultural contexts and styles, such as folk traditions, religious music, or regional musical characteristics.

Baroque-era music (Bach, Vivaldi) is known for ornate melodies and complex counterpoint.
Classical-era music (Mozart, Haydn) employs more structured forms, clear melodies, and a homophonic texture.
Romantic-era music (Chopin, Mahler) allows for heightened emotion, programmatic themes, and extended forms.
20th and 21st-century music explores dissonance, non-standard scales, electronic music, and concept-driven composition.
Study of these historical periods reveals shifts in the use of form, harmony, melody, rhythm, texture, and medium across time.
Individual composer’s style should be recognised and the factors that contribute to it understood.
Genres, sub-genres, and their markers are distinct and change over time (e.g., blues, jazz, pop, country, hip hop, electronic).

Today’s music includes cultural crossover, genre-blending, and digital advancements.
Understanding how digital tools (synthesisers, DAWs, MIDI) have changed composition methods and sounds.
Current popular songs often use verse-chorus-verse structure, repeated hooks, and simple harmonic progressions.
Study the manipulation and impact of production techniques such as layering, EQing, and effects processing.
The mix and balance of a composition, including panning, levels, and frequency space, all contribute to the final product.
Explore how sampling and remixing reinterpret existing songs and create new musical contexts.
Modern music is often created for specific platforms or uses, such as streaming, film and game soundtracks, and advertising.