Music study guides
SQA-HIGHER Β· Higher (SQA) Β· aligned to SQA.
- Composing: SQA Higher Music coursework overview
An overview of the SQA Higher Music composing assignment, the coursework component: composing your own music applying compositional methods and concepts, and reflecting on it in a composing review.
π 7 min readHigher - Melody and Harmony: SQA Higher Music concept overview
An overview of the melody and harmony concepts in SQA Higher Music: intervals and scales, chords and cadences, and tonality, modulation and ornaments, all examined by ear in the Understanding Music question paper.
π 9 min readHigher - Music Literacy: SQA Higher Music overview
An overview of the music literacy in SQA Higher Music: reading pitch and rhythm from staff notation, and reading the signs and Italian terms in a score, the reading skills the Understanding Music question paper tests alongside aural identification.
π 8 min readHigher - Musical Styles: SQA Higher Music concept overview
An overview of the musical styles examined in SQA Higher Music: the classical tradition (baroque, classical, romantic), the popular, jazz and world idioms, and Scottish music, all recognised by ear in the Understanding Music question paper.
π 8 min readHigher - Performing: SQA Higher Music coursework overview
An overview of the SQA Higher Music performance, the coursework component: performing a programme on one or two instruments (or voice), assessed in a recital that carries the largest share of the course marks.
π 7 min readHigher - Rhythm and Tempo: SQA Higher Music concept overview
An overview of the rhythm and tempo concepts in SQA Higher Music: simple and compound time, syncopation and the scotch snap, tempo markings and changes, rubato and rhythmic devices, all examined by ear in the Understanding Music question paper.
π 8 min readHigher - Texture, Structure and Form: SQA Higher Music concept overview
An overview of the texture, structure and form concepts in SQA Higher Music: monophonic, homophonic and polyphonic textures, and the forms binary, ternary, rondo and theme and variation, all examined by ear in the Understanding Music question paper.
π 8 min readHigher - Timbre and Dynamics: SQA Higher Music concept overview
An overview of the timbre and dynamics concepts in SQA Higher Music: identifying instruments, voices and ensembles, the playing techniques and articulation, and the dynamic levels and changes, all examined by ear in the Understanding Music question paper.
π 8 min readHigher