BOSTES 2007 HSC Music 1 Aural Skills - Markers Guidelines and Feedback

In better responses, candidates:

• provided a well-structured response and supported observations with detailed references to musical events
• demonstrated a clear understanding of both tone colour and variety and discussed musical events in detail
• focused on describing tone colour and variety
• accurately outlined the variety of tone colours occurring in each section of the music
• used terminology appropriately
• identified instruments/sound sources by correct names rather than generic categories
• addressed all aspects of the question by isolating the instruments/sound sources heard, describing the musical role and relevant playing techniques of each, while consistently explaining how their use created variety
• were able to describe more subtle aspects of variety (eg computer-manipulated v electronic v amplified v acoustic sounds; body percussion v percussion instruments; the many different ways in which the voices were used).

In weaker responses, candidates:

• provided brief and superficial answers
• used inaccurate terminology
• made little specific reference to the music
• listed the instruments/sound sources but did not mention their musical role within the excerpt
• provided a chronological list of musical events without referring to variety, and were unable to demonstrate a clear understanding of how variety was created
• provided irrelevant information on other concepts
• used descriptive and emotive language rather than musical terminology (eg happy feel, depressing tone)
• referred to instruments by generic category (eg chordophone instead of guitar)
• focused on the technical acoustic properties of the individual sounds (ADSR sound envelope) without addressing the interaction of sounds within the music.