V-CERT MUSIC TECHNOLOGY

Producing Dance Music

UNIT 6 Stage 1

NAME: Billy Morgan

YOU WILL: Understand key features of dance music styles and structures

UNIT 1: Marking
Criteria

Pass

Merit

Distinction

1.1 - Identify the main dance music

styles

Candidates identify the main dance

music styles

No Merit for this AC

No Distinction for this AC

1.2 - Identify musical and cultural

developments that have influenced the
main dance music styles

Candidates identify musical and cultural

developments that have influenced the
main styles of dance music

No Merit for this AC

No Distinction for this AC

1.3 - Describe the main rhythmic

features common to dance music
styles

Candidates describe the main rhythmic

features common to dance music styles

Candidates demonstrate critical

understanding of the main rhythmic
features common to dance music styles,
giving a range of examples

Candidates demonstrate critical judgment

in the exploration of a range of rhythmic
features

1.4- Describe the main structural

features common to dance music
styles

Candidates describe the main structural

features common to dance music styles

Candidates demonstrate critical

understanding of the main structural
features common to dance music styles,
giving a range of examples

Candidates demonstrate critical judgment

in the exploration of a range of structural
features

1.5 - Describe the sounds and

instrumentation common to dance
music styles

Candidates describe the sounds and

instrumentation common to dance music
styles

Candidates demonstrate critical

understanding of the sounds and
instrumentation common to dance music
styles, giving a range of examples

Candidates demonstrate critical judgment

in the exploration of a range of sounds
and instrumentation

Producing Dance Music

1.1 You should produce a timeline showing a variety of different styles of popular dance
music. You should include Bands/Artists from the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s to present
day.
Deep Purple
1970

Queen

1980
The Prodigy

A-ha
Madness
1990

Nsync

Secondcity
Adele
2000

Justin Timberlake
2010

The White Stripes

JLS
Eminem

2015

Producing Dance Music

1.2 Pick a minimum of 3 bands or artists from your timeline and give specific details about
them. For example you could name some of their songs/tracks. You should also try to give
some specific musical characteristics of the tracks.
Madness

Justin
Timberlake

Queen

Songs/Tracks

Our house and ghost

town.

Bohemian Rhapsody and Cry Me a River and

Don't Stop Me Now.
Mirrors.

Instruments
used

Trumpet, Percussion and

Vocal.

Drums, Keyboards,
Amplified guitars.

Cello, Double Bass,

Trombone, Bassoon,
Baritone Horn.

2 interesting
facts

>Madness are an English

ska band from Camden
Town.
>Madness achieved most
of their success in the
early to mid-1980s.

>One of their classic hits

was released at the
request of Michael
Jackson.
>By the early 1980s,
Queen were one of the
biggest stadium rock
bands in the world.

>

Producing Dance Music

1.3, 1.4, 1.5 Now think about the different styles of pop music. You should now describe some of their key features.
TIP: Add some hyperlinks to musical examples of the style to support your description. (feel free to change any genres
listed). The table below is a guide. You may wish to produce 1 slide per style showing your musical features.

Rhythm Feature

Structure

Garage

8-16 beats (mid speed).

Keeps one speed fro

beginning to end and
usually up beat

Drum and bass

Repetitive and fast

Fast and up-beat

Deep House

Starts slow but picks up later

to a faster rhythm.

Starts slow and speeds up

gradually.

Instrumentation

Drum, bass, vocal,

piano/keyboard.

UNIT 1: TEACHER FEEDBACK

Set up and operate a digital audio workstation

Unit
1.1

1.2

1.3

1.4

1.5

Positive

Improvements

Current grade

UNIT 6: QUESTION & ANSWER

Producing Dance Music

Candidate Name

Candidate Signature

Assessor Name

Assessor Signature

Question

Response

Assessment Criteria

Date

MY DANCE TRACK
I USED A FEW AUDIO
LOOPS TO IMPROVE
SOME AREAS OF THE
SONG

THE MAIN BEATS ARE A 4 TO

THE FLOOR RHYTHEM
THE TEMPO IS MEDIUM SPEED
BUT A GOOD VARIATION OF
SOUNDS