Music · Lesson 15

Paper 3A: dictation, melody, two-part writing, chords, cadences, modulations, themes

JAMBWAECNECO

What the syllabus asks

JAMB: (a) rhythmic dictation 8, (b) melody writing 8, (c) upper/lower part of a two-part phrase 8, (d) chords 8, (e) cadences 6, (f) modulations 6, (g) identification/description of themes 6; 45 min, 50 marks. JAMB: supports Section A (intervals) and Section B (chords, cadences, modulation) by ear.

WAEC: (a) rhythmic dictation 8, (b) melody writing 8, (c) upper/lower part of a two-part phrase 8, (d) chords 8, (e) cadences 6, (f) modulations 6, (g) identification/description of themes 6; 45 min, 50 marks. JAMB: supports Section A (intervals) and Section B (chords, cadences, modulation) by ear.

NECO: (a) rhythmic dictation 8, (b) melody writing 8, (c) upper/lower part of a two-part phrase 8, (d) chords 8, (e) cadences 6, (f) modulations 6, (g) identification/description of themes 6; 45 min, 50 marks. JAMB: supports Section A (intervals) and Section B (chords, cadences, modulation) by ear.

What you will learn

Describe the format and marking of the WAEC aural paper.
Recognise intervals, metres and chord qualities by ear.
Take down rhythms and melodies accurately.
Write a missing part in a two-part phrase.
Identify cadences and modulations to related keys.
Describe musical extracts using correct terms.
Plan regular aural practice without a teacher.

Key points

Paper 3A: 7 tests, 50 marks, about 45 minutes.
Dictation (a)–(c) = 24 marks: practise most.
Listen first, then rhythm, then pitch.
Intervals by semitone count and tune memory.
Every bar must add up to the time signature.
Melodies: solfa first, then convert to staff.
Two-part: 3rds/6ths good; no parallel 5ths/8ves.
Chords by bass solfa: d (I), f (IV), s (V).
Perfect V–I, plagal IV–I, imperfect ?–V, interrupted V–vi.
Modulation clues: fe, ta, se.
Describe themes: medium, texture, metre, key, tempo, style.
Practise 15 minutes daily with a partner.

Start here: The aural paper and how it is marked

WAEC (and NECO, which follows the same pattern) set a compulsory aural test, Paper 3A, lasting about 45 minutes and worth 50 marks. The examiner (or a recording) plays short extracts several times, and you write answers in your booklet. JAMB has no aural paper because the UTME is a computer-based objective test, but JAMB questions on intervals, chords and cadences become much easier if you can hear them in your head, so JAMB candidates should also work through this unit.

The seven tests and their marks come from the WAEC syllabus: rhythmic dictation 8, melody writing 8, writing the upper or lower part of a two-part phrase 8, chords 8, cadences 6, modulations 6, and identification or description of themes 6. That adds up to 50. Notice that the three writing tests (a)–(c) carry 24 marks, nearly half the paper, so dictation practice pays the most.

Why an app cannot replace your ears

This lesson is written in text, so it cannot play sounds to you. It teaches you how to listen, gives you methods for each test, and gives notated examples that you or a friend can play on a keyboard, a phone keyboard app, a recorder or a guitar, or sing to tonic solfa. Each example has a full answer. The best practice is with a partner: one plays, the other writes, then you swap.

General rules for the aural paper

Listen first, write later. On the first playing, just listen and count. On later playings, write.
Find doh and the pulse before anything else. Hum the tonic quietly to yourself between playings.
Write the rhythm before the pitches in dictation; rhythm errors cost more marks.
Check bar totals: every bar must add up to the time signature.
Use tonic solfa as a bridge: hear “m r d”, then convert to staff notation in the given key.
Never leave blanks. Marks are often given for correct parts of an answer (correct rhythm, correct contour).

Worked example: Planning your marks. A candidate is strong at chords and cadences but weak at dictation. Where is the most improvement available?
Answer. Chords (8), cadences (6) and modulations (6) are worth 20 marks; the three writing tests are worth 24. Even moving from 10 to 18 out of 24 on dictation adds 8 marks, more than the entire cadence test. Dictation practice should come first.

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Practice questions

1. WAEC Music Paper 3A (aural) lasts

45 minutes
1 hour
2 hours
30 minutes

Show answer

A: 45 minutes
50 marks, seven tests.

2. How many tests are in the WAEC aural paper?

Show answer

D: 7
(a) to (g).

3. Test (a) of the aural paper is

chords
modulation
rhythmic dictation
melody writing

Show answer

C: rhythmic dictation
8 marks.

4. In rhythmic dictation the rhythm is played on

two pianos
a monotone
a full orchestra
a chord sequence

Show answer

B: a monotone
Rhythm only.

5. Test (e) asks candidates to identify

cadences
instruments
composers
keys only

Show answer

A: cadences
6 marks.

Key words

Aural: By ear; listening tests.
Dictation: Writing down music you hear.
Pulse: The steady beat.
Contour: The up-and-down shape of a melody.
Tonic solfa: d r m f s l t names for scale degrees.
Inner hearing: Hearing music in your head.
Interval: Distance between two notes.
Cadence: Chord progression ending a phrase.
Modulation: Change of key.
Relative minor: Minor key with the same key signature.
Texture: How musical lines combine.
Medium: The voices or instruments performing.

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