LISTENING
JOURNAL
Name:_______________________________
Teacher:______________________________
Listening journal
How to use this listening journal
Listening to music and being able to describe what you hear is a skill that can be practised and developed.
In this listening journal you’ll find:
1. Key terms glossary (with extra space to add your own key words)
2. Table of ‘prompts’ – examples of what you can listen out for in each category.
3. Blank listening templates to complete every time you listen to a new piece of music.
The more technical vocabulary you can use, the better
Remember: listening to music is an enjoyable activity and it’s ok to just sit and listen (and not write
anything down) from time to time. J
At the end of each piece you will find 3 faces. Tick one to show your feeling about the piece!
I love it! It’s ok I’m not a fan
Helpful tips
• Highlight any words you are not familiar with in the glossary. Aim to learn these and use in your
listening journal.
• Listen to a variety of styles and genres of music so that you can begin to make comparisons and
form your own opinion about what you are listening to.
• If you feel overwhelmed by the amount of blank space on the listening journal, start by choosing
just one or two boxes to complete and then build it up as you listen to more music.
• Use bullet points and key words to keep your observations clear and concise.
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Listening journal
Key terms glossary
Category Key word Definition
Largo Slow
Adagio Slow
Tempo
Andante Steady, walking pace
Allegro Quickly
Presto Fast
Syncopation Emphasising beats of the bar which are usually not accented.
Hemiola Music in triple time, which temporarily moves into duple time,
Rhythm often at the end of a phrase.
Ostinato Repeating rhythmic pattern.
Anacrusis An upbeat.
Polyphony Several musical lines played at the same time, overlapping and
interweaving.
Monophony One single line of music.
Homophony / Parts move together at the same time.
Melody-dominated
Texture homophony
Heterophony Two or more instruments playing the same melody
simultaneously with one instrument playing a decorated
version of the melody.
Canon Can also come under form & compositional technique.
Strict imitation between parts in exact intervals but at different
beats of the bar.
Binary form Music in two repeated sections – A & B
Section B modulates to a new key before returning to the tonic
at the end.
Form / Structure
Ternary form Music in three sections – ABA
The B section tends to modulate to a new key and provide a
contrast to the A section.
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Listening journal
Rondo form Music consisting of a returning section (A) alternating with
contrasting sections:
ABACADA and so on
Sonata form A form originating from the Classical period with three distinct
sections: Exposition; Development; Recapitulation.
Fortissimo Very loud
Forte Loud
Piano Quiet
Pianissimo Very quiet
Dynamics
Mezzo piano Moderately quiet
Mezzo forte Moderately loud
Diminuendo Gradually getting quieter.
Crescendo Gradually getting louder.
Chromatic Music that uses notes that are not diatonic (see below)
Diatonic Music that solely uses the notes of the key it is in.
Circle of fifths Pattern of chords where the root note of each chord is a fifth
lower or a fourth higher than the previous one.
Harmony/tonality
Modulation Moving from one key to another key.
Dissonance Clashing notes or chords that create tension.
Atonal Music not in any recognisable key.
Bitonal Music in 2 different keys simultaneously.
Leitmotif A recurring musical idea which represents a character, feeling
or place.
Often used in film music.
Counter-melody A secondary melody, played at the same time as the main
tune. It can be played as a melody in its own right.
Melody
Conjunct Moving by step.
Disjunct Moving by leap.
Sequence A motif which is repeated at a higher or lower pitch.
Chromatic Moving by semitone.
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Pizzicato Plucked strings
Con sordini With mute
Instrumental
techniques Glissando Rapid slide of notes.
Tremolo Playing the same note rapidly, producing a shaking, wavering
sound.
Extra key words
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Listening journal
Prompts for completing the musical features
Musical features Prompts
Features of the Think about the typical features of the style/period that the music is from:
style/period:
For example:
Baroque – harpsichord is playing the basso continuo; texture is polyphonic.
Classical – Alberti bass accompaniment and clear, balanced melodic phrases.
§ What is the time signature?
Metre & Tempo
§ Can you describe the tempo of the music using Italian terms (Allegro, Andante,
Presto etc)
What are the interesting rhythmic features, for example:
§ Triplets
Rhythm
§ Dotted rhythm
§ Syncopation
§ Hemiola
§ Does the melody use stepwise (conjunct) movement or does it contain larger
leaps (disjunct)?
§ What is the range of the melody?
Melody
§ Does it contain repeated pitches?
§ What is the direction of the pitch – ascending, descending or both?
§ What type of ensemble is playing?
§ Identify instruments playing the main melody and the accompaniment.
Instrumentation
§ Are the instruments being played with any special techniques? (pizzicato,
glissando, con sordini etc)
Structure § Is the music in binary (AB), ternary (ABA), rondo (ABACA) theme and variations
or sonata form?
§ Or does it use a different structure?
Describe the overall texture of the piece:
§ Homophonic
§ Polyphonic
§ Monophonic
Texture
§ Melody & accompaniment (or ‘melody-dominated homophony’)
And listen out for changes in texture, such as:
§ Imitative texture
§ Canon
§ Heterophonic
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Describe the harmony…
§ Mainly root position triads
§ Chromatic chords
§ Added-note chords
§ Dissonant chords
Harmony/tonality
…and the tonality
§ Major / minor / modal / atonal
§ Does the music modulate (change key)?
Dynamics Describe the dynamics (using Italian terms such as forte and piano) at the:
§ Beginning
§ Middle
§ End
What effect do the dynamics have on the atmosphere of the music?
Any other Write down anything that you can think of that has not been covered in the other
interesting features categories.
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Listening journal
Title of piece Please come home for Composer Jene Redd and Charles Brown
Christmas
Date 1960 Musical pop and rock
composed: period
Musical features Description
Features of the Jazzy notes
style/period
92 bpm
Metre & Tempo
compound duple
syncopation
Rhythm
Melody
Instrumentation
Vocals
Piano
Drums
Bass
Electric guitar
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Structure
Heterophony
Texture
major
Harmony/tonality
Dynamics
mezzo forte
Any other
interesting features
My feeling about this piece:
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