Meeting the Four-Element Requirement

Four is the wrong thing to remember

Every composition you submit has to demonstrate at least four types of musical element. That is a true sentence, and on its own it will let you fail the requirement. The four are not four of anything you like. They come from two named groups, and you need at least two from each. Four elements all taken from one group does not meet the requirement, even though it is four.

Two groups, two from each

Here is the rule as it is actually written. Both halves have to be satisfied, in each of your two compositions.

Five compositions, five verdicts

Four from one group

A student writes a piece that clearly demonstrates rhythm, metre, texture and melody. They point out that this is four types of musical element. Does the composition meet the requirement?

• Yes, because four types of element are demonstrated
• No, because all four come from the first group and at least two must come from the second
• No, because four is the minimum and they should aim higher
• Yes, as long as the other composition uses the second group

The two lists in full

Worth learning as two lists rather than as twelve words. Which list a word is in matters more than the word.

How many more?

A composition demonstrates metre, texture, melody, form and dynamics. How many more elements from the second group does it need before it meets the requirement?

What is true of the rule?

Which two of these are true?

• Two from each group is a minimum, not a maximum
• The requirement applies to each composition separately
• Any four elements will satisfy it
• The four elements must come from the Area of Study you studied
• A composition demonstrating six elements would be penalised

Each composition, not the pair

You submit two compositions. The element requirement is written per composition, so each one has to clear two from each group on its own. It is an easy one to miss once the grouping has been learned: you check the brief composition carefully, find two and two, and it is tempting to treat the free composition as covered. It is not. Run the check twice, once on each piece, and write down what you found.

Checking your own composition

Put the four steps of the check into a sensible order.

• List every element you can actually point at in the music
• Sort your list into the first group and the second group
• Count each group separately and check both reach two
• Repeat the whole check on your other composition

One composition, checked

A student lists what their piece demonstrates: texture, structure, tonality and dynamics. Sorted: texture and structure are first group; tonality and dynamics are second group. Counted: two and two. Verdict: it meets the requirement. Then they run the same four steps on their other composition and find three from the first group and none from the second, so that one needs work. Notice that the check took a minute and found a real problem in the piece they had not worried about.

Which two are second group?

Here are six elements from one composition. Tap the two that come from the second group.

• Metre
• Timbre
• Structure
• Rhythm
• Phrasing
• Form

The rule in a sentence

Each composition has to demonstrate at least _____ types of musical element: a minimum of _____ from the group containing rhythm, metre and _____, and a minimum of two from the group containing harmony, tonality and _____. The requirement applies to _____ composition.

Say what you demonstrated

When you name your elements, name the groups too. Choose the option in each gap.

Does it meet the requirement?

Five compositions. Does each one meet the element requirement?

A composition to fix

Somebody asks you to check their composing folder before they submit it. Work through it.

• They say: my piece uses rhythm, metre, texture and melody, so that is four elements and I am done.
• They add tonality and dynamics, and the piece now clears two from each group.
• Their second piece turns out to demonstrate structure, form and phrasing only.

Check a composition in writing

A composition demonstrates melody, rhythm, texture and dynamics. Write the check you would run on it, and say what you would change.

• Sort the four elements into the two groups
• Say how many are in each group and what that means for the requirement
• Name a specific element that would fix it, and say which group it comes from
• Say what else you would have to check before submitting the folder