D. Things you do with music

• She plays the piano very well, but she doesn't read music. She's got a good ear. [informal]
• She can pick out any tune on the piano. [informal] She doesn't have to practise much at all. She's a natural. [informal]. She can play by ear.
• He's very musical. He wrote an arrangement of / arranged a Bach symphony for the band. You can play a tune on an instrument or you can whistle [make a sound by pushing air through your lips] or hum [sing with lips closed]. You can make music in lots of ways.
• I've some new chords on the guitar [several harmonising notes played at the same time]
• I have to practise my scales, but it's boring, [sets of notes moving up and down in steps]

Task 3. Explain the difference between:

1. a track and an album

2. a CD and a cassette

3. a lead singer and a backing group

4. a hit and a single

5. orchestral music and chamber music

6. country music and folk music

7. muzak and disco music

8. soothing music and discordant music

Task 4. What styles of music do you think the people below might be playing?

Task 5. Look at the adjectives in Task 2, Section C above. Divide them into those that have positive associations and those that have negative associations.

Task 6. Find the words in Task 2, Section D above that fit in these sentences.

1. I started to learn the piano when I was a kid but I always made a fuss when I was told to......................... every day and eventually gave up.

2. If you don't know the words of the song just......................... along as the others sing.

3. My brother is learning the guitar and he can already play a few basic..........................

4. A student opera singer lives in the flat next to mine and she spends hours practising every day - not songs, just.......................... I think I'll have to move.

5. This music was originally written for the violin but it has been.............. quite successfully for the guitar.

6. Paul can play anything. He’s got a good..........................

7. I always know when the postman is there as I can hear him......................... very tunefully.

8. In primary school young children practise......................... music with all sorts of different things - even, say, with tins containing buttons.

Task 7. Answer these questions about music.

1. Can you remember the name of the first single you ever bought? Who was it by?

2. Which songs are currently big hits in your country?

3. What kinds of music do you particularly enjoy?

4. Are there any kinds of music that you dislike? Why do you dislike them?

5. Do you like to have background music while you are working? If so, what kind of background music do you like?

6. Can you read music? Can you explain the basic system used for writing music?

7. Can you play any musical instruments and how well do you play them?

8. What musical instrument and what kind of music would you like to be able to play well and why?

Task 8. Match the verb in the column on the left with the correct noun from the column on the right.

Task 9. Fill in the blanks with a word from the exercise above, make sure to conjugate the verbs.

1. Don't you think the Maestro _____________ the orchestra well?

2. He beat the __________ like a madman!

3. John Lennon __________ the lyrics to many of the Beatles' best songs.

4. You can tell when Peter is in a good mood, he ___________ one of her favorite tunes.

5. The most famous opera _________ by Mascagni was " Cavelleria Rusticana".

6. Jazz musicians almost always _________ their solos.

7. Most professional musicians _________ their instruments up to five hours a day!

8. I can remember the time when President Clinton appeared on MTV to _________ his horn - the saxophone.

9. Would you please not tap your ________ in time to the music?

10. Some of the best rock singers don't _________ their songs, they shout them!

& — READING& SPEAKING