After learning about active listening in Unit 3, it is time to put your active listening skills to the test and try them out! For this lab, you will be exploring two different pieces of music using the listening checklist described in the unit—and your active listening skills, of course!

Start by finding and selecting two pieces of music online. You are free to choose whatever type of music you like: pop, rock, rap, classical, instrumental, etc. Do your best to select something that is as appropriate as possible (i.e., as free as possible from curse words and inappropriate content) as your teacher will be listening to your selections too.

Create a word processing document and copy/paste a link for each musical selection in it. Below each music selection, copy/paste or recreate this chart (seen below).

Listen carefully to your first musical selection at least twice. Then, fill out the chart based on your listening. Repeat the process for the second musical selection.

Download this chart to analyze each piece of music:
RTF (Edit) PDF (Print)
After you have listened to each music selection and filled out the listening chart for each, it’s time to do some comparing and contrasting.

Write a one- to three-paragraph essay that compares and contrasts the two pieces of music that you listened to. If you need some help with what specific things to compare/contrast, refer to the listening charts that you filled out or the questions below:

How do the two musical pieces differ?
How are the two musical pieces similar?
Were the instruments featured in the two pieces different from each other?
What differences or similarities were there in tempo, or speed, of the music?
Were there any differences in what you were imagining as you listened to each piece? Did you hear a story in either piece? What emotions were evoked from listening to each song?