IELTS Music Vocabulary
Part 1-style questions
Examiner: What kind of music do you listen to?Student: I’m a big fan of classical music … it doesn’t make me very popular with my children … their taste in music is completely different … they always want to listen to their favourite rock bands …
Examiner: Do you play any instruments?Student: No I don’t … I’ve always wished I’d taken up a musical instrument … I’d love to be able to play the guitar … but I think I’m a bit tone deaf so perhaps I’d find it hard …
Examiner: Have you got any hobbies or interests?Student: I’m really into live music … I go to a lot of music festivals … I think a live performance always sounds more exciting than a recorded version … as long as the performers can sing and play well of course …
Part 2-style task
Describe a song you like to listen to. You should say
· what the piece of music is called
· how long you have liked it
· when you like to listen to it
and say why you like it so much.
Well … I’m a little older than most students and when I was young Abba-the Swedish pop group were very famous … I don’t think it was cool to like them even though they had a huge following but I think now people have realised what wonderful songs they wrote … one piece of music in particular is called ‘Slipping through my fingers’ … it wasn’t a massive hit but I love it … it’s a song for parents and it’s all about how quickly our children grow up … it’s a slow number and like a lot of their songs it’s a very catchy tune … the two women in Abba had great voices and it’s the kind of music you can also sing along to easily … even if you don’t have a great voice … I listen to Abba when I feel like a sing-song … and I especially like to listen when I’m doing the housework … it stops me thinking about the hard work …
Part 3-style questions
Examiner: Is the Internet a good or bad thing for the music industry?Student: On the one hand it’s good for marketing new musical talent or particular bands but it’s so easy to share and download tracks for free I think it is costing the industry a lot of money …
Examiner: Should music be treated as seriously as subjects like maths or sciences at school?Student: I think it should … I don’t think it should be taught in a boring way … I mean making children read music … but I do think they should be encouraged to play instruments and to play things by ear perhaps … to keep the lessons fun …
Examiner: Where do people usually enjoy listening to music?Student: In lots of ways or places … as background music when they are doing something else … at concerts when a band goes on tour … or in clubs or discos …
Definitions
- adoring fans: people who love a particular band or singer
- background music: music that is played while something else is happening
- a catchy tune: a song that is easy to remember and makes you want to sing it
- classical music: music that is regarded as part of a long, formal tradition
- to download tracks: to obtain music from the Internet
- to have a great voice: to sing well
- to go on tour: to go on a planned series of performances around a region or country
- a huge following: a large number of fans
- live music: music that is listened to while it is performed (not recorded)
- live performance: (see live music)
- a massive hit: a record that sells lots of copies
- a music festival: music performances at a venue often over several days
- musical talent: skilled at music
- to be/sing out of tune: to not be in harmony/to sing the wrong notes
- a piece of music: an item of music
- to play by ear: to play without reading the musical notes
- a pop group: a small group of people who play or sing pop music together
- to read music: to understand and follow written musical notes
- a rock band: a group of musicians that play rock music
- to sing along to: to join in singing
- a sing-song: to sing informally, often with other people
- a slow number: a song with a slow tempo
- to take up a musical instrument: to begin learning a musical instrument
- taste in music: the music someone likes
- to be tone deaf: to be unable to distinguish the different notes in music
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