Question 1

What is NCEA AS 91093 about?

Accepted Answer

This standard asks you to listen to a piece of music and transcribe what you hear—writing down the chords, rhythms, melodies, and other musical features in musical notation. You need to show that you can both hear what's happening in the music and understand the theory behind it, then communicate that understanding accurately on paper.

Question 2

What do students need to do for AS 91093?

Accepted Answer

1. Listen carefully to recorded music and identify the chords being played 2. Write down the rhythmic patterns you hear using correct notation 3. Transcribe the melodic line (the tune) accurately into standard notation 4. Label or describe the musical features you hear (like dynamics, tempo markings, instrumental sounds, and how the rhythm and metre work) 5. Demonstrate that your transcription accurately represents the original music so someone could play it back and recognize it

Question 3

What's the difference between Achieved, Merit, and Excellence for AS 91093?

Accepted Answer

Achieved: You identify chords, rhythms, melodies and musical features from the recording and write them down in notation, even if there are some small errors or gaps. Merit: You identify chord progressions (not just individual chords), communicate clear rhythmic and melodic phrases with mostly accurate notation, and show understanding of how the musical features fit together. Excellence: Your transcription convincingly reproduces the original music with secure accuracy across chords, rhythms, melodies and musical features, so that someone could use your notation to play back a recognizable version of what they heard.

Question 4

What mistakes do students typically make in AS 91093?

Accepted Answer

1. Not labelling or identifying all the musical features present (forgetting to note dynamics, tempo markings, or which instruments are playing) 2. Writing down individual notes or chords without understanding how they connect into phrases or progressions 3. Making errors in rhythm notation that change the feel or timing of the original music

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