Elements and Strategies

The Expanded Sounds of Intent Framework of Musical Development, comprising 72 elements, is set out here. Each is defined using three alphanumeric characters, pertaining to its domain, level and the element itself. For example, ‘R.4.D’ means ‘Reactive, Level 4, Element D’; ‘P.2.C’ means ‘Proactive, Level 2, Element C’; and ‘I.6.A’ means ‘Interactive, Level 6, Element A’. The segments from the circular framework are reproduced horizontally along the top of the matrix for reference.

While there is a general sense in which progress between levels is cumulative (so engaging with music proactively at Level 4, for example, implies the capacity to function at Level 3), the relationship between domains is less clear cut. It is quite likely that engagement in the reactive domain will be more advanced than in the proactive and interactive domains, for example. And there is often no contingency between elements within a segment: for instance, someone may produce sounds intentionally in a range of contexts (P.2.C), without ever apparently having expressed their feelings in sound (P.2.B). So moving down the matrix (vertically) may imply an increasing breadth of engagement but not necessarily the acquisition of more advanced skills. The backgrounds of the elements are colour-coded to indicate whether they relate to pure sound and music, sound and music as part of a multisensory experience, or the physical capacity to play or sing (that is, ‘technique’).

Click on each element to find:

Figure 1: Download PDF