Knowing music technology is a great benefit to students, it aids students in the composition process when doing things notation and pitching when they are not familiar with it. In a grade 11 classroom it is especially useful to know since they are very tech based. This tech can make composition more relatable to students as they have technology that can help them in making their composition, including aspects like instruments, rhythms, pitches, recording, etc. In the Ontario curriculum, they add the notion of technology in music as its own category. They would like students to use “available technology when composing and/or arranging music”, and “use current technology to create a record of their own or their peers’ performances and/or production.” They encourage the use of technology and acknowledge the many ways we can use it, be it a way to record things down, or to help in composing for students.
To incorporate music technology into our classroom, we are going to explore composing with a music software available online. With this activity, we are making the parameters very loose to allow students to full creative ownership over their pieces. We will be focusing on the software called soundtrap, which is a music recording and producing software available for schools to use. It is very easy to use with easy tools for students to figure out, collaborative tools for groups work, loops for students to use to find inspiration for their songs, etc. They have a wide variety of features that aid students in learning how to produce music if they do not know how to initially. Here is the link to the website: https://www.soundtrap.com/musicmakers The lesson will begin by getting students to review/ learn about the parts a song, which includes parts such as the intro, verse, pre-chorus, chorus, and bridge, outro. Intro: like the beginning of a book, it should catch the listener’s attention and ease them into the song. It is usually not too over the top, as the goal of it is to establish rhythm, tempo, melody, and introduce the singer. Verse: this part of the song is where you start telling a story, so music wise, it should be consistent without the melody jumping over the place. This is the sections where the story develops and advances. The pre-chorus and chorus generally use the same lyrics each time, so this is where you get your message across. It will usually be after the chorus and before the pre-chorus. Pre-chorus: This is usually where you are building up to the chorus. It usually has a chord progression from the verse or chorus and build on that familiar progression. Chorus: This is where the culmination of all big ideas are in your song. The chorus usually also contains the hook- the catchiest part of the song, it serves as the climax of the song while the verse and pre-chorus build up to this part. Bridge: This typically is only once towards the end of a song, usually between the 2nd and 3rd chorus. The bridge changes the pace in the song, making it stand out musically and lyrically. Outro: The end of the song, signalling clearly to the listener that the song is coming to an end. This is usually done by doing a reverse of the intro, or also a repeat of the chorus with a fading out. Students will learn about the most common form of song for pop songs which Is verse- chorus form which is: a 32-bar form, where the chorus plays a key role in the verse-chorus structure since it differs in rhythm and melody from the rest of the song. Once this is explained to students, we will go through the software soundtrap as an easy way for students to make and record their own songs. We will explain the features mentioned above and go through the website together with the students, so they know where those features are. Once we have gone through this with students, the activity will be explained. In groups of 2-3, students will create a song together, which the verse-chorus song structure and lyrics to go with the song. Students are free to do any theme and any style of music as they want. The only parameters will be the song being in verse-chorus song structure and having lyrics. They will be reminded of the parts of a song that were mentioned earlier in the class, such as melody, chorus, verse, etc. Students will be using the software soundtrap to help them record their songs and make the melodies. Students will be given the chance to hear an exemplar of the activity they are about to do. Once hearing the exemplar, they can ask any questions regarding the activity and will have the rest of the class and the rest of the next class to finish this. At the end, students will have the chance to present their song, but only if they wish to. It is not a requirement to present your piece. References: www.masterclass.com/articles/songwriting-101-learn-common-song-structures www.soundtrap.com/home/creator/tutorials https://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/secondary/arts1112curr2010.pdf
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