Small Ensemble Song “Cover” Arrangement -
- In small groups pick a song to arrange.
- This is the same project as in grade 11, except you need change the song, put your own spin on it, a true “cover” of the song.
- Think about the elements of music, how can you keep the integrity of the song, but change lots about it to make it really interesting for the listeners.
- Figure out the chord progression of your song, either by ear or using the internet
- Figure out how to play the melody of the song
- In your group arrange the pop song so that the chord progression is clearly represented by the instruments in your group. And that the melody will be clearly heard on top of the chord progression.
- Chord progression should be simple rhythmically in order to be heard
- Notate your arrangement using music notation software (Finale, Sibelius etc.)
- Perform your arrangement for the class
- Create or learn a harmony, bassline and percussion part for your song.
- (Potential extension talk about how to arrange the song for the whole class to play)
Theory required for this project:
- Triads (Knowing which three notes make up each chord)
- Keys (Knowing which notes are in the key of the song in order to play the melody)
- Transposition (In order for each instrument to “sound” in the same key they music transpose the notes for their instrument)
- Simple Rhythm ( In order to play melody, they need an understanding of the rhythm of the original song)
- Music notation standards and practices (knowing how to write rhythms and pitch in music notation)
- Using Music Notation Software
- Basic harmony
Composition - Culture Inspiration Project
- Students research a particular culture that they are interested in. Listen to music of this culture and learn about their traditions and look at pictures of the landscape/geography of their selected culture.
- Students then try to communicate their ideas and interpretation of what they have learned through their research about the culture. This does not mean it needs to sound like music from that culture, however it is your interpretation and inspiration you took from learning about that culture.
- The song needs to be instrumental only, think about what you can do in the music to communicate what you learned.
- Students begin to compose music that communicates what they saw, heard, felt, etc.
- Students must be aware of the elements of music:
Rhythm: (beat, meter, tempo, syncopation, polyrhythm)
Dynamics: (crescendo, decrescendo; forte, piano, etc.)
Melody: (pitch, range, theme)
Harmony: (chord, progression, key, tonality, consonance, dissonance)
Tone color: (register, range)
Texture: (monophonic, polyphonic, homophonic)
Form: (binary, ternary, strophic, etc.)
Theory required for this project:
- Triads (Knowing which three notes make up each chord)
- Keys (Knowing which notes are in the key of the song in order to play the melody)
- Major, minor keys (perhaps modes, in order to evoke different emotions)
- Transposition (In order for each instrument to “sound” in the same key they music transpose the notes for their instrument)
- Simple Rhythm ( In order to play melody, they need an understanding of the rhythm of the original song)
- Music notation standards and practices (knowing how to write rhythms and pitch in music notation)
- Using Music Notation Software
- Basic harmony
- Instrumentation (think outside the box)
Art Song Composition -
- Students will choose a short story, children’s story, comic book etc. and set music to the narration.
- Narration can either be sung or spoken or both.
- Composition can be electronically made, however, no loops! All original material. This means using midi if you are doing it electronically or using your real live instruments.
- Music needs to follow the story, and helps communicate what is happening in the story. Think about suspense and other important ways that music helps tell a story in movies.
- This can be done in small groups or individual. But as always challenge yourself!
Theory required for this project:
- Triads (Knowing which three notes make up each chord)
- Keys (Knowing which notes are in the key of the song in order to play the melody)
- Major, minor keys (perhaps modes, in order to evoke different emotions)
- Transposition (In order for each instrument to “sound” in the same key they music transpose the notes for their instrument)
- Simple Rhythm ( In order to play melody, they need an understanding of the rhythm of the original song)
- Music notation standards and practices (knowing how to write rhythms and pitch in music notation)
- Harmony
- Instrumentation (think outside the box)
Compose/Arrange a song for one of our extra curricular music groups-
- In small groups pick a song, or compose your own song
- Figure out the chord progression of your song, either by ear or using the internet
- Figure out how to play the melody of the song
- In your group arrange the pop song so that the chord progression is clearly represented by the instruments in your group. And that the melody will be clearly heard on top of the chord progression.
- Chord progression should be simple rhythmically in order to be heard
- Notate your arrangement using music notation software (Finale, Sibelius etc.)
- Perform your arrangement for the class
- Create or learn a harmony, bassline and percussion part for your song.
Theory required for this project:
- Triads (Knowing which three notes make up each chord)
- Complex chords (Maj7, Min7, Dom7, dim7)
- Keys (Knowing which notes are in the key of the song in order to play the melody)
- Transposition (In order for each instrument to “sound” in the same key they music transpose the notes for their instrument)
- Simple Rhythm ( In order to play melody, they need an understanding of the rhythm of the original song)
- Music notation standards and practices (knowing how to write rhythms and pitch in music notation)
- Using Music Notation Software
- Basic harmony
Music analysis sharing-
- Students will lead a “purposeful listening” activity where they will show other students music they appreciate.
- Students will guide listeners with things to listen for, which will demonstrate their understanding of course content and concepts.
- Students will lead guided One time throughout the semester. This will be the only major presentation of the course. Presentation should be approx. 30 mins
- You will choose an album/large work/symphony/musical etc.
- You will give in depth analysis to three songs from the work
- Choose a different point of emphasis for each song, (e.g. thematic analysis, lyrical analysis, melodic analysis)
- More options will be discussed and demonstrated in class.
Solo performance:
Practice portfolio - Students will choose music weekly/bi weekly, that they want to learn individually, this can be provided by the teacher or found by the student. Some weeks this may mean a random pop melody that you wish to learn, and some weeks it may be thematic based on what we are doing in class. Students may use the songs from their portfolio for midterm and final performance evaluations.
- Students will perform solo material before midterm and before final evaluations;
- Students with the help of the teacher will choose challenging material for each solo which interests the students and challenges their playing ability.
- These songs are to be worked on for several weeks, demonstrating students ability to work towards a goal and demonstrating students ability to practice.
Analysis:
- Form and structure analysis
- Purposeful listening and score analysis
- Time period history (Romantic and Twentieth Century)
Theory for Grade 12 Music:
- Key Signatures
- Relative Major/Minor Keys
- Transposition for Instruments
- Triads
- Keys/Chord progressions
- Time signatures
- Major and Minor Intervals
- Popular Chord symbols
- Complex Chords (Maj7, Min7, Dom7, Dim7)
- Cadences
- Basic Harmony
Playing Scales -