You will use musical notation to compose and notate film music.
To help you to understand and write this notation more fluently, try to complete the notation quizzes here.
You can complete the quizzes in any order.
If you can, try to score 50 points before moving on to the next quiz.Â
Use the music notation guide here or on the right of this page to help you.
1. Create your own arrangement of 'Circle of Life' by composing or copying ostinatos from the ideas bank (1-2 bar repeating paô€€¢erns) for African percussion instruments.
2. Use the arrow keys to move ideas up/down and achieve the best sound.
3. Extension task: Compose an instrumental section with melodies for instruments of your choice. Move mainly by step, using notes from the chord on beats 1 and 3 of each bar.
Many musical theatre productions we know and love today began life looking and sounding quite different, before the creators reimagined and rewrote scenes and songs to more perfectly balance storytelling, spectacle and expression in their work. Indeed, some of musical theatre's most popular songs were not composed until long after the show's premiere, to enhance the production, sometimes for a revival, sometimes a film adaptation, and sometimes to showcase the talent of its biggest stars. Here are a few songs not featured in the original productions of their shows, but instead added at a later date. As you listen, consider: how might these popular musicals have sounded different without them?
Download the template above.
Select the lyrics you wish to set to music. Delete the other lines of lyrics by double clicking on each stave and typing 'Backspace / Delete'.
Listen to the chord progressions found in the 'Chord Bank', and select a suitable progression to accompany your chosen lyrics. You can activite/silence the sound of each musical line using the mixer (shortcut 'M').
Select, copy, paste and repeat (Shift click, Ctrl C, Ctrl V, R) your chosen chord progression onto the piano staves.
Repeat one chord progression to accompany one section of lyrics. Select and repeat a different chord progression to accompany the next section.
Compose a vocal melody with long, expressive 'arch' shapes which rise and fall.
Choose a note from the chord on beats 1 and 3 of each bar: click each note and type the letter name (A/B/C/D/E/F/G) or use the arrow keys to move the pitch up or down.
Join these together using notes which move mainly by step (scales). When moving by step you can use any note. When moving by jump you must use a note from the chord.