904 Songwriting II 

 Gr 9-12 | 3 Credits | Semester-Long | 5x per Cycle

 *PREREQUISITE: Successful completion of 903 Songwriting I

This course will give experienced songwriters a chance to learn advanced songwriting and studio production techniques. Students will do more in-depth work with varied song forms and styles. Songwriters will also analyze examples of professional songs of their preference/choosing to learn the form, structure, rhythms, chords and melodies that are being used by the pros. Students who want to sing or rap on their songs will examine lyric-writing techniques and practices to develop new ideas and material. Students will further develop recording studio techniques using current recording software, mixer and microphones. Students are highly encouraged to collaborate with students taking TV/video courses to create soundtrack music for films. The final result of this course will be a full album of your original music. Advanced seniors may apply for the Intensive version (905A) of this course. 

Essential Skills

• The Wellesley Public Schools Performing Arts Program offers a comprehensive program of experiences for all students. Courses offered through the Performing Arts are grounded in the Massachusetts State Arts Framework Essential Skills and Standards; Creating, Performing, Responding, and Connecting. 

Creating:  Imagine. Generate musical ideas for various purposes and contexts.

• Describe how sounds and short musical ideas can be used to represent personal experiences, moods, visual images, and/or storylines.

• Assemble and organize sounds or short musical ideas to create initial expressions of selected experiences, moods, images, or storylines.

• Identify and describe the development of sounds or short musical ideas in drafts of music within simple forms (such as one-part, cyclical, or binary).

Performing: Present. Share creative musical work that conveys intent, demonstrates craftsmanship, and exhibits originality.

• Share music through the use of notation, performance, or technology, and demonstrate how the elements of music have been employed to realize expressive intent.

Responding: Select. Select varied musical works to present based on interest, knowledge, technical skill, and context.

• Identify and select specific excerpts, passages, or sections in musical works that express a personal experience, mood, visual image, or storyline in simple forms (such as one-part, cyclical, binary).

Connecting: Analyze. Analyze the structure and context of varied musical works and their implications for performance.

• Analyze how the elements of music (including form) of selected works relate to style and mood, and explain the implications for rehearsal or performance.