Creative Music Class - Blog

Build your own instrument

5/4/2020

Fun, engaging instrument building projects have so many benefits and tie right in with STEAM and Arts-Integrated school curriculums. Building an instrument taps into acoustics, science, crafts, art, math, music knowledge, music composition and so much more. Check out this blog for easy projects
https://artsycraftsymom.com/diy-musical-instruments-for-kids-to-make-and-play/

Teachers-Pay-Teachers SALE

4/6/2020

www.teacherspayteachers.com

Drone Zone

4/5/2020

Explore composing with a drone bass
https://ask.audio/articles/how-sound-affects-you-using-drones-in-your-music

Lesson Plans at TES

3/26/2020

Check out the many creative music composition lesson plans now listed at TES
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/adri_jvr

So So Simple

3/17/2020

Students play (or sing) the given “Question” phrase so-so-so (GGG). Teacher makes up and plays the “Answer” phrase. Teachers: select the concept you are working on, e.g., repeated notes (M1 and 2 below), thirds (M3 below), triads (M4 and 5 below), neighbor notes (M6 and 7), running notes, dotted rhythms, triplets, etc. in your Answer phrase.
Switch. Teacher plays the “Question” phrase (the so-so-so or GGG), students (one at a time) respond in an improvisatory manner with “Answer” phrases based on the parameters you provided (triads, neighbor notes, repeated notes, etc.).
Next step, work on writing down some of the improvisatory responses.
Use the “So, So, Simple” template and fill in the blank measures
(individually or in small groups).
Demonstrate a class composition with the whole group

Another fun online composing tool

2/28/2020

Fun online composing tool for the younger kids! Check it out at https://www.classicsforkids.com/games/compose_your_own_music.php

Google's Song Maker

1/21/2020

Fun composing on the online Song Maker! Try it out!
Song Maker https://musiclab.chromeexperiments.com/Song-Maker/

Teachers Pay Teachers free download

10/14/2019

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Secret-Codes-Music-Composition-Lesson-Plan-3408912

Top Seller

5/31/2019

Our top seller this past school year has been "Music Composition for Teens - a Graded First Course" Available on amazon. Get yours now for the new school year. Enjoy!

Ringtones

4/6/2019

Introduce the topic: “We are going to compose cellphone ringtones”.
Listen to some well-known ringtones (select a few from your cellphone). Below I selected a few from my iPhone. Listen and discuss, e.g.:
Play the ringtone, have students identify the instrument, pattern, rhythm, melody and/or any other descriptors:
Ascending: ascending major scale on xylophone
Bell Tower: classic bell/chime melody
Marimba: short, catchy pattern on marimba
Piano riff: five melody notes on piano
Timba: drumming pattern, no melody
Xylophone: short melody, catchy rhythm on xylophone

Display the notation and practice one or two of the ringtones OR
Listen to the ringtones and try to notate the ringtone with your students.
End this explorative phase with quick Q & A: how long are the little
melodies? How many instruments are used per melody? Etc.

This lesson can be introduced in two ways:
1. Provide a sample ringtone to develop
  Students use a given ringtone, e.g. “Marimba” or “Timba” to inspire the composition of a “variation” ringtone. They use a given instrument, select the notes for a melody, select note values made into one or two rhythms, and through explorative play and improvisation come up with a short 5 – 10 tone ringtone. Depending on the age group and ability, these compositions may simply be recorded or otherwise notated.
2. Guided composition of a new ringtone
  Provide a rubric. Students generate a completely new ringtone based on the parameters. Teachers, generate the rubric based on your curriculum; note values you’re studying in class, note names you’re learning, etc.
  Ringtones are 30 seconds max.
  Ringtones “loop”: make sure beginnings and endings match to link.