Lesson Four

Outcomes

4.2 performs music using different forms of notation and different types of technology across a broad range of musical styles

4.3 performs music demonstrating solo and/or ensemble awareness

4.4 demonstrates an understanding of musical concepts through exploring, experimenting, improvising, organising, arranging, and composing

4.6 experiments with different forms of technology in the composition process

4.7 demonstrates an understanding of musical concepts through listening, observing, responding, discriminating, analysing, discussing and recording musical ideas

4.8 demonstrates an understanding of musical concepts through aural identification and discussion of the features of a range of repertoire

Syllabus Content

Duration | Tone Colour | Dynamics and Expressive Techniques | Texture | Structure

Previous Lesson

Starter Activity

Students should be encouraged to sit behind preset xylophones as they enter the room while the introduction to The Office plays over the classroom speakers.

As students sit down they should be encouraged to follow along with the song, working out the melody. Use the 1 hour looped track of the song so students can continue listening to the song as they work it out.

As each student grows more comfortable with this they should be moved onto a new instrument, either a percussion instrument (pitched or unpitched) an instrument they are familiar with from the rock band unit (be sure to provide chord charts and tabs for these students or for extension, give them a starting note/chord and have them work the rest out themselves). Eventually, turn off the recording and have the students perform all together.

Lesson Body

Have the students move to their computers and open Ableton Playground where they should begin to recreate a short section of the theme song in either C major or G major. Success should be judged on the theme being recognizable and correct in rhythm and pitch to the best of the students ability. Students should be asked to play their work for each other before moving onto Soundtrap.

They should transfer their already completed work into Soundtrap after having the piano scroll and the pattern maker briefly demonstrated for them. Once they have re-completed this they should move on to the next section of the theme song. The sound has four sections – intro (4 bars), statement of the main theme/melody (4 bars), restatement/response to the main theme (4 bars) and the outro (4 bars). Students should aim to complete the two middle sections, and the intro and outro as extension.