MUSIC thoughts #3: Composition - Soundscapes

Music Lesson Plan:

Soundscapes

Introduction

Listened to the soundscape, 'Rainforest' by b'tutta http://www.musicaviva.com.au/vivazone/musicians/musician.asp?id=2

Questioning: write down some words that you thought of in response to the piece & class discussion around it.

Creating Soundscapes

This workshop focused on creating soundscapes. In groups of 3 or 4, come up with an idea or theme and create a sequence of events that can be represented in a soundscape.

My group came up with the recent event, which had newspaper headlines:

"Taronga Zoo elephant keeper Lucy Melo crushed by 'miracle' baby"

We then represented the different events pictorially in sequence and selected the sounds that were appropriate to the events using the musical elements we hav learnt about. We decided to have a large drum throughout to symbolise the elephant's steps, but at the beginning this was played softly and haphazardly to symbolise the baby elephant finding its' feet. We also used tiny cymbals to float on top and give it a playful sound. As it grew, the cymbals faded out, and the drum became louder and more steady. We increased in tempo and crescendoed as it neared the crisis of the keeper being pushed against the bollard. There was then a large cymbal clash, we made siren noises with our voices, and then silence to symbolise the heart going out for 5 minutes. A single piano key was then used to represent the sound of a heartbeat, representing her coming back to life.

Creating a Soundscape using a Picture Book

Billy Goats Gruff is used and read to the class. The students then brainstorm how they might be able to create a soundscape as it is narrated to enhance the story.

Examples:

• Trip trapping across the bridge: you might use a wooden instrument as the bridge is made out of wood
• Different sized goats: you could use different pitches on the xylophone.
• Troll: something big, loud and sinister
• Splash of water: cymbals are resonant like ripples

This is a great idea that you could apply to different stories, better if they are simple, and brainstorm as a class for sounds to enhance them. Children could also choose their own books.

You can use Audacity to record the layers of sound, i.e. record the narration and the sounds over the top.

Another idea for composition which is great for composition is to get a bit of film and take the sound out. The children then need to create their own composition. I love this idea as it is truly authentic learning. It is just like Tropscore but for children!

Create a Rap

Another great idea which links literacy to music is creating a rap. With a focus on rhyming words, homonyms and rhythm, it develops competencies across the KLA's.

We came up with this rap:

Took gran to the beach and it was hot

Thought hey this is cool but gran said not

Left her on the beach and she did her nana

Came back later to a dry sultana

Students need to put a line above the beat, in this 4 by 4 rap I have demonstrated this by underlining words that fall on the beat with just with the first line. I have already used this rapping idea loosely in my private Maths tutoring with great success and lots of enthusiasm and laughter from students:

Lesson Plan

Activities are ticked if they involve any of the elements: Singing, Playing, Moving, Organising Sound, Listening