This is a 6-week project on Blues Music. I would normally teach Blues music in a practical way however, this is a project designed as a composition task to be completed on BandLab, which these students have not done before so it also includes a ‘how to’ for what they need to do.
There are several smaller tasks (research task, performance tasks, quiz) and one main task, I’ve asked students to either complete the practicals on a keyboard or a keyboard app but the main bulk is all BandLab.
This is a four lesson PowerPoint on Rock music suitable for the Eduqas music GCSE course. It covers the key features, instruments and artists. Links to examples are embedded within the stars. There is also a practical lesson included.
This is a one lesson lesson for AOS2: Popular Music for Daft Punk. There are links to songs embedded in the star symbols. Please note, I have only taught AOS2 for the section A portion of the exam so please be aware that there are no songs analysed in the detail required for section C.
This is a one lesson lesson for AOS2: Popular Music for Joni Mitchell. There are links to songs embedded in the star symbols. Please note, I have only taught AOS2 for the section A portion of the exam so please be aware that there are no songs analysed in the detail required for section C.
These are three mini-projects I do with my year 10s before launching the free composition. One features rhythm as a starting point, the second melody and the third timbre and texture. These are delivered after some basic music theory has been delivered.
This is a one lesson lesson for AOS2: Popular Music for Beyonce. There are links to songs embedded in the star symbols. Please note, I have only taught AOS2 for the section A portion of the exam so please be aware that there are no songs analysed in the detail required for section C.
This is a scheme of work I use with year 9. It introduces them to Calypso music, through a class steel pan ensemble performance of yellow bird (music provided), the following week introduces students to Reggae and there is another class performance on the steel pans of Three Little Birds (music again provided). It then moves onto a larger project for the rest of the half term, a fusion of a pop song. I love this unit as I find that it really sets students up for GCSE courses, using much of the same vocabulary. Although the music resources are for Steel Pans in the case of Yellow Bird, there is a version of Three Little Birds not for Steel Pans if you don’t have any.
n.b Any stars in the powerpoint are hyperlinks to the musical examples.
Arrangement of Paradise by George Ezra. It’s a Sibelius 6 verison so that it’ll open on anything Sibelius 6 or later. It’s currently for voice, flute, two clarinets, cornet/trumpet, piano, bass and drums but can be easily rearranged for your needs.
This is a scheme of work I use with year 9 (although it could be any KS3 cohort) to introduce them to a DAW, in this case FL studio although it could be adapted for any DAW.
It requires students to design a basic platform game, compose a theme for it and then create different levels of the game (ie a water or forest level) using their initial melody and thus creating the variations. The first variation is a water level for all and looks at Aquarium from Carnival of the Animals and then the subsequent variation is a free choice. The key musical features covered, in addition to learning how to use DAW software is T&V structure, a variety of textures and timbres.
Any stars within the PowerPoint have a link to a video attached.
This scheme of work is currently being taught to year 9 students. The scheme of work focuses on horror music and ways of creating tension in music. This project also introduces students to Sibelius for the first time, with the main project being scoring the music to a clip from the woman in black. All clips/videos should be embedded within the powerpoint, a cue sheet for the clip is also attached.
This is a scheme of work I use with year 8 (although it could be any KS3 cohort) to introduce them to a DAW, in this case FL studio although it could be adapted for any DAW.
It requires students to write a Hip-Hop song using Pachelbel’s canon bass line as a starting point in pairs with the key musical terminology being Ground Bass and Ostinato.
Any stars within the PowerPoint have a link to a video attached.
This is a two lesson PowerPoint on Bhangra music suitable for the Eduqas music GCSE course. It covers the key features, instruments and artists. Links to examples are embedded within the stars.
Arrangement of Eye of the Tiger, it only has the intro, first half of the first verse and chorus. It’s a Sibelius 6 verison so that it’ll open on anything Sibelius 6 or later. It’s currently for two clarinets, cornet/trumpet, piano, bass and drums but can be easily rearranged for your needs.
Arrangement of Accidentally in Love by Counting Crows. It’s a Sibelius 6 verison so that it’ll open on anything Sibelius 6 or later. It’s currently for voice, two clarinets, cornet/trumpet, piano, bass and drums but can be easily rearranged for your needs.
Arrangement of Everything I Do (I Do It For You) by Bryan Adams. It’s a Sibelius 6 verison so that it’ll open on anything Sibelius 6 or later. It’s currently for voice, flute, two clarinets, cornet/trumpet, piano, bass and drums but can be easily rearranged for your needs.
Arrangement of Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes. It’s a Sibelius 6 verison so that it’ll open on anything Sibelius 6 or later. It’s only the first two verses/choruses. It’s currently for voice, flute, two clarinets, cornet/trumpet, piano, bass and drums but can be easily rearranged for your needs.
Arrangement of School’s Out (Alice Cooper), it has the first verse, chorus and middle 8, currently it has the lyrics ‘School’s Out for Christmas’ but this is easily reverted to the original. It’s a Sibelius 6 verison so that it’ll open on anything Sibelius 6 or later. It’s currently for voice, two clarinets, cornet/trumpet, electric guitar, piano, bass and drums but can be easily rearranged for your needs.
Arrangement of In Dulci Jubilo by Mike Oldfield. It’s a Sibelius 6 verison so that it’ll open on anything Sibelius 6 or later. It’s currently for two clarinets, cornet/trumpet, piano, bass and drums but can be easily rearranged for your needs. It doesn’t include the electric guitar solo.
Arrangement of Bad Guy (Billie Eilish) although it doesn’t have the middle 8 section. It’s a Sibelius 6 verison so that it’ll open on anything Sibelius 6 or later. It’s currently for voice, flute, two clarinets, cornet/trumpet, piano and drums but can be easily rearranged for your needs.
Arrangement of All By Myself. It’s a Sibelius 6 verison so that it’ll open on anything Sibelius 6 or later. It’s currently for voice, two clarinets, cornet/trumpet, piano, bass and drums but can be easily rearranged for your needs.