PS 159 MUSIC
Little Kids Rock
Week 1: With An Instrument - Guitar Basics
Assignment 1: Start by watching videos 1, 3, 5, 7 and 11. Practice on your own and write a short paragraph or two to describe your feelings about the progress you're making, have made or will make this week. Remember, this can be tricky! Don't give up or make judgements on how well you do unless you've really spent a few days practicing. This will be new for some and totally easy for others depending on how much you've been practicing. The good thing about these videos is you can skip ahead and do as much as you'd like. The lessons will get more advanced as we go along. If you've found a great video online that you think matches your skill level, tell me about it and I'll feature it in another week's lesson!
Lesson Expectations: In this lesson we are hitting the reset button. This should be pretty easy for any student who has been practicing and keeping up with their lessons to this point. If a student hasn't had time so far to use the guitar then this represents the beginning and is always a good place to start anyway! Students should reflect on their progress through writing one or two paragraphs and submitting it through Google Classroom.
Week 1: Without An Instrument - Songwriting
Assignment 1: Although this video talks about Hip-Hop, the information they teach is applicable to all forms of music from Pop and Rock to Rap and Hip Hop. Send me one or two of you best attempts from video lesson 2. BONUS: If you have access to video recording either through a phone or computer, record and upload yourself performing lesson 3. Have fun!
Lesson Expectations: In this lesson we are exploring ways to create music without an instrument. After all, every song has lyrics and someone has to write them! This week's assignment is super simple. Write one or two attempts at rhyming from the video above and send it in through Google Classroom.
Week 2: With A Computer / Tablet / Phone - SoundTrap
Assignment 2: In this weeks lesson we will be using SoundTrap. SoundTrap is an app that you can download OR use within a browser on your phone, iPad or computer. It’s just like GarageBand or other music studio software you may have used and uses loops, which are pre recorded snippets of musical sound, that you can rearrange and layer to make cool music. You can also record your voice, an instrument, a dog barking or anything you’d like to add to a song.
STEP 1: CREATE AN ACCOUNT - Please click on the following link https://www.soundtrap.com/invite/MZL7Y8E and choose “New User”. You will be asked to use an email and think of a password. Write this password down or make it super simple. I won’t know it and can’t help you get your account back if you lose it. You will be brought to our school SoundTrap page. You’re part of the “5th Grade” group.
STEP 2: GET THE ASSIGNMENT - Come back to this page and click on this link
https://www.soundtrap.com/studio/assignment/ANZBheNqRrOJBt_rWIYyYw/
STEP 3: If everything was done correctly, you should see the following blank project screen. Come back to this page and watch the youtube video beIow that explains how to complete the project.
STEP 4: When you're done with your project, please don't forget to SAVE it by clicking the purple "save" button at the top of your project window!
Lesson Expectations: You should end up with an original groove or mini song that consists of at least two tracks. The first track should include a drum loop and the second track can be whatever you'd like. Your project should be at least 8 measures long. The more you do the better your grade will be. That's it! Don't forget to click "save" at the top of your project page.
Week 2: Without An Instrument - Songwriting
Assignment 2: In this weeks lesson we will be continuing our songwriting. Watch the video by clicking on the picture above and then use the worksheet provided in the Google Classroom Assignment. You can also just create a blank document and write your song lyrics in that and submit it to me. If you get stuck and can't think of a good rhyme for the words you've chosen, ditch 'em and get pick new words! Don't forget to use RhymeZone to help you find words that rhyme.
Lesson Expectations: You should end up with four sentences. The last words of the first two sentences rhyme. The last words of the third and fourth sentence rhyme.
Week 3: Lyric Writing Part II
There seemed to be much confusion in the last assignment for people who chose to give lyric writing a shot. I’ve included three examples of different rhyme schemes in the video below. A rhyme scheme or any kind of scheme is really just a plan. You’re planning out how you want your words to rhyme. Should all the end words rhyme with each other? Should they rhyme in an alternating fashion? Plan it out. Let’s have everyone give this a shot this week. It’s not something your’e going to complete in ten minutes. I would suggest giving it ten minutes and then take a break if you get frustrated. Come back to it tomorrow.
Writing lyrics is a process that can be fun when you get lucky and it comes quickly but it can also be like torture if you sit there in front of a blank page and make no progress. Don’t feel bad about putting this down and doing something else. You’re not giving up, you’re just giving your sub conscious mind a chance to do some of the work for you!
Watch this video for help as to how to use the PDF document below and rhymezone.com to complete some lyrics.
Lesson Expectation: Ok, so what should the finished product look like. I did give examples in the video but here's one more. Four sentences that follow one of the rhyme schemes mention in the video. This one is AABB
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I had the biggest sneeze
When did I eat cheese?!
It just flew out my nose
Now it's all over my clothes!
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Week 4: Add Lyrics to your SoundTrap Groove
In this weeks lesson we're going to be putting our lyrics together with a groove created in Sound Trap. Use the skills you gained and the SoundTrap account you created from Week 2 and make a groove then record yourself singing or speaking the lyrics you created from Week 3. If you didn't complete the Week 3 assignment... get on that! :D The video below will help you to record your vocals in SoundTrap. Any questions you have should be submitted in the private comments section of this assignment on Google Classroom.
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When you're done, go to "File" and then "Export Project to MP3 File". Attach the mp3 to your assignment by using the "Add or Create" button within the Google Classroom assignment and choosing the mp3 file you created in SoundTrap.
