Exploring Song Structure and Arrangement in Music Education
Delve into the intricacies of song structure and arrangement with this resource pack designed for Year 7 and 8 music students. From defining song concepts to experimenting with musical texture, harmonic ideas, and more, students will learn to lay the foundations for creating captivating songs. Engage in discussions on instrumentation, texture, and techniques to enhance songwriting skills. Through mentor insights and practical exercises, students will unlock their creativity and develop a deeper understanding of musical composition.
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Year 7 and 8 Music: Becoming a SongMaker LESSON RESOURCE PACKAGE 2 LESSONS Get to the Chorus!
Lesson One Laying the foundations
Learning Intention: To discuss and define song structure and the approach to an arrangement. To experiment with musical texture, harmonic and melodic ideas with song concepts. Success Criteria: I can define and explain song structures and apply a structural overview to my song concept. I can demonstrate my understanding of song structure and arrangement by manipulating musical texture, harmonic, lyrical and melodic ideas within my song concept.
Words of the Day Structure refers to the arrangement and order of the parts or sections of the music. Instrumentation - the particular combination of musical instruments employed in a song. Texture the layering of instrumentation or musical ideas. Expressive Devices the manipulation and use of dynamics, articulation and effects to instruments within a song. Arrangement - Arrangement is the flow of a song from start to finish, manipulated by instrumentation, texture and expressive devices. Verse - A verse is a repeated section of a song that typically features a new set of lyrics on each repetition. Chorus - a chorus is a repeated section that contains the primary musical and lyrical motifs of the song.
Dont Bore Us! Here s SongMakers mentors Robert Conley and Ray Thistlethwayte discussing song structure with students at a SongMakers workshop. CLASS DISCUSSION Are there similarities or differences between your Verse and Chorus? How might you create similar ideas and themes between the two sections? *watch to 0:40 SongMakers APRA AMCOS. (2014, November 28). Video Clip 03 - Song Sections. YouTube. Retrieved January 7, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnQeT14zHpM
Working with the Instruments Here is producer and SongMakers mentor, Lachlan Carrick, discussing the arrangement and instrumentation. CLASS DISCUSSION What instruments could you use or experiment, in order to help your song concepts, communicate a narrative or capture the vibe of your song? What could you do to change the texture of a song without writing new material? SongMakers APRA AMCOS. (2014, November 28). Video Clip 05 - The Arrangement. YouTube. Retrieved January 7, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_AoNQDygVA
Time to Experiment By now you should have recorded or documented some basic ideas to create song sections that you can now experiment with. The task for today is to return to your ideas and consider how you: arrange instruments. experiment with texture by changing instrumentation. consider how you layer ideas to create coherent sections of music (e.g. a verse or a chorus).
Lesson Two What makes a good chorus?
Learning Intention: To analyse the characteristics of a chorus. To experiment with musical texture, harmonic and melodic ideas with song concepts. Success Criteria: I can understand and apply chorus techniques and ideas to my song concept. I can demonstrate my understanding of chorus techniques by manipulating musical texture, harmonic, lyrical and melodic ideas within my song concept.
Analysing the Chorus Now we have experimented with developing texture in our song sections, we can now analyse the characteristics of a chorus. Here s a video from 12tone to summarise some key ideas. CLASS DISCUSSION How can you use repetition to strengthen your chorus? Can you use ideas from your verse? Does your song have a title yet and could that help make some song lyrics? *watch to 12:21 12tone. (2021, August 27). The Secret To Writing A Great Chorus. YouTube. Retrieved January 7, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9F65Ln4V0Y4
The Qualities of a Chorus Summary You can enhance your chorus by: Adding new instruments. Changing the way instruments are playing chords (arpeggiated or chords). Adding backing vocals. Altering rhythm of the chords. Bringing in the title of the song. How memorable is your chorus? Repeating ideas (melodic, harmonic or lyrical).
Time to Experiment The task for today is to return to your ideas and consider how you: arrange instruments. experiment with texture by changing instrumentation. consider how you layer ideas to create coherent sections of music (e.g. a verse or a chorus). experiment with techniques to enhance your chorus.
