Composing
Make your own Latin backing pattern with this sequencer, in the style used in Melody Bolero - track 8 of Saydisc Listen To This! KS3. (In fact it's more of a habanera than a bolero!) There are only 2 chords: F (home) and C (away). Pupils can string them together in any order to explore the harmonic effect. They could work with partners who provide suitable melody and latin-style percussion on live instruments.
Official classification: Composing, Arranging, South America, Interactive Activities, Latin America, Curriculum support, List Sequencer, Saydisc/Charanga World Music
Tags: tonic-dominant, I-V
This app offers 6 characteristic drum rhythms from the Bird Dance (track 7 of Saydisc Listen To This KS3). Pupils can string them together in any order to compose a percussion accompaniment for their own chants.
Official classification: Composing, Arranging, Rhythm, Interactive Activities, Chanting, Curriculum support, 2a Creating and developing - improvising, 2b Creating and developing - reflective composing, 2a Creating and developing - improvising, 2b Creating and developing - reflective composing, List Sequencer, Saydisc/Charanga World Music
Create your own backing pattern for hip-hop rap with an exotic feel using this sequencer.
Official classification: Composing, Arranging, Sequencers, Interactive Activities, Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3, Curriculum support, List Sequencer, Hip Hop Coach
Create your own backing pattern for hip-hop rap with an aggressive or mysterious feel using this sequencer.
Official classification: Composing, Arranging, Sequencers, Interactive Activities, Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3, Curriculum support, List Sequencer, Hip Hop Coach
Live sequencer which lets learners perform backings for their rap tracks in given moods, choosing freely which segments should play next as the music plays.
Official classification: Composing, Arranging, Improvising, Performing, Texture, Interactive Activities, Key Stage 3, Rapping, Curriculum support, Charanga, Live Sequencer, Hip Hop Coach
Live sequencer which lets learners perform backings for their rap tracks in given moods, choosing freely which segments should play next as the music plays.
Official classification: Composing, Arranging, Improvising, Performing, Texture, Interactive Activities, Key Stage 3, Rapping, Curriculum support, Charanga, Live Sequencer, Hip Hop Coach
Live sequencer which lets learners perform backings for their rap tracks in given moods, choosing freely which segments should play next as the music plays.
Official classification: Composing, Arranging, Improvising, Performing, Texture, Interactive Activities, Key Stage 3, Rapping, Curriculum support, Charanga, Live Sequencer, Hip Hop Coach
Pupils can listen separately to each of the four melodic phrases from the Drunken Sailor. Then they can place them in order to recreate the piece (or place in their own order to create a new piece). Excellent exercise for KS1 or KS2 pupils for understanding pitch, shape and phrasing. See also 'Track 03 What Shall We Do with a Drunken Sailor' track explorer for prior listening.
Official classification: Listening, Graphical Notation, Arranging, Pitch, Rounds , Melody, Interactive Activities, Puzzle, Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2, Curriculum support, Saydisc Records, List Sequencer, Melody
Live backing sequencer to support a composition or improvisation based on Track 02 Amanecer Andino (Andean Dawn) from Saydisc Percussion Around the World. (Also Track 01 of Saydisc Listen to This! KS3.) In the original recording there's a free slow introduction followed by a faster section based on C and Am chords, but with this tool users can decide their own structure.
KS2/3 idea - students can use this tool to provide an accompaniment while one student performs live their own version of a characteristic pentatonic melody on a separate instrument. Students can also use this tool for support as they play along and learn the ostinato drum and guitar parts.
Official classification: Percussion, Composing, Improvising, Rehearsing, Ostinato, Melody, Interactive Activities, Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3, Pentatonic Scales, The Andes, Curriculum support, Melody, Saydisc/Charanga World Music
The 'now and next' functions in the Live Sequencer tool allow students to create their own arrangement of the koto melody from Saydisc Listen To This KS3, track 4 Aki No Shirabe (Autumn Tune). Students also type in their own descriptions of each phrase so they can easily identify each one and demonstrate use of musical language. They can then trigger the phrases live to play in any chosen order. Perhaps this could be used to provide music for a dance or similar performance.
Official classification: Composing, Arranging, Improvising, Changes in Volume, Silence, Phrasing, Melody, Interactive Activities, Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3, Pentatonic Scales, Japan, Koto, Curriculum support, Live Sequencer, Saydisc/Charanga World Music
There is a grid layout of 13 sample pads - a mixture of percussion sounds and instrumental loops. Pupils can listen to an audio explanation of how to build a beat from scratch, adding additional sounds in new layers. They then freely record their own extended textures to a metronome beat at 95 BPM. They can mute the different layers in and out if they wish as the recording plays back.
Curriculum area: Performing, Composing
Main focus: Making up a beat from scratch at 95 BPM, recording it in layers, by freely triggering up to 13 different samples
Possible Learning Outcomes: Ability to record own free drum patterns to a 95 BPM metronome click
Official classification: Composing, Performing, Interactive Activities, Key Stage 3, Curriculum support, Charanga, Hip Hop Coach, Beat Completer
There is a grid layout of 8 sample pads - a mixture of percussion sounds and instrumental loops. Some pads are set so that the sample always decays naturally, while others gate the sound immediately on release. An edit panel is available to change this behaviour, or to allow free volume and pan on any sample pad. Pupils can listen to an audio explanation of how to build a beat from scratch, adding additional sounds in new layers. They then freely record their own extended dubstep textures to a metronome beat at 140 BPM. They can mute the different layers in and out if they wish as the recording plays back.
Curriculum area: Performing, Composing
Main focus: Making up a beat from scratch at 140 BPM, recording it in layers, by freely triggering up to 8 different samples
Possible Learning Outcomes: Ability to record own free dubstep drum patterns to a 140 BPM metronome click
Official classification: Composing, Performing, Interactive Activities, Key Stage 3, Curriculum support, Charanga, Hip Hop Coach, Beat Completer
There is a grid layout of 9 sample pads - a mixture of percussion sounds and instrumental loops. Some pads are set so that the sample always decays naturally, while others gate the sound immediately on release. An edit panel is available to change this behaviour, or to allow free volume and pan on any sample pad. Pupils can listen to an audio explanation of how to build a beat from scratch, adding additional sounds in new layers. They then freely record their own extended electro textures to a metronome beat at 126 BPM. They can mute the different layers in and out if they wish as the recording plays back.
Curriculum area: Performing, Composing
Main focus: Making up a beat from scratch at 126 BPM, recording it in layers, by freely triggering up to 9 different samples
Possible Learning Outcomes: Ability to record own free electro drum patterns to a 126 BPM metronome click
Official classification: Composing, Performing, Interactive Activities, Key Stage 3, Curriculum support, Charanga, Hip Hop Coach, Beat Completer
There is just one sample pad (kick). Pupils hear some examples of dubstep-style kick patterns and then explore recording their own kick rhythms in time to a hats and snare backing, building up in layers if they wish.
Curriculum area: Performing, Composing
Main focus: Inventing kick patterns to go with a given dubstep-style backing
Possible Learning Outcomes: Improved skill at devising/performing more intricate kick rhythms
Official classification: Composing, Performing, Interactive Activities, Key Stage 3, Curriculum support, Charanga, Hip Hop Coach, Beat Completer
Multi-layered rhythmic piece demonstrating the use of 'signals' by 5 primary school pupils for KS2 Cyclic Patterns module (lesson 3).
The pupil on on the far RHS keeps the pulse with the bells whilst the three pupils in the middle play their individual rhythmic patterns, each coming in after a 'signal' from the djembe player on far LHS.
Official classification: Djembe, Composing, Arranging, Performing, Video, Curriculum support, Bell
Animated backing track to support pupils with short 'question and answer' rhythmic patterns.
This version supports pupils playing their own compositions or improvisations of responses to the question 'how are you today?'
Features in KS2 cyclic patterns module.
Official classification: Percussion, Composing, Improvising, Interactive Activities, Key Stage 2, Unit 16 Cyclic Patterns, Curriculum support, Charanga
Animated backing track to support pupils with rhythmic activities.
This version features a 'signal' rhythm that is used in KS2 cyclic patterns module to finish a piece of music.
Official classification: Percussion, Composing, Improvising, Interactive Activities, Key Stage 2, Unit 16 Cyclic Patterns, Curriculum support, Charanga
Animated backing track to support short 'question and answer' rhythmic patterns.
This version features a 'question' rhythm that matches the words 'bacon sandwich' followed by either two claps or a space for an improvised 'answer'.
Features in KS2 cyclic patterns module.
Official classification: Percussion, Composing, Improvising, Interactive Activities, Key Stage 2, Unit 16 Cyclic Patterns, Curriculum support, Charanga
Animated backing track to support pupils with rhythmic activities.
This version consists of a choice of either just bells or bells and bass to use as backing.
Features in KS2 cyclic patterns module.
Official classification: Percussion, Composing, Improvising, Interactive Activities, Key Stage 2, Unit 16 Cyclic Patterns, Curriculum support, Charanga
Animated backing track to support pupils with short 'question and answer' rhythmic patterns.
This version supports pupils playing their own compositions.
Features in KS2 cyclic patterns module.
Official classification: Percussion, Composing, Improvising, Interactive Activities, Key Stage 2, Unit 16 Cyclic Patterns, Curriculum support, Charanga