Unleash learners’ musical creativity with a little technology and a lot of freedom in this Year 9 music production lesson…
So, your Year 9 students have chosen their options. And while a significant minority have selected music at Key Stage 4, the remainder of the year group have another term left studying a subject they didn’t opt for, and motivation is, inevitably, on the slide.
What you need is a programme of study that taps into what your class members really enjoy, has a technical twist, and will keep them engaged (and making progress) despite themselves, right up to the end of term…
You will need
- iMac suite running Logic Pro or any other music production technology facility suitable for whole or part class use (with smaller music technology setups students without continual access to sequencing software can explore ideas through real instruments and rotate equipment usage to record maintain recording new ideas)
- Range of electric-acoustic instruments, as required, with the onus being given to students on the appropriateness of their use
- Break-out space is useful, as with all practical music lessons, to give students the freedom to clarify ideas out-loud (especially vocalists)
- Access to YouTube on a school network
Learning objectives
- Explore a range of sound styles in any music of your choice
- Experiment with different sound sources in Logic Pro (or other digital sequencer)
- Begin to create the sound world for your own track
- Record your initial ideas, eg beats, crazy sounds, vocals, etc
Starter activity
Instruct students to find ‘Danthology 2012’ on YouTube. With headphones on, they should open Logic Pro, find one or two sounds that fit with any of the remixes and play along however they like.
After a while, go for a class remix improvisation: playback the Danthology video through classroom speakers.
Students remove headphones, choose their sounds and away we go – everybody joins in wherever they like with whatever they like.
Christopher Woolham is currently deputy director of performing & expressive arts at Stretford High School, Manchester.
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