Skip to main content

Lesson Plan: Intro to Sound and Noise

Group 1: Ages 5-7
Group 2: Ages 8-10
Group 3: Ages 10-13

Objectives

Group 1&2: Recognition of various sound waves, ability to construct simple compositions using sound waves, training the voice to imitate sound waves, using the body to imitate sound waves in musical movement, learning concepts of timbre and noise as music, encouraging improvisation with instruments, continuation of Primer Level in Keyboard playing.

Group 3: Recognition of various sound waves and noise types, ability to construct compositions using graphic notation, understanding the music history behind electronic music (John Cage, Futurists, noise, early electronic instruments, etc.), learning concepts of timbre and noise as music, encouraging improvisation and experimentation with instruments and various sound producers, using the voice for sonic imitation of sound waves, creating vocal compositions with graphic notation (vocalizations), continuation of Primer Level and Level 1 Keyboard playing.


Sound, Noise, and Electronic Music

WEEK ONE: Introduction to Noise and Sound Waves

Day 1
Group 1&2: Introduction to Sound Waves (sine, sawtooth, triangle, square, noise) using flashcards; Imitation of sound waves with vocalization; basic keyboard practice ten minutes; using the body to imitate sounds heard in recordings
Group 3: Introduction to Sound Waves (sine, sawtooth, triangle, square, noise) using flashcards; Imitation of sound waves with vocalization; students use flashcards to create own compositions for class to sing back; listening to electronic music recordings using sound waves; basic keyboard practice twenty minutes

Day 2
Group 1&2: Review of sound waves, learning three types of noise (pink, brown, white); guessing game with different types of noise and sounds; basic keyboard practice ten minutes; musical movement with electronic music
Group 3: Review of sound waves, learning three types of noise (pink, brown, white); guessing game with different types of noise and sounds; drawing out noise and sound waves; basic keyboard practice twenty minutes

Day 3
Group 1&2: Sound waves game (children use voice/body to imitate the sound waves or noise they are trying to make); Memory matching game with sound waves and noise; basic keyboard practice ten minutes; movement using streamers to imitate sound waves
Group 3: Sound waves game (teacher sounds out different sound wave patterns and teams have to write down the correct wave patterns on the board); basic keyboard twenty minutes

Day 4
Group 1&2: Sound waves game and review using more complex sound waves and noise patterns; basic keyboard practice ten minutes; musical movement to electronic music
Group 3: The radio as music, Music History lesson on John Cage’s work Imaginary Landscapes; Demonstrate the use of noise and chance using radio; students experiment with radio; basic keyboard practice twenty minutes

Day 5
Group 1&2: Students create sound wave patterns and have class use body movement to imitate the new “compositions”; dance freeze; basic keyboard ten minutes; musical movement twenty minutes
Group 3: Composition Fridaze Basic music composition lessons twenty minutes; Creating compositions using the radio, sound waves, and noise; perform compositions in class

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

A Composer's Brief Guide to Percussion Mallets

When composing for percussion, it is important to know the difference between a variety of mallets. Although in most cases the percussionist will choose the proper mallets for the passage, sometimes as a composer, you want a particular sound. It is always good to research a mallet before indicating it in your score. Consult a percussion catalogue for a more in-depth look at the hundreds of mallets available. 1. YARN MALLETS They come in every dynamic range from supersoft baseball-sized to forte. They are the multi-purpose mallet, used for toms, suspended cymbal rolls, marimba, xylophone, woodblock, and pretty much anytime a percussionist doesn't have time to pick up another mallet. 2. CORD MALLETS These are harder than the yarn mallets. More effective on xylophone and vibes, these mallets can also be used for a variety of percussion instruments. 3. BRASS MALLETS These are for use on the glockenspiel/bells and the occasional brake drum. They produce a more "tinny" kind of ...

Music Secrets: The Music School Survival Guide

Music Secrets: The Music School Survival Guide Don't have any time to balance rehearsals, exams, and a social life? Then read on!  So you find that between playing in orchestra, the school musical, a solo recital or two, joining Sigma Alpha Iota or Phi Mu Alpha , playing in the alternative band at night, pep band, and marching band that you can't keep your eyes open, let alone study for the music history midterm next week or even begin to write your term paper on Debussy? Then read on and learn to balance life in Music School. 1) Musicians DO need to Sleep   Yes, you need to sleep, even if it is only five hours a night plus catnaps. Your brain cannot function if you do not sleep. So sleep, even if that means that you can't play in that awesome alternative band that jams every other night till 5am at the local bar. 2) Eat right and exercise Okay, so I sound like your parents, or Oprah, but I am serious. My biggest mistake as an undergrad (well, one of my bigges...

Percussion 101: How to Play Hand Crash Cymbols

Young Girl Plays Cymbals The hand cymbals (or crash cymbals ) are extremely versatile percussion instruments . The hand cymbals are used in the military, drum and bugle corps , the orchestra, and wind ensembles. Proper percussion hand cymbal technique takes many years of practice and hard work, as well as stamina and upper body strength. The most common use of the hand cymbals is in the drum line, whether in a high school band or a professional drum and bugle corps. Two cymbals are held by straps to the cymbal player's hands. In marching band and drum and bugle corps, the cymbal player often will loop their own hand in the strap, then grab the strap.  Protect Your Hands Tape, strap pads, and gloves are often used to protect the cymbal player's hands from blisters and the slow grinding away of skin during a lengthy band show. In the orchestra setting, where the crash cymbal is often reserved for music accents and shorter music passages, the percussion player does...