Basic Skills Pop Music with Classroom Modern Band

Basic Skills & Pop Music with Classroom & Modern Band Instruments Leslie. Anne Bird & Megan Stilla North Olmsted City Schools leslieanne. bird@nocseagles. org www. mrsbirdsmusicpage. com megan. stilla@nocseagles. org

What is Modern Band? The Little Kids Rock Foundation has developed a school music program called Modern Band. It teaches children to perform, improvise and compose using popular music. Modern Band music can be performed on virtually any instrument you have in your classroom. Modern Band is a complement to existing music programming and makes quality musical experiences available to children who might otherwise not participate in traditional music ensembles. www. littlekidsrock. org

What is Orff? Orff is a model for music and movement education that offers potential for active and creative music making by all children. This approach to learning, developed by Carl Orff and Gunild Keetman, builds musicianship through singing, playing instruments, speech and movement. Active music making is at the core of this philosophy supporting both the conceptual and affective development of children. Active learners develop a more thorough and better long-term understanding of the material and ideas involved. Children who regularly improvise and create their own dances and musical settings are uniquely prepared to solve problems in many other contexts. www. aosa. org

How Do We Get There? Step 1: Listen Step 2: Move • Three “Movement Teams” • Each team needs to create a “movement” that spans four beats. • Add one new element to the movement to make it more interesting.

Step 2: Move!

Step 3 (or 4): Grab A Ukulele, Barred Instrument or Keyboard! • Review ukulele chords C, Am & F • Find C, A & F of the barred instruments or keyboard and play chord roots with the ukuleles! • Differentiation-if you can play the 3 rd and 5 th go for it!

Step 4: (or 3) The Melody • Sing the 1 st motive four times. • Work with a partner to find it on the bars and keyboard, begin on C 1 • Continue with this process until you have the whole song. • Who can rock this part?

Step 5: Decisions, Decisions • Orff • Keyboard • Recorder • Singers • Ukulele • Guitar • Bass Bars (teacher has final say) • Drum Set (teacher has final say) • Aux Percussion • Other Instruments?

Step 6: Break Out Groups Double and triple check that students understand your expectations and procedures for all of the instruments BEFORE you start breakout groups. Things to consider: Where will “quieter” instruments work? Who are your group leaders/helpers? Who will sit, who should stand? Where are your power sources? Consider headphones for keyboards Have drum set players begin on another instrument, add the drums late in the process. • This will be a bit “messy” and noisy at first. That is part of the process. • • •

Step 7: Choose a Form You may choose to simply replicate the song as it is as performed. To make the process more personal, allow the children to choose the form and create their own arrangement. Say ‘yes’ and try their suggestions, even if they are weird. Sometimes the strangest ideas yield fantastic results! If they don’t ask the children why it’s not working and how the group can fix the problem.