Year 7 and 8 Music: Becoming a SongMaker LESSON
Description: Year 7 and 8 Music: Becoming a SongMaker LESSON RESOURCE PACKAGE 2 LESSONS Free Writing Lesson One Setting the text Learning Intention: To analyse a set text and deconstruct an approach to setting lyrics to rhythmic patterns. To
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slide1. Year 7 and 8 Music: Becoming a SongMaker
LESSON RESOURCE PACKAGE – 2 LESSONS
Free Writing<br>
slide2. Lesson One
Setting the text<br>
slide3. Learning Intention: To analyse a set text and deconstruct an approach to setting lyrics to rhythmic patterns.
To investigate a variety of approaches to writing lyrics in communicating mood and meaning in songwriting.
To experiment with lyric writing by setting words to melodic phrases of composed song ideas. Success Criteria: I can identify and apply a technique of setting text to rhythmic phrases by analysing syllables, rhythmic values and accents over a 4/4 rhythmic idea.
I can understand and recall a variety of approaches to writing lyrics as a song writer.
I can experiment with lyrical ideas and set words to recorded song ideas.<br>
slide4. Words of the Day Syllables - A syllable is a unit of organization for a sequence of speech sounds.
Syncopation - a placement of rhythmic stresses or accents where they wouldn't normally occur.
Phrase - is a unit of musical meter that has a complete musical sense of its own.<br>
slide5. Writing the Lyrics Here’s Linda and Dan working on a song with producer Simon Cohen. In this short section they work through a lyric writing process.
CLASS DISCUSSION
How could the texture or tonality of the music suggest a narrative to help build your lyrics? *watch to 10:16” triple j. (2018, August 28). How do you write a hit song? | What is Music. YouTube. Retrieved January 7, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIBMi8LrkOM<br>
slide6. Setting the Text Before we start writing lyrics of our own, we need to first explore how lyrics can be set to melodies. For this activity we will:
work with a set lyric below
break down each word into syllables
create a rhythmic phrase over a 4/4 groove as a class
consider the placement of the lyrics on and off beats (syncopation)
Determine which accents we can create on certain words
Here’s the lyric we will work with:
On the day I was born, it was raining
On the day I turned nine, it was hot.<br>
slide7. Syllabic Breakdown Here is how we can break the lyrics into syllables. This will help us determine which rhythmic values are best suited:
Each word is one syllable except for rain-ing. We can therefore fit these words to most rhythmic values with each accented if we liked.
Here is how we can set these words to a rhythmic value.<br>
slide8. The Rhythmic Phrase Here are some variations on how we could set our words to a rhythmic idea, playing with syllable placement to create accents:<br>
slide9. Creating Accents Below are some examples of where you can add accents (highlighted) to stress certain words that you want to bring out in the music (this will also depend on the melody):<br>
slide10. Writing to Rhythm Here is a video from the Songwriters Chop Shop about writing with rhythm and working with accents.
CLASS ACTIVITY
Carry onto the songwriting task we have been developing individually over the last few weeks and see if you can apply these ideas to your work. SongWriters Chop Shop. (2022, January 14). Daily Lyric Writing Exercises for Beginners (writing in rhythms). YouTube. Retrieved January 7, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNYULlCla_Y<br>
slide11. Over to you… Can you experiment with the placement of the set lyric we have studied to your song ideas?
If you have your own lyrical ideas, can you try setting them to song musical ideas you have recorded or notated?
Read through some lyrics that you have created and see if you can develop your own phrases through this exercise…<br>
slide12. Lesson Two
Word Games<br>
slide13. Learning Intention: To discuss and explore various approaches to writing your own lyrics through free writing, metaphor and object writing.
To experiment with lyric writing using the techniques of free writing, metaphor and object writing to composed song ideas. Success Criteria: I can understand and experiment with the lyric writing techniques, free writing, metaphor and object writing.
I can demonstrate my understanding these lyric writing techniques by applying lyrical ideas to my composed song ideas.<br>
slide14. Words of the Day Metaphor - a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable.
Figurative Language - is a way of expressing oneself that does not use a word's strict or realistic meaning (e.g. “that news hit me like a ton of bricks”).
Kinaesthetic - relating to a person's awareness of the position and movement of the parts of the body by means of sensory organs in the muscles and joints.<br>
slide15. Free Writing Watch this short video about Free Writing to understand more about how it works.
CLASS ACTIVITY
Complete the Free Writing activity for 5 minutes. College Essay Advisors. (2019, July 1). Freewriting 101: How to Freewrite for Your College Essay. YouTube. Retrieved January 7, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9mf35JKETI<br>
slide16. One Word Metaphors Watch this interview with songwriter Caroline Harvey as she discusses using metaphors within lyrics.
CLASS ACTIVITY
Next we will be developing some “I am” metaphors to help create some ideas. Berklee Online. (2012, May 18). How to Use Metaphor in Songwriting and Creative Writing. YouTube. Retrieved January 7, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Wrq6AnYuxI<br>
slide17. ”I Am” Metaphor Activity For each idea below you are to write three examples starting with ”I am”:
Mention a place (e.g. “I am a city”… “I am the garden”)
Action
Mountain / ocean
This is
Free line
Weapon
Number
Repetition<br>
slide18. Object Writing Watch this video about Object Writing from the Holistic Songwriting channel and complete the activity below.
CLASS ACTIVITY
Next we will explore object writing with an online generator and you will have an opportunity to create your own ideas. Holistic Songwriting. (2019, December 9). Object Writing | Songwriting Exercises 12. YouTube. Retrieved January 7, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNwwUiO38d4<br>
slide19. Object Writing To craft song lyrics using object writing, describe objects around you through the prism of seven senses.
Use this website to generate objects to get you thinking about lyric ideas: https://music.joshnotes.com/tools/object-writing/prompt/
Here’s an example: “a cooling loaf of bread”… as I approached the bread I felt…
You can write full sentences, short ideas or even words.<br>
slide20. The Seven Senses Sight: Consider how an object looks and what figurative language you can use to describe its appearance.
Sound: Music is art through the medium of sound, so focusing on aural characteristics is a worthy songwriting tip.
Smell: Often smells evoke nostalgia or memories of specific places. In an object writing exercise, try describing how objects smell.
Taste: Like smell, taste lingers in our memories for long periods of time. Creative songwriters might use language related to taste to figuratively describe the subject of a song.
Touch: Song lyrics describing texture and temperature can add tactile depth to your songwriting.
Organic sense: Organic sense is an awareness of inner bodily functions, like your heartbeat, breathing, and muscle tension. These sensations can be positive, negative, or neutral.
Kinaesthetic sense: This seventh and final type of sense is a sense of relation between yourself and the world. It has to do with the position and orientation of the body in space.<br>
slide21. Over to you… Can you experiment with lyrics that you have generated through today’s activities?
Read through some lyrics or ideas that you have created and see if you can further develop a song section you have created, using these exercises…<br>
LESSON RESOURCE PACKAGE – 2 LESSONS
Free Writing<br>
slide2. Lesson One
Setting the text<br>
slide3. Learning Intention: To analyse a set text and deconstruct an approach to setting lyrics to rhythmic patterns.
To investigate a variety of approaches to writing lyrics in communicating mood and meaning in songwriting.
To experiment with lyric writing by setting words to melodic phrases of composed song ideas. Success Criteria: I can identify and apply a technique of setting text to rhythmic phrases by analysing syllables, rhythmic values and accents over a 4/4 rhythmic idea.
I can understand and recall a variety of approaches to writing lyrics as a song writer.
I can experiment with lyrical ideas and set words to recorded song ideas.<br>
slide4. Words of the Day Syllables - A syllable is a unit of organization for a sequence of speech sounds.
Syncopation - a placement of rhythmic stresses or accents where they wouldn't normally occur.
Phrase - is a unit of musical meter that has a complete musical sense of its own.<br>
slide5. Writing the Lyrics Here’s Linda and Dan working on a song with producer Simon Cohen. In this short section they work through a lyric writing process.
CLASS DISCUSSION
How could the texture or tonality of the music suggest a narrative to help build your lyrics? *watch to 10:16” triple j. (2018, August 28). How do you write a hit song? | What is Music. YouTube. Retrieved January 7, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIBMi8LrkOM<br>
slide6. Setting the Text Before we start writing lyrics of our own, we need to first explore how lyrics can be set to melodies. For this activity we will:
work with a set lyric below
break down each word into syllables
create a rhythmic phrase over a 4/4 groove as a class
consider the placement of the lyrics on and off beats (syncopation)
Determine which accents we can create on certain words
Here’s the lyric we will work with:
On the day I was born, it was raining
On the day I turned nine, it was hot.<br>
slide7. Syllabic Breakdown Here is how we can break the lyrics into syllables. This will help us determine which rhythmic values are best suited:
Each word is one syllable except for rain-ing. We can therefore fit these words to most rhythmic values with each accented if we liked.
Here is how we can set these words to a rhythmic value.<br>
slide8. The Rhythmic Phrase Here are some variations on how we could set our words to a rhythmic idea, playing with syllable placement to create accents:<br>
slide9. Creating Accents Below are some examples of where you can add accents (highlighted) to stress certain words that you want to bring out in the music (this will also depend on the melody):<br>
slide10. Writing to Rhythm Here is a video from the Songwriters Chop Shop about writing with rhythm and working with accents.
CLASS ACTIVITY
Carry onto the songwriting task we have been developing individually over the last few weeks and see if you can apply these ideas to your work. SongWriters Chop Shop. (2022, January 14). Daily Lyric Writing Exercises for Beginners (writing in rhythms). YouTube. Retrieved January 7, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNYULlCla_Y<br>
slide11. Over to you… Can you experiment with the placement of the set lyric we have studied to your song ideas?
If you have your own lyrical ideas, can you try setting them to song musical ideas you have recorded or notated?
Read through some lyrics that you have created and see if you can develop your own phrases through this exercise…<br>
slide12. Lesson Two
Word Games<br>
slide13. Learning Intention: To discuss and explore various approaches to writing your own lyrics through free writing, metaphor and object writing.
To experiment with lyric writing using the techniques of free writing, metaphor and object writing to composed song ideas. Success Criteria: I can understand and experiment with the lyric writing techniques, free writing, metaphor and object writing.
I can demonstrate my understanding these lyric writing techniques by applying lyrical ideas to my composed song ideas.<br>
slide14. Words of the Day Metaphor - a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable.
Figurative Language - is a way of expressing oneself that does not use a word's strict or realistic meaning (e.g. “that news hit me like a ton of bricks”).
Kinaesthetic - relating to a person's awareness of the position and movement of the parts of the body by means of sensory organs in the muscles and joints.<br>
slide15. Free Writing Watch this short video about Free Writing to understand more about how it works.
CLASS ACTIVITY
Complete the Free Writing activity for 5 minutes. College Essay Advisors. (2019, July 1). Freewriting 101: How to Freewrite for Your College Essay. YouTube. Retrieved January 7, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9mf35JKETI<br>
slide16. One Word Metaphors Watch this interview with songwriter Caroline Harvey as she discusses using metaphors within lyrics.
CLASS ACTIVITY
Next we will be developing some “I am” metaphors to help create some ideas. Berklee Online. (2012, May 18). How to Use Metaphor in Songwriting and Creative Writing. YouTube. Retrieved January 7, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Wrq6AnYuxI<br>
slide17. ”I Am” Metaphor Activity For each idea below you are to write three examples starting with ”I am”:
Mention a place (e.g. “I am a city”… “I am the garden”)
Action
Mountain / ocean
This is
Free line
Weapon
Number
Repetition<br>
slide18. Object Writing Watch this video about Object Writing from the Holistic Songwriting channel and complete the activity below.
CLASS ACTIVITY
Next we will explore object writing with an online generator and you will have an opportunity to create your own ideas. Holistic Songwriting. (2019, December 9). Object Writing | Songwriting Exercises 12. YouTube. Retrieved January 7, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNwwUiO38d4<br>
slide19. Object Writing To craft song lyrics using object writing, describe objects around you through the prism of seven senses.
Use this website to generate objects to get you thinking about lyric ideas: https://music.joshnotes.com/tools/object-writing/prompt/
Here’s an example: “a cooling loaf of bread”… as I approached the bread I felt…
You can write full sentences, short ideas or even words.<br>
slide20. The Seven Senses Sight: Consider how an object looks and what figurative language you can use to describe its appearance.
Sound: Music is art through the medium of sound, so focusing on aural characteristics is a worthy songwriting tip.
Smell: Often smells evoke nostalgia or memories of specific places. In an object writing exercise, try describing how objects smell.
Taste: Like smell, taste lingers in our memories for long periods of time. Creative songwriters might use language related to taste to figuratively describe the subject of a song.
Touch: Song lyrics describing texture and temperature can add tactile depth to your songwriting.
Organic sense: Organic sense is an awareness of inner bodily functions, like your heartbeat, breathing, and muscle tension. These sensations can be positive, negative, or neutral.
Kinaesthetic sense: This seventh and final type of sense is a sense of relation between yourself and the world. It has to do with the position and orientation of the body in space.<br>
slide21. Over to you… Can you experiment with lyrics that you have generated through today’s activities?
Read through some lyrics or ideas that you have created and see if you can further develop a song section you have created, using these exercises…<br>