Identifying the Note Names in the C Major Scale / Tetrachords
Each Music Technology student in the 2nd - 5th grades will receive one 30-45 minute lesson per week. The class structure is ‘work-at-your-own-pace’ because students are not required to have any materials or music equipment to participate.
Essential Questions: What is a (music) scale? What is a tetrachord? (Answers below evaluation.)
Objectives:
*Students will learn to identify the names of the notes in the C Major Scale and the tetrachords related to the scale.
*Students will complete one or more pages in the Alfred Basic Piano Library Level 1A (varies based on student level).
* (Optional or extended activities) Selected students with previous music experience may begin working on music selections for the Christmas program and / or the PTA Reflections program in December.
Materials:
Piano keyboards, computers, Alfred Basic Piano Library Books, music software and all cables, adapters and headphones associated with electronic equipment. Projector for presenting notes / scales and interactive note study of music notes.
Procedures:
1) Explain the word ‘scale.’ A scale in music is the arrangement of notes in a specific order of whole and half steps. Demonstrate the notes in the C Major Scale by playing them on the keyboard in various rhythms. The C Major Scale has the notes C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C.
Use Sibelius or Noteflight notation software with the notes on the treble clef staff to view the notes on each line and space from the projector and computer. Move the notes onto alternate lines and spaces up and down (C Major Scale drill) while students name the notes.
Introduce the word ‘tetrachord.’ A Tetrachord is a series of four notes within a perfect fourth of a scale. The tetrachords for C Major Scale are C-D-E-F and G-A-B-C.
After the students are successful at identifying the notes, they may learn to play the notes on the piano keyboards for practice using the drum / rhythm machine to keep steady beats with the music.
2) Complete various pages in the Alfred Basic Piano Library Book 1 based on individual student progress. Make a video (digital camera) of some of the students and post it immediately using the projector for review and feedback. Younger students will be on pages 16-21. (understanding the word dynamics (forte is loud, piano is soft), development of the sense of high and low pitches, additional practice in maintaining rhythmic flow while melody moves from one hand to the other, rhythmic security).
3) If time allows or for extended activities, older students may use Sibelius software (or Noteflight software) to practice entering notes in C Major in the treble clef onto the computer. Sibelius software was introduced in the previous year. Noteflight software will be introduced to start creating new projects.
Students should use the notes in the C Major Scale and tetrachords from this lesson as a basis for creating their new compositions. Students will need assistance in using this software for the first time.
4) For extra activities, students may also complete Lessons 4-6 in the Music Ace software program. The teacher will need to record the progress of each student due to a lack of student accounts per station. Students may also choose to use Sibelius Groovy music software (Groovy Shapes, Groovy Jungle and Groovy City) to complete music lessons and create songs.
5) For extra activities, students with previous experience can begin working on music compositions for the PTA Reflections contest (due the first week in December) or practice the songs for our Christmas program (to be determined from the following songs: Jingle Bells, Jolly Old St. Nicholas, Carol of the Bells, Lean On Me and Ode to Joy).
Evaluation….
Students successfully identify and play the notes in the C Major Scale and tetrachords.
Students complete the assigned pages in the Alfred Basic Piano Library Book. (Video review)
Students (with previous experience) can use notation software to write the notes in the C Major Scale on the computer.
The teacher will observe the points above and provide feedback to the students based on their work.
Essential Questions: What is a (music) scale? What is a tetrachord?
A Scale in music is the arrangement of notes in a specific order of whole and half steps.
The C Major Scale has the notes C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C.
A Tetrachord is a series of four notes within a perfect fourth of a scale. The tetrachords for C Major Scale are C-D-E-F and G-A-B-C.
- We can create our first compositions on the computer using the notes or tetrachords in the C Major Scale.
Standards:
TI:ME (Technology for Music Education)
(2) Music Production – Sequencing (Composing music)
(3) Music Notation Software (Sibelius and Noteflight)
(4) Technology Assisted Learning (Sibelius Groovy Music, Keyboards)
NAfME (National Association for Music Education)
(2) Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music. (Alfred Piano Book Level 1A, playing scales)
(6) Listening to, analyzing and describing music (C Major Scale and tetrachords study, compositions)
You can find information about the major scales on our website, www.musictechteacher.com.
Click on Music Help and Scales (C Major-Flats). After you have learned the names of the notes in some of the scales, there are additional worksheets and activities that use may use from our site.
