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Students enjoy composing their own music. After the Retrograde lesson, students can learn ABA song form and expand their music selections. (Pictures of General MIDI sound list and Retro to ABA composition below.)
Lesson 004

All of our music compositions and studies are now created with Sibelius notation software. The same studies below can be used with any notation programs.
Objectives:
*Students will continue to expand their retrograde composition (and change to ABA song form) using the notes in the C Major Scale, and the keyboard and sequencing software on the computer to playback the song.
*To complete pp. 10-20 in the Alfred Basic Piano Library Level 1A (varies based on student level).
*To complete one Lesson in Music Ace 1.

Materials:
Alfred 1A Piano Books, keyboards and related equipment, computers, printer, Music Time Deluxe and Music Ace 1 software and teacher's manual.

Procedures:
Students should have prior knowledge of the definitions of MIDI, General MIDI, and other keyboard / tech terms. Follow this link to review brief definitions. Also, introduce or examine the C Major Scale for use in compositions.
Follow this link to review the previous Retrograde Lesson Plan and instructions for Music Time Deluxe.
After the students have successfully completed the Retrograde Lesson, students may extend or change the song using a song form, such as ABA. ABA means that you will write one section of the composition (Part A), then write something different than your first section (Part B), then write the first section of your song again (Part A). In other words, Part A 'repeats' or is played twice. Write your composition using notes in the same octave starting with Middle C, and use notes in the C Major Scale. We will continue to have 2 staves or instrument voices playing. The students should not try to write the longest song in the world. Ask them to limit their composition, for now, to 32 measures.
Remind students of the method of changing voices / instruments in Music Time Deluxe. (Shortcut 'Control + ?') The Staff Sheet will appear and students can change their instruments to one of the 128 General MIDI voices on the computer. The students should be reminded that the sounds on their Casio MIDI keyboards will NOT sound the same as the 128 General MIDI computer voices unless the sound is played back through the computer speakers.
 

Retrograde Lesson

Ask students to notice...
* Why do their songs sound different when playing the song through the MIDI keyboard than it does when played through the computer speakers (General MIDI sounds)?
* What types of instruments sound better when paired together (like a duet)?
* What types of patterns do you hear in your compositions? (Steps, skips, repeats, leaps,  etc.)
* Will your composition be something 'that you can sing to and remember' like a song (does it have a melody that you can identify and remember)?
* Can you tell when your composition changes from Part A - to Part B - and back to Part A?
* What are the main rhythms that you used in your composition (quarter notes, half notes, etc.)?
* Would you make any changes to your composition if your fellow keyboard students did not enjoy your song or would you keep the composition as you had written the first time?
Music Ace 1 - Students will continue to progress at their own pace through the lessons on the computer. Teacher will assist with students and their questions. Some students will have completed Lesson 4 and 5 by this time.
Alfred Basic Piano Book 1A - If time allows, students will work individually on pages 10-20, with assistance and demonstration of notes and technique by the teacher.
 

Retrograde to ABA

Extra Activities:
Work on musical skills through some of the quizzes and games on the Music Tech Teacher Quizzes and Games pages. Choose games according to the skill level of the students. There are several quizzes available for studying lines and spaces, rhythms, and skips, steps, repeats.
If students complete the Music Ace Lessons successfully, they might work in the Doodle Pad section, learning to 'compose' their own melodies. These melodies can be saved but not printed.
Post student compositions on the 'Student Work' pages of this site.
Evaluation:
*Students will be able to successfully perform all of the exercises on pp. 10-20 of the Piano Level 1A Lesson Book.
*Students will be able to name and play the notes to the C Major Scale.
*Students will successfully complete Lessons 4-5 in Music Ace 1, and will print a Progress Report of their work to give to the teacher and to their parents.
*Students will complete a composition in ABA form, using 2 staves, the General MIDI sound sheet, and notes from the C Major Scale, no longer than 32 measures.

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