4.
Small assignment: Brief motif, phrase or melody using given pitches
Students are taught the pitches covered in a particular unit, in various octaves, and are then invited to create a brief motif, phrase or melody using the pitches they have just learned.
Assignment author
Tapio Lappalainen
Basics
Minimum time required
Goal and output
Pedagogical goal
Students begin to experiment with organising pitches as they prefer, exercising their creativity.
Concrete output
A brief motif, phrase or melody
Work progress
- Teach the students the names and octaves of the pitches covered in the unit.
- Invite students to form a sequence of pitches (by ear) so as to form a brief motif, phrase or melody, using keyboards, own instruments, tablets or computers.
- Write down the pitch sequences on music paper.
- Identify the pitches and their octaves and write them down.
- You may apply solfège to the notated motif, phrase or melody if you wish.
Topics in the assignment
Musical structures and analysis
Playing an instrument & singing
Notation & music terminology
Arranging & parts
Music technology
Styles & techniques
Imagination & other arts
Tools
Detailed description of tools
Keyboards, own instruments, tablets or computers, allowing students to complete the assignment by ear.
Remarks
This is an example of how to use phenomenon-based learning in teaching structural awareness of music. The point with assignments like this is that immediately once a theory item has been taught, the creative aspect is introduced and students are guided to create their own application of what they have just learned.
Further assignments
Assignment suitable for further study
