Guidelines for Music
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Be on time! Late to class three times results in a detention.
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Come prepared everyday with pencil, paper, folder, and class
notes/handouts. Unprepared three times
results in a detention.
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Stay in your assigned seat.
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You may get a drink before or after class only, not during class. In the case of an emergency, you need
permission to leave the room and must sign-out.
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Do not cut through the auditorium.
Use the hallway only.
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Don’t touch the computer settings or any of the cables behind them. When you are permitted to use the computers,
only run the application that you are told to run. Don’t open, move, or erase any files on the
computer that are not yours.
•
If you want to complete make-up work or extra credit, then you must do so
immediately after your graded test or assignment is returned to you. Do not wait until the last week of cycle to
ask for extra credit or help.
•
All school rules apply to this class.
Use appropriate school language only and absolutely NO GUM, drinks or
food in class.
Welcome to 8th grade music class.
I am Mr. Petrosky and I have been teaching music in the public schools for sixteen wonderful years. I have an Associates degree from Bucks County Community College, a Bachelor's degree from Westminster School of Music in Princeton New Jersey, and a Master's degree from National University.
I have been a musician all my life, from the first drum set my brother and I bought with lawn-cutting money to the present day, as I continue to compose original music from Rock to Classical. I have also maintained an interest in technology since my childhood, and I even remember my first video game "Pong" along with my first Comadore 64 computer. I am now fascinated to be able to combine my two interests, music and technology into the same creative activity of making electronic music. I feel a great sense of accomplishment when I use the GarageBand software application on my Macbook Pro, to compose music. GarageBand is a very powerful technological tool that offers me endless opportunities to write, synthesizes with loops, or play and record my music into a professional quality final product. I am excited to be able to pass on to you, the knowledge and skills required for using GarageBand to compose music.
Have fun while making music and remember to make something that you are going to be proud of when you finish.
Enjoy the class!
Mr. Petrosky
Class Overview
I am Mr. Petrosky and I have been teaching music in the public schools for sixteen wonderful years. I have an Associates degree from Bucks County Community College, a Bachelor's degree from Westminster School of Music in Princeton New Jersey, and a Master's degree from National University.
I have been a musician all my life, from the first drum set my brother and I bought with lawn-cutting money to the present day, as I continue to compose original music from Rock to Classical. I have also maintained an interest in technology since my childhood, and I even remember my first video game "Pong" along with my first Comadore 64 computer. I am now fascinated to be able to combine my two interests, music and technology into the same creative activity of making electronic music. I feel a great sense of accomplishment when I use the GarageBand software application on my Macbook Pro, to compose music. GarageBand is a very powerful technological tool that offers me endless opportunities to write, synthesizes with loops, or play and record my music into a professional quality final product. I am excited to be able to pass on to you, the knowledge and skills required for using GarageBand to compose music.
Have fun while making music and remember to make something that you are going to be proud of when you finish.
Enjoy the class!
Mr. Petrosky
Class Overview
In this class we will first identify the basic elements of
music, which are the building blocks of all music styles and genres. Then we will explore how conductors lead an
orchestra using a variety of gestures, which communicate musical ideas and
expressions to the instrumentalists in the orchestra. We will also study the lives and musical
works of several film-scoring composers that have achieved a lifetime of
success writing music for movies. We
will also get into the creative process of composing/constructing music using
the GarageBand software application.
Each of you will compose a sixty-measure pop tune and a sixty-measure orchestral
tune following the rules of form, texture and style that we will study in
class. After that we will use GarageBand
to compose film scores to three Disney video clips (The Lion King, Monsters Inc
&Toy Story). Finally, we will study
musical theater production and watch the classic Broadway production of West
Side Story.
Class Essentials
Syllabus
Student Question Box
Music Glossary
Units of Study
Unit One: Elements of Music
Unit Two: Score Reading
Unit Three: Film Scoring
Unit Four: GarageBand Composition Projects
Unit Five: GarageBand Film Score Projects
Unit Six: Musical Theater
Outline of Topics:
A.
Unit 1 – The Elements of
Music
1.
Define the Elements of
Music
2.
The Elements of Music
Project
B.
Unit 2 – Score Reading
1.
Identify the Families of
Instruments
2.
Score Reading Layout
(measures, systems, rhythmic values, time signature).
3.
Score Reading Components
(repeat signs, double bar, fermata, staccato, legato, and conducting patterns).
4.
Listen and Track
Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite
5.
Identify the
Responsibilities of the Conductor
6.
Listen and Track Haydn’s
Surprise Symphony #94
C.
Unit 3 – Program Music
1.
History and Terms
2.
Programmatic Composers
(Berlioz, Williams, Elfman)
D.
Unit 4 – Film Score
Projects
1.
Intro to GarageBand
Software
2.
Pop Tune
3.
Orchestral Tune
4.
Score The Lion King
5.
Score Monsters Inc
6.
Score Toy Story
E.
Unit 5 Musical Theater
1.
Musical Theater
Production Staff
2.
West Side Story
Course Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, the students will be able to:
• Identify and define the basic elements of music through listening exercises and class discussions.
• Identify the families of instruments and categorize specific instruments.
• Identify and define various notational symbols used in a musical score.
• Demonstrate their understanding of score reading components by tracking a score and listening to the music (CD).
• Demonstrate an understanding of the responsibilities of the conductor, concertmaster, and overall layout of the orchestra.
• Define basic terminology related to programmatic music.
• Use technology to produce original compositions.
• Cooperatively demonstrate originality, technical skills, and artistic expression in the creation of an original composition in a pop music style.
• Cooperatively demonstrate originality, technical skills, and artistic expression in the creation of an original composition in an orchestral music style.
• Cooperatively demonstrate originality, technical skills, and artistic expression in the creation of an original film score project containing animation & music.
• Analyze and discuss students’ reactions to completed film score projects using appropriate music terminology.
• Identify the primary responsibilities for each member of the musical theater production staff.
• Identify and define color scheme used in a musical theater production.
• Identify and discuss the social and cultural influences related to the plot of a musical theater production (West Side Story).
UNIT I - Exploring The Elements Of Music
Define, Discover & Demonstrate
Introduction
While MTV and the record industry have popularized the notion of pop stars achieving success with a limited amount of formal training, in reality most professional musicians have built successful careers based on hard work, dedication, and a solid knowledge base of the fundamentals of music. In Unit I you will learn about the basic building blocks out of which all music is constructed - The Elements of Music. Using the online resources, you will define the elements, explore their function, and demonstrate examples of melody.
Task
Use the Unit I virtual lesson below to:
1. Define each of the elements of music using the attached Google Doc and linked resources.
2. Explore the application of musical elements by creating an outline while reading the linked resources and watching the video resources, in preparation for the online discussion #1 and #2.
3. Demonstrate your understanding of the elements in written responses posted in two class discussions, and complete the Unit I Quiz.
Unit I Core Curriculum Content Standards of New Jersey
Standard 1.1 - The Creative Process
All students will demonstrate an understanding of the elements and principles that govern the creation of works of are in music.
Standard 1.1.2.B.2
Identify musical elements in response to diverse aural prompts, such as rhythm, timbre, dynamics, form, and melody.
Define each of the listed elements using the attached "Elements of Music Defined" document (below) and by accessing the music dictionary link below.
ELEMENTS OF MUSIC DEFINED
ONLINE MUSIC DICTIONARY
Click the link below to watch the Powerpoint Lecture "The Elements of Music" and refine your definitions of the terms Melody, Harmony, and Rhythm as well as the other elements. Use the listening examples in the Powerpoint to hear how each element sounds different from the others and how each functions within the music.
THE ELEMENTS OF MUSIC PPT
Complete class discussion #1 by clicking the link below:
Class Discussion #1
Within a musical composition, the tendencies of the elements of music have a huge impact of the style and type of music that the composer creates. Changes in tempo can make a dancer spring into a quick paced routine that excites the audience. Sudden changes in dynamics (soft to loud) along with changing the harmony from a relaxed to very tense, can cause the audience to jump out of their seats when watching a scary movie. A jumpy lyrical melody set to a fast tempo can get the listener to sing along and lift their mood, whereas a smooth drone melody set to a slow tempo can get the members of a funeral procession to slowly march together and mournfully reflect on the situation. Read the article "The Elements of Music" by clicking the link below and think about the element changes that you could create in your own original composition that could help create the mood of the music.
THE ELEMENTS OF MUSIC ARTICLE
Dynamics are an integral part of a musical composition as they can allow the composer to shape the music and direct the listener's ear throughout the composition. The composer can use dynamics to bring out specific instruments, much like a play write brings out a certain character within a given scene of a play. This allows the audience to focus on the most important dialog at a given point in the play. To understand more about how composers shape their music with dynamics, read the articles "Sound Patterns: Dynamics" and "Dynamics in Music" by clicking the link below.
SOUND PATTERNS: DYNAMICS
DYNAMICS IN MUSIC
Texture is the combination of sounds and/or sound layers which effect the overall quality and quantity of sounds within a musical composition. The three most common types of texture are Monophonic (one layer - melody), Homophonic (many layers together - melody with chords/accompaniment), and Polyphonic (many independent layers - many independent melodies). To better understand texture, read the article "Texture: Your Musical Fiber" and "The Textures of Music" by clicking the links below.
TEXTURE: YOUR MUSICAL FIBER
TEXTURES OF MUSIC
Explore the elements of music by watching the videos below on melody, harmony, and rhythm.
MELODY VIDEO
HARMONY VIDEO
RHYTHM VIDEO
Complete class discussion #2 by clicking the link below:
Class Discussion #2
Demonstrate how to play an improvised melody by using your computer mouse to play the virtual keyboard linked below. Then change the instrument on the virtual keyboard to demonstrate a different timbre.
If you'd like to play a recognizable tune click on the following keys in order:
EDCDEEE-DDDEGG-EDCDEEE-EDDEDC (can you name this tune?)
VIRTUAL KEYBOARD
Complete the Unit I Quiz below and email it to your teacher completed.
UNIT I QUIZ
Conclusion
We have just defined, explored, and demonstrated the elements of music, which are the basic building blocks used in the construction of all types of music. With a clearer understanding of these elements and how the function in a musical piece, you are better equipped appreciate music as a listener, perform music as a musician, or create music as a composer.
