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Song Writing: Poetry in Motion (Summer Music Camp)

This class will introduce the concepts of how poetry, rhythm, melody, and harmony combine into song.

Timothy Burt

Average rating:

4.9

Number of reviews:

(43)

What's included

4 live meetings

3 hrs 20 mins in-class hours

Class Experience

The class content includes how to combine the elements of words, rhythm, melody and harmony to the creation of songs.  The aim of the course is to help students understand how these elements combine to produce songs that are easily singable and memorable.  Each student will practice these various elements with the end goal of each student completing a simple song by the conclusion of the class.  
 
The student will learn...
1) how spoken words create rhythm, that strong and weak syllables in that spoken rhythm create a pulse, which leads to the creation of a melody that carries the words;
2) how there are strong and weak beats and strong and weak melodic movements, and that these two elements need to synchronize to make music that is easy to hear and follow;
3) the several beat patterns and the three basic music forms that all popular music use;
4) how to write down the student's own lyrics and rhythms even if the student does not read music;
5) the three basic chords that most songs and popular music use and how these fit with the melody the student creates. 

The teacher uses word-pictures to create concepts, demonstrates those concepts, asks the student to think of an example, and to build upon what the student volunteers.  Some of this will be done via call and response where the teacher models and the student mimics.  This course will use audio-visual aids for students to hear and see the concepts after they have been explained.  No previous experience necessary.  Basic skills in English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR) and the ability to feel music beats and sing a melody are helpful.

Learning Goals

The student will learn...
1) create a poem in a regular meter
2) create rhythm associated with the lyrics 
3) develop a melody that fits with the rhythm of the lyrics 
4) designate the chords that fit with the melody
5) make finishing touches to the song 
6) present to the group on the last day
7) positively review other student's songs

Other Details

Supply List

Spiral notebook or writing composition notebook
2-3 pencils and a pencil sharpener
big eraser
printouts of PDFs from the instructor
Parental oversight for Youtube audio-visual assignments.  (These will be screened for inappropriate content prior to assignment.)

Language of Instruction

English

External Resources

In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:

Youtube.com

Timothy Burt

Joined April, 2020

4.9

43reviews

Profile

Teacher expertise and credentials

I am a musician and educator  from Lubbock, Texas.  I have been teaching school music, private lessons for over three decades.  Music has allowed me to travel to 40 states and 3 foreign countries.  I have performed in diverse settings, including the YMCA in Tel Aviv, during an earthquake aftershock near San Francisco, the Mesa Amphitheater in Arizona, the Hutchinson Convention Center in Dallas, the Long Beach Arena in California, Circus Circus Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, and a pre-school in Key West, Florida.  

My greatest joy as a teacher is seeing students achieve great things that previously seemed out-of-reach.  Those accomplishments are built upon solid fundamentals systematically introduced in classes and one-on-one lessons.  To date, all of my private students who have auditioned for Texas All-Region Bands have placed.  I invite you to enroll your young musician in one of the small-group classes or private lessons offered through Outschool.com.