Basics of Playing in a Band IV

Summary

In this lesson, students will consolidate and further improve their playing and singing skills, continuing the work they did in the previous lessons. They will do a dress rehearsal, have a short feedback session and do the final performance which will be recorded.

_{The timing and pacing of the exercises in this lesson plan example are approximate and will differ depending on your students' skill level. If the pace of this lesson plan is too fast for you, divide it into several lessons. If the pace of this lesson plan is too slow for you, explore the 'Beyond the lesson' chapter at the end of this lesson plan for additional activities.}

⏰ Time: 50 min

🎓 Grades: 5-12

🎯 Objective(s): As a result of this lesson, students will be able to...

• Understand the role of different instruments in a band;
• Play simple chords, bass lines and rhythm in a band;
• Give feedback on the performance of their peers;
• Do the final performance.

💡 Required Prior Knowledge and Skills:

• Basic notation;
• Basic rhythm values.

💻 Materials:

• Solfeg.io web app best used with Chrome browser
• Projector or computer and access to WIFI
• Instruments, such as acoustic or electric guitar, bass guitar, ukulele, piano, drums, percussions
• Recording device, camera or mobile phone

Song suggestions:

Inspire

🕐 5 min - Are you ready to perform?

• You can use these questions as a starting point:

Did you practice your part before class?

How did it go?

What is performance?

What makes it worth watching or listening to?

What should I think about during my performance?

Should I listen to other instruments or just focus on my part?

Warm-Up

🕐 20 min - Run throughs

• Split your students into their instrument groups and treat your first few run throughs as a performance. After each run through give and ask for feedback.

Were the chords, rhythms, and lyrics performed correctly?

What worked well and what did not?

How can we improve the sound or play better together?

Are we ready to start using dynamics to make the music more exciting?

Practice

🕐 10 min - Dress rehearsal

• Run a final dress rehearsal before recording a performance.

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🕐 10 min - Performance

• Do the final performance of the song!
• Record it! Both audio and video recording work well for going back and reflecting on performances and to find areas for improvement. A simple video recorded with your phone can bring lots of positive emotions to your students' families, and will also strengthen your bond with parents as a teacher.

Reflection

🕐 5 min - Congratulations!

• Congratulate the band(-s) on their performance! Give a short feedback, focusing on the positive aspects.
• Ask the young players to describe their experience during the performance.

How was the performance different from your previous practice?

What did you enjoy the most?

Would you like to prepare and perform other songs? Which?

Beyond the Lesson

Challenge students to go beyond the lesson by...

• Continuing practicing their instruments;
• Exploring the song library and looking for other songs to learn.

Visual presentation

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