Mix and match activities to create a fun lesson in which students will learn the chorus of the song “Riptide” by Vance Joy. Integrate Solfeg.io in teaching the basics of piano, ukulele, guitar, bass, percussion and singing.
💻 Materials:
🕐 Time: 5 min
🎯 Objectives:
🎲 Activity:
- Open the song “Riptide” on the screen.
- Listen to the Chorus 1.
- Take a look at the song structure and discuss it with the class.
Which one is more catchy?
Which melody is more repetitive?
Which one is more difficult to sing?
Are instruments playing something different?
Are lyrics covering a different topic?
Which one is longer - the verse or the chorus?
🕐 Time: 5 min
🎯 Objective:
Tune the ukuleles and guitars
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Did they practice at home?
Did they manage to learn their part by heart?
How did it sound compared to the previous lesson?
🕐 Time: 15 min
🎯 Objectives:
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🕐 Time: 15 min
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🕐 Time: 15 min
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🕐 Time: 15 min
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What was the most challenging in their instrumental/vocal part?
How was the experience of playing together (both in smaller instrument groups and the class as a whole)?
🕐 Time: 3 min
🎯 Objectives:
🎲 Activity:
In this lesson, students will learn to sing and play the chorus of the song “Riptide” by Vance Joy. The lesson consists of a short warm-up which will equip students with the necessary skills needed in playing the chorus, a song practice session where students will learn to play and sing different instrumental and vocal parts in groups, a band practice with the whole class and a homework assignment.
⏰ Time: 50 min
🎓 Grades: 5-12
🎯 Objective(s): As a result of this lesson, students will be able to...
💡 Required Prior Knowledge and Skills:
💻 Materials:
🕐 5 min - Explore the song structure
-Open the song “Riptide”.
-Listen to the Chorus 1.
-Take a look at the song structure and discuss it with the class.
Which one is more catchy?
Which melody is more repetitive?
Which one is more difficult to sing?
Are instruments playing something different?
Are lyrics covering a different topic?
Which one is longer - the verse or the chorus?
🕐 5 min - Tune the guitars and ukuleles
🕐 10 min - Get ready!
🕐 5 min - Recap Verse 1
Did they practice at home?
Did they manage to learn their part by heart?
How did it sound compared to the previous lesson?
🕐 15 min - Chorus
-In this activity, students will work in groups to learn their assigned instrumental / vocal part of Chorus 1.
-Each group should have one device - either a computer or a tablet.
-Each group should select the corresponding visuals under “Tools” - “Visuals”.
-Show them how to loop Chorus 1 on their devices (the “Loop” button on the right side of the “Play” button) and where to slow the song down (the “﹣” button on the left side of the “Play” button.
-Explain the steps for learning Chorus 1 to each group. First, give every group just the first task from the below mentioned lists. Only when students are ready to move on, explain the next step.
First, listen to Chorus 1 and read the lyrics.
Repeat Chorus 1 and this time speak the lyrics out loud.
Sing the melody with syllables of choice, for example, “lah-lah”, “dah-dah” or just vowels - “ah”, “oh” or other.
Sing the melody with lyrics.
If comfortable with the slower tempo, you can try singing the chorus at a faster speed and try to reach the original speed!
Try singing Chorus 1 with the vocal track muted - you can mute it under “Controls” - “Volume”.
Move on to Chorus 2, Chorus 3 and Chorus 4. Try to sing them and find out if there are any differences compared to Chorus 1.
Listen to Chorus 1 and establish what chords are there (Am, G & C).
Recap all three chords, following the chord diagrams.
If there are at least 3 people in the instrumental group, they can take turns to play chords - each person chooses one of the chords and plays it when the corresponding symbol appears at the red line on the screen.
Try to combine all three chords one after another. To practice at an even slower speed, mute all tracks except the four rhythm tracks under “Controls” - “Volume” and play a new chord every 8 beats without looking at the chord symbols on the screen. When you're comfortable with this speed, you can gradually reduce the amount of beats between chords.
If comfortable with the slower tempo, you can try playing the chorus at a faster speed and try to reach the original speed!
Try playing Chorus 1 with the ukulele track muted - you can mute it under “Controls” - “Volume”.
Move on to Chorus 2, Chorus 3 and Chorus 4. Try to play them and find out if there are any differences compared to Chorus 1.
If comfortable with the chord changes, try to sing along: first, hum along, next, add the lyrics!
Mute all the tracks except the rhythm tracks under “Controls” - “Volume”. Listen to the rhythm section.
Split into the same 4 groups you did in the previous lesson and choose the same rhythm track.
Play Chorus 1 again and try to play or clap along.
Take turns learning the rhythm - you can mute the other three tracks when learning your track.
If comfortable with the slower tempo, you can try playing the chorus at a faster speed and try to reach the original speed!
Move on to Chorus 2, Chorus 3 and Chorus 4. Try to play them and find out if there are any differences compared to Chorus 1.
Listen to Chorus 1 and find the three notes of the bass line on your bass guitar.
Play along to Chorus 1.
If comfortable with the slower tempo, you can try playing the chorus at a faster speed and try to reach the original speed!
Move on to Chorus 2, Chorus 3 and Chorus 4. Try to play them and find out if there are any differences compared to Chorus 1.
Walk around the classroom and check how students are doing in different instrumental stations. Guide them by suggesting the next step from the above-mentioned step-by-step learning process when you see that students are ready.
🕐 5 min - Put it all together
🕐 5 min - Discussion
Ask students to practice their part of chorus at home.
Encourage them to learn their part by heart.