help me with my class?

Bookmarked. HMU for classical, 20th c and film score stuff.

I've bookmarked as well.

LL, I have to admit the first time you mentioned this I had an image

You're sitting at a drum set in the front of a classroom, drumming as students file in. The class begins, and you pause

"Music!"
drum a little more

"What is it?"
do a little fill

and then a little more of the intro to the class until you finally wind down into slow cymbal crashes, then get up and present the syllabus

I feel like this is cheesy and completely reminiscent of something I've seen and I've been holding back

On the actual practical advice side:

How music is taught. After using some of the books in learning, I found reading up on the background of the Suzuki Method fascinating: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzuki_method

I wanted to learn via the Suzuki method so badly when I was a kid. The teacher was too expensive iirc :( But this isn't a music performance class and students aren't learning how to play instruments (although I may do a short workshop introducing improvisation in the 2nd half of the semester because I already have that all done)

My initial goal with this class is to be as inclusive as possible, and start off by giving them some tools for listening to, describing, and discussing different types of music as well as its context. Then we can start talking about different types of music.

I only hope I am up to the challenge, and I hope to do the best job I can this first time. The next time will certainly be better and easier.

Things I may be asking from this thread:

1) examples of certain key terms (what is a quintessential example of a crescendo? examples of songs in xyz scale? different types of melody, etc)

2) essential artists/tracks in a variety of types of music -- folk (from anywhere in the world), popular music (from anywhere in the world), classical music (not just Western but other types too -- I don't know much about this so I'll def need ILM assistance)

3) musicians who are willing to be interviewed by students (questions will be predetermined -- I did this for a student last year and it was exceptionally enjoyable as no one had ever interviewed me about music before)

4) electrifying live performances on youtube to share and watch in class

Overall, fun questions to answer! At least I think so.

i can maybe connect you with certain artists to discuss an interview
and can generally talk folk/pop/genre-specific suggestions out the wazoo

cool, thank you -- folk/pop/genre-specific suggestions out the wazoo this is why i started this thread, to harness the substantial collective knowledge of ILM!

may i also recommend the playlists here:
Listening to ILX Listen - 2015 Spotify Genre Playlists
Listening to ILX Listen: 2016
Listening to ILX Listen: 2017 Genre Thread Spotify Playlists

It's a little basic but this video of Bobby McFerrin guiding an audience through the pentatonic scale is delightful:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne6tB2KiZuk

yes! basic is what i am looking for -- this is a survey course and i need to cover the basic before i can go into any more depth

i've seen mcferrin do that bit live in concert; it really works somehow!
see also: entire arenas knowing the right notes for "AIR-BALL"

I took a Music Appreciation class in 6th grade (1977) that was very influential to me, but the only thing I really remember now is that our teach (Ms. Kennedy) went through all the lyrics of "American Pie" explaining the lyrical metaphors ("jester" = Dylan, etc.) and it BLEW MY MIND

Will likely benefit from this myself and happy to share when I can.

Whole thread reminded me of this Stark Reality edu-jam: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FIm60fP_KwY

Skip to 4:25 is you’re not feeling super patient

When you get to chords and chord changes, the widely shared Axis of Awesome doing "4 Chord Song" should provide familiar reference points for your students.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=every+4+chord+song

Ooh yeah -- the other thing I'd like to find is the youtube of a drummer going through like 50 years of popular beats?! I googled and couldn't find it.

I started a youtube channel w playlists, let's hope I can keep it organized and updated...

There's a really great documentary on the music scene of New York in the 70s which is a great primer for cbgbs, bands like talking heads, ramones and I think it focuses on disco as well. Probably too long for class tho, but certainly gives a good look at the social climate too and how music was a reaction to that.

I'll wait for your questions :)

here's a drumming history in multiple parts that might be interesting for your budding percussionists?
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpKMeH_MXcaSL7sTLRAzOaWf6NLQgX9W4

i should probably watch that myself

none of my students are required to be musicians -- they are not being trained to be musicians either. they are fulfilling an academic obligation to the humanities in order to earn their credits to graduate. i can't say for sure since i haven't met them yet, but they are probably interested in a fun class where they get to learn about stuff that isn't boring. my obligation is to provide a well-rounded overview as well as opportunities for fun projects with maximum mind-blowing listening opportunities for everyone :)

Ooh, F bomb in part of that though...

...part of that Axis of Awesome vid.

thanks for the warning

you're supposed to listen to aaron copland in this kind of class iirc

Not outside of North America. At least I hope not.

I doubt I'll have much to contribute as I'm a rank amateur when it comes to this stuff but great thread idea, btw.

When you get to chords and chord changes, the widely shared Axis of Awesome doing "4 Chord Song" should provide familiar reference points for your students.

Rob Paravonian's "Pachelbel Rant" is also good for showing connections between contemporary popular chord progressions and Baroque/CPE antecedents. He calls Pachelbel a one-hit wonder of the 1790s, though, when he was really closer to a one-hit wonder of the 1690s.

spent a few minutes grimacing at j.'s post

well i have no idea if this will be any use but here's a half-finished series of amateur thoughts on classical music:

https://rateyourmusic.com/list/rushomancy/the-classical/

i’m also interested how music curriculum now deals with the “classical music” versus “classical period” dichotomy. I had a few teachers who would grimace if anything other than the period (1750-1820ish) was referred to as “classical” and insist we use the right terms, but I think generally things are looser?

Generally, in an academic context, "Western art music" is the preferred term for the entire tradition. "Classical music" may sometimes be used in more general lower-level courses, especially if WAM is not the primary focus of the course.

That said, no one says e.g. "I play guitar in the Western art music tradition" as opposed "I play classical guitar".

Also WAM also commonly stands for Mozart which makes things extra confusing

i might adopt the western art music terminology to distinguish between "classical" traditions in other parts of the world.
the syllabus that i was given spends a week each on the baroque period. the classical period, the romantic period, 20th c/modern classical music and...buckle your seatbelt..."music of the oklahomans"
i am going to see what my students are like before i commit to 4-5 weeks of western art music + whatever the oklahomans are up to in the second half of the semester.

i need to emphasize that this is 1) an elective 2) students are not only not studying music, they are barely studying the arts. this class might be the best opportunity they have/have had to explore different types of music in an academic context.

i also need to get them to a live performance, which shouldn't be too hard since our class is at night. we also have a performance space we could potentially use with a fully functioning piano in it!

Leonard Bernstein explains intervals and the development of the circle of fifths with brevity and giddy enthusiasm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gt2zubHcER4

I've spent a couple of years reading about and listening to pre-WWI recorded music, minstrel shows, ragtime, cakewalk, Sousa, etc, would by no means call myself an expert but can recommend the best books and recordings I've encountered if you feel like going in that direction.

Yeah, I was answering mh's question, to be clear, not suggesting that you should be fussy about terminology in a gen ed music appreciation class. 2xp

(Very curious about this Oklahomans business, though.)

that bernstein video is perfect, thank you

pre-WWI recorded music, minstrel shows, ragtime, cakewalk, Sousa, etc, would by no means call myself an expert i may need your help, thank you. for some reason* i am really excited about telling them about the gigantic shift that occurred once music started to be recorded and played at home (not family singalongs, but records!) and the resulting explosion of music. i remember learning that and finding it so compelling to contemplate. also my gpa worked for RCA so i was familiar with the gramophone and the doggie. i'm trying to stay away from forcing them to learn the pet things i am interested in but i'm sure a little of that is inevitable.

i thought maybe the oklahomans was like grapes of wrath/okies/oh susanna/i've been workin' on the railroad?! if that's not it, i have no idea tbh.

* the reason is obvious, this is the kind of music dork i am

LL if you want to have some retro fun i recommend showing the classic "Mr. B Natural" short. MST3K famously riffs it but i was actually shown this film in class.

If you're looking for the broadest possible overview of Western art music, I very much enjoyed A Concise History of Western Music by Paul Griffiths.

i have a textbook -- World of Music by David Willoughby

there are so many movies i want to show them. one of my priorities is to give them a solid background for talking about music and then encouraging them to research, describe, and present their findings to the class. there are three projects where they can choose their topic. i haven't settled on the general themes for each one yet.

they also will write 2 short papers 1) describing a performance they saw 2) interview a musician

in between all that, i need to present information to them. that's the basic structure of the class. it is 3 hours every tuesday night.

music of the oklahomans

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YGhPXE0FRw

from a history of the musical Oklahoma!

With most of the writing in place, a creative team for the show was assembled: director Reuben Mamulian(ph) and choreographer Agnes de Mille, who had recently created the western ballet "Rodeo" with Aaron Copland.

I knew he'd sneak in there somehow

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulsa_Sound

you could outline Oklahomans' contributions to making "Lay Down Sally" a hit.

idk, i think the Oklahomans are going to get scrapped for something else. Sorry folks.

I could swap for Ohioans and have a lot more fun

it reeks of "we need something not-quite-contemporary to introduce"

Akronians even

xpost

I was thinking this morning that it might be cool if you showed them the basics of synthesis on some basic synth at some point in the course, like

1. Demonstrate how the raw unfiltered sine, triangle, square and saw waves sound (play some three note riff on each)
2. Show how they sound with a filter applied, in a few diff positions (lowpass set low, lowpass set medium, same with resonance turned up)
3. Show how the filtered waveforms sound with an amp envelope applied (wah shaped envelope, twang shaped envelope, percussion hit envelope, long pad shaped envelope)

Synths are in everything they listen to probably and the elements of how they make sound are simple and cool and also relevant to how everything makes sound!

Zaire 74
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jogVNf1x_Xw
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zaire_74

and thanks for that amazing highwomen live version of the chain, that's amazing!

Chuck Berry rocks the Count Basie Orchestra, Anita O'Day is nonchalant badass etc

I like this Talking Heads Rome show - less happening visually than Stop Making Sense, but lots of Adrian Belew:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOirHv4wOv4

here is the list i gave to my students -- please keep in mind it was made for them, not you! it's not exhaustive. but it will provide many hours of quality musical entertainment. i might even watch the Bieber one if i get bored enough ---> shorturl.at/moNRZ

i am also going to add things as i stumble on them + my pitiful "other resources" tab needs help. didn't want to drown my students in choices though. it's a small menu but everything is good!

Oh shit wattstax is on youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdAkEwq0Af8

oh lol you already have it on there

You don't have the TAMI show tho:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OODJDdIbkF4

TAMI Show comes and goes from youtube -- I'll add it if it's the complete thing. the old youtube was super high quality too because of that weird format they used to shoot it. last time I looked for it, it was gone but one semester we watched it in class and my students LOVED the lesley gore part

they didn't know there was an original version of "you don't own me" and they clapped!

necessary

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFgzzWT3zX4

Ok here's a question -- what are some good examples of "listening guides" or "how to get into ______"/an introduction to ________ guides?

With this new online learning situation I am having to get extra creative with the final project this time. We can't do the fun things I've done in the past (put on a show, make a zine) -- I realize they COULD make a zine but it would lose a huge part of the fun. I thought maybe designing listening guides might be kind of fun? Esp for music that isn't in English, it might be fun to have an English speaker's guide to, say, bachata.

you could do worse than the rough guide series?
https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/a-rough-guide-to-the-rough-guides/Content?oid=897715
https://www.librarything.com/series/Rough+Guide+Music+Guides

useful, thank you!!

bandcamp daily does a lot of stories like this under its lists header:

The Manic, Joyous Sound of Brazil’s Funk Carioca
https://daily.bandcamp.com/lists/the-manic-joyous-sound-of-brazils-funk-carioca

A Guide to African Country Music
https://daily.bandcamp.com/lists/african-country-music-list

The Fresh, Inventive Sounds of Contemporary Chinese Post-Punk
https://daily.bandcamp.com/lists/chinese-post-punk-list

bump! I am going to be teaching two things next week (one week only, volunteer gig): 1) 5 one-hour drum lessons via zoom 2) workshop about concert films (based on the list I put together last spring when covid hit)

i am bumping this thread just to alert that i may need some help thinking of good songs to practice for xyz task and I was hoping to harness the power of ilx (and readers of this thread) to answer those questions more precisely/better than google can.

when i have a question, i will post and if anyone feels like answering/is able to answer, great! this thread is like my phone-a-friend <3

classes start monday

Hijacking this thread to say that if anyone has any suggestions for French/Francophone pop songs I can play in a middle school classroom - not just to read/translate lyrics, but also just to get kids moving around the room - please send them my way! I am woefully ignorant about Francophone music and want to have a lot of fun and diverse music in my classroom.

"Ça plane pour moi"!

(I actually just posted on another thread that our French teacher played us "Je t'aime... moi non plus"; that was in high school, though, and probably on the edge even for that age group.)

Already played "Ça plane pour moi!" So far my students have heard a bunch of Edith Piaf and "Ça plane pour moi" and not much else.

Though I'll probably use it again because when they're doing a stand/pair/share and I play music to signal that it's time to move, they're only hearing little snippets of the song.

Quelqu'un m'a dit - Carla Bruni

I would play them this video to start
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwi0Fv17Vno

Or maybe build up to it, actually. It would be like starting an intro to rock n roll with Elvis.

https://fr.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rivalité_entre_Antoine_et_Johnny_Hallyday

If they're at a beginner level, there's always Foux du Fafa by Flight of the Conchords - kids love that one.

France Gall - Poupée de cire, poupée de son

Very fun, Eurovision winner, and I don't think it suffers from the extreme sauciness of other Gainsbourg-penned songs (I could be wrong though).

"On dira ouf" or "Clash dans le Tempo" are favorites off Constance Amiot's _Fairytale_. The former's chorus is a fun burst of rapid French.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfXO7g5_pOo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSbUJ4yi-vI

^ played that a bunch for my kids when they were little

As an Autour de Lucie stan, would say pretty much anything of theirs, though _Immobile_ is the album I'd take to the desert island. "Sur Tes Pas" has a bunch of hooks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeI1I2eidHk

leaving out songs that talk about sex and/or death (that's a lot of them!) and/or too grown up (i.e. boring), first things I thought of:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ohX4ii4iow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W268gjCZHrs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aIgGbO8rQ0

("Banana Split" even catchier but inevitably is about sex)

If sex and death are off limits, how about drugs?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_mOdSuKjcE

Seems like it would be a fun one to translate

If you wanna freak your pupils out a little?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOfdJ8ZcLJc

Ha, I was thinking about suggesting Evariste's integral calculus track but thought I probably shouldn't.

"laisse tomber les filles" is not too adult, and is also the greatest pop song ever, so...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWRCJhsz5t4

<3 <3 Evariste

not so hip but also not from 30 years ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjLuTtUv0Ns

I guess this one is kind of about death

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiKj0Z_Xnjc

Magic System have lots of fun songs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsVJ8ie2sfs

This is all great, thank you all so much and please keep them coming!

Even if I don't teach my music class anymore, I can still include musical topics as sample research topics for us to use for in-class practice. Today, among two other nonmusical topics, I presented my first year (""traditional"") college students with the question of (basically, not in these exact words) "what was going on in 2012 to produce a Billboard Hot 100 that looks like this[displays list of songs]??"

They loved it! They kept going down the list and being shocked over and over like "and this one?" etc until I saw them looking up other lists of music from 2012 and continuing to be shocked that 1) it was 10 years ago and 2) they still liked a large proportion of the songs. Wednesday they will present me with their theories. Fun topic I've been thinking about and finally implemented today.

My observations:
they love CRJ, knew she had a new album out, a couple were legit fans
"Someone That I Used to Know" was so beloved by one of them that she had it downloaded to her phone for anytime listening
it was enjoyable to see the passage of time sink in as they realized how different the world seems than it did in 2012
overall good topic, would float again maybe with tweaks as time passes (as it does)