Compose Yourself
This is the first course in ARTS:LIVE's Composition series. Unravel the mystery of music by getting theoretical.
Compose your own music by learning the fundamentals of sheet music and music notation - a must for all budding musicians! Learn through simple online notation software to guide you through the basics of music theory.
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Teacher Pack
The teacher pack below contains all the lesson plans associated with this course as a single downloadable document.
Scoring Software Files
These student exercises are provided as Musescore files and XML files for use with other scoring software. Click the link to download all 15 lesson exercises.
The Curriculum Alignment document below maps this course against the Australian Curriculum.
Driving inquiries
What are the language, skills and knowledge needed to read and notate written music?
What role does musical notation play in musical creation and performance?
Understanding that music can be written for preservation, reference and sharing.
Maximising outcomes
Exploring vs evading
The exercises in the unit give ample opportunity for students to explore the music theory that they are learning about. There may be a fine line between a genuine interest in exploring the possible notes and evading the learning altogether. Allow students to be creative with their compositions and to enjoy the process even if what they are working on looks like a menu in Ancient Egyptian! The end product is the key and should sound functional and complete.
Composition cues
For those who do not have a background in music, you may wonder why some students are seemingly unable to get their compositions to sound right. It may be as simple as starting and ending on the wrong note. Each exercise in Compose Yourself is based in the key of C. We don't learn about note names and keys until the follow up to this course: Compose Some More. For now, just be content with knowing that where the piece begins and ends matters if it is to sound resolved or complete. See the picture below, which shows the best notes to start or conclude a composition when in this key. The first two are both A and the second two are both C. For sad and moody pieces, suggest ending on A to give an insecure ending. For happier and more conventional pieces, suggest ending on C.
Clef: A symbol that indicates the pitch of the notes on a stave.
Lyrics: The words sung in a piece of music.
Pitch: A term used to describe how high or low a note is.
Stave: The five horizontal lines that music notation is written on.
Treble clef: Signifies a certain range of notes covered on the stave and is used to represent notes for instruments that are typically higher in pitch.
Bass Clef: Signifies a certain range of notes covered on the stave and is used to represent notes for instruments that are typically lower in pitch.
Ledger Lines: Used to notate notes that are above or below the stave.
Major Scale: Refers to a series of eight consecutive notes starting and ending on the same note one octave apart. This scale generally sounds happy and vibrant.
Minor Scale: Similar to the major scale except that this scale sounds sad, contemplative or serious.
Octave: Refers to the space between a higher and lower note of the same name.
Sharp: Alters a note so it is halfway in pitch to the above note on the stave.
Flat: Alters a note so it is halfway in pitch to the below note on the stave.
Tone: When referring to pitch, tone refers to a whole step between notes.
This is a valuable resource for the Music curriculum in the upper primary years, with particular relevance to content descriptions in the Making strand that emphasise practising skills and techniques, and improvising, exploring and experimenting. Each of the 15 lessons contains a step in which students can reflect on their own artworks by sharing and discussing their work online. Each instructional video teaches music notation, symbols and music composition, and presents a composition task for students to complete and share. The resource has significant pedagogical value for Music in the curriculum. The videos and accompanying exercises are structured to enable self-directed and self-paced learning by students. The videos provide clear demonstrations of the use of the online software program and are supported by exercises that assist students with creating their own compositions, as well as opportunities for them to work independently and share their music online. The resource can contribute to students developing the general capability Information and communications technology, with particular relevance to the organising elements Creating with ICT and Communicating with ICT. Students undertake challenges to generate new ideas and use the Musescore software to present and share their compositions. The resource may also develop the general capability Literacy, in relation to understanding detailed spoken instructions for learning tasks, listening to spoken texts, and interpreting information.
Produced by The Song Room with Phil McCloud, with support from Education Services Australia on behalf of the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations
With thanks to Naomi Stewart
Learning Focus
Students learn about the stave and the crotchet and practise using computer scoring software.
Learning Focus
Students learn about the rest in music and practise using computer scoring software.
Learning Focus
Students learn about the bar in music and practise using computer scoring software.
Learning Focus
Students learn about the minim and practise using computer scoring software.
Learning Focus
Students learn about the semibreve and practise using computer scoring software.
Learning Focus
Students learn about the quaver and practise using computer scoring software.
Learning Focus
Students learn about note groupings and practise using computer scoring software.
Learning Focus
Students learn about the note groupings and rests and practise using computer scoring software.
Learning Focus
Students learn about the dotted crotchet and the dotted minim and practise using computer scoring software.
Learning Focus
Students learn about the semiquaver and the dotted quaver and practise using computer scoring software.
Learning Focus
Students learn about the musical tie and practise using computer scoring software.
Learning Focus
Students learn about time signatures - 3/4 and 4/4 and practise using computer scoring software.
Learning Focus
Students learn about more time signatures and practise using computer scoring software.
Learning Focus
Students review the topics covered in this course and complete a rhythm composition.
Learning Focus
Students review the topics covered in this course and complete a rhythm composition.