Jackie Bristow 1 Day Primary School Songwriting

QT based Turn Up The Music is thrilled to present international singer songwriter Jackie Bristow to teach our young students the basics of songwriting. Choose either the Thursday 8th Oct.

Music can help children express their feelings in a way speaking cannot and songwriting takes it a step further. Songwriting is a form of expression and self discovery that can help confidence.

How the day will look -
SING - we will do some very early stages vocal warm ups and find a cover song to sing to motivate and build confidence before we start working on songwriting.

INSTRUMENT - teach 3 basic chords on the Ukulele so the children will have a reference point for making up melodies when we are to the songwriting. If by chance kids already play an instrument please bring it to the class.

SONGWRITING - Group project - We will brainstorm and come up with an idea for a song together using a whiteboard we will track ideas and no idea is a bad idea. No editing.....just free fall.
Make a list of the words that best fit our idea for our song, this is a safe environment and the children should feel no pressure and we are having fun being creative and learning to create a song.
We will then write a very simple melody, something memorable and Jackie will show the group how to put our words/lyrics to the melody and possibly to chords on the Ukulele.

From there we can work on structure of the song.
Starting with the most repetitive section being the chorus/creating a hook.
Jackie will teach the children simple chords on the Ukulele and chord progressions to help start the song and make up a melody.
Structure of song / Start with a title
Make a list of questions suggested by the title
Choose a song structure (i.e verse/chorus/bridge)
Choose one question to answer in the chorus and one for the verse Find a melody for your lyric
Begin to add chords to your chorus melody
Work on lyric in first verse
Connect verse and chorus
A bridge it isn't required but can add strength to your song
Use a smartphone or GarageBand to record

HOW
1 - Establish a broad theme and subject for the song Animals, gardens etc outer space
2 - Illuminate the theme - i.e book (children could bring there favourite book and also a note pad and pen)
3 - Make a list of words
4 - Gather words and ask questions What do animals like to do? Where do animals live?
5 - Games to help with imagination and confidence an flow - play freeze dance using words from the list
Having music ready and I will call out words from the list and the kids will act out what the word suggests... i.e horse - the kids could gallop and make horse sounds until the music stops... and say freeze and stop music. This is just a bit of fun.
6 - Begin constructing lyrics from the above exercises.
7 - Rhyming / rythym / timing
8 - Create music- Jackie will play the guitar and show the children how to make a melody a very simple chord progression and how to make a melody on top of the chords. After a few examples they we will choose the melody they like best.
9 - Song structure finding a hook and melody structure
10 - Title
11 - Make a list of questions suggested by the title
12 - Choose a song structure
13 - Choose one question to answer in the chorus and one for the verse
14 - Find a melody for your lyric
15 - Begin to add chords to your chorus melody
16 - Work on lyric in first verse
17 - Connect verse and chorus and bridge
18 - Sing the song TOGETHER and I will use smartphone or GarageBand to record
19 - Make an MP3 of the song and send lyrics and song to all the students to show parents.