2.3 Arranging Drums

• Objectives

  Musical:

  • Learn how to make low, medium, and high energy drum patterns by creating different combinations of kick, snare, and closed hi-hats.

  • Apply drum patterns with different energy levels to song sections with varying energy levels.

  Technical:

  • Copy/paste and duplicate regions.

• Procedure

  As a Class:

  • Watch the top video and discuss why a producer would want to have drum patterns of different energy levels.

  • Complete some of the connection activities to build confidence and understanding of the material.

  • Watch the longer step videos and create a drum pattern, duplicate it, and alter it to create patterns with different energy levels using the teacher’s device that is connected to a projector.

  Individual:

  • Instruct students to copy and paste the assignment URL from their LMS to open up the Soundtrap Assignment on their own devices.

  • Have students watch the short step videos to create their own drum patterns with different energy levels.

  • Remind students to check their work by viewing the checklist.

  • When students are done, they can show each other their grooves, add grooves to different energy levels, and/or complete the drum referencing challenge by unlocking the hidden content using the password 88tg88tg.

• Assessment

  Informal Assessment:

  • Check for understanding by asking questions between the class viewings of the step videos.

  • Walk around the room while students are completing the individual portion of their projects and check to see if they have an understanding of the technical objectives like duplicating a region and altering it.

  Formal Assessment:

  • The completed projects can be graded by the instructor against the rubric. Students can also present their projects to each other in small groups or to the entire class.

• Connection Activities

  Drum Traffic Jam:
  Have students draw and color signs that say low energy (red), middle energy (yellow), and high energy (green). Play tracks from the EDM playlist in the 1.3 project or student/teacher-selected songs for the class. Instruct them to raise the sign for the current energy level of the drum patterns that they hear in the song. When the energy level changes, they should change their sign. You can award points for students that raise the correct sign first and take away points for incorrect signs.

  Drum Improvisation:

  Load one of the different drum templates found in the enrichment section and instruct students to create a drum track and open up the instrument on their device. Turn on cycle mode and have students listen to a section on repeat. Allow them to use the typing keyboard or onscreen drum triggers to improvise a pattern that corresponds to the energy level of the section that is playing. Give students time to practice and have a couple of them play their drum patterns for the class. It is easy to start with a low-energy snare pattern and then have them practice medium energy patterns using the kick/snare and hi-hat/snare combinations. Drumless Trap Template → Drumless Pop Template → Drumless Reggaeton Template →
  It will take a considerable amount of practice for students to be able to improvise a high-energy pattern, but some might be up for the challenge.

• Differentiation

  Enrichment:
  Students who have completed the 2.3 project can add more layers to the 2.3 project by bringing in other loops. They can also create drum patterns of different energy levels for the incomplete tracks in the other drumless templates or transcribe the drum pattern in the referencing challenge. The drumless templates and the referencing challenge are available in the side panel by clicking unlock and entering the password 88tg88tg.

  Remediation:
  If students are having trouble with the technical or musical elements of the lesson, partner them up with students who have a firm grasp of the topic. They can use the drum pattern that they have created in the previous lesson.

• Notes

  After creating a few drum patterns by applying rules, it is important to encourage students to write patterns with intention. They should program what they hear. Encourage them to verbalize patterns along with the drumless tracks and model imperfect sounds. The sounds do not need to sound like beatboxing, they simply need to represent the different instruments. With enough practice, students will be able to use the sequencer to create the sounds that they hear in their heads.

• Standards & Pathways

  Core Arts Standards

  1. Creating:

     • Anchor Standard 1 (Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work): Students learn to make low, medium, and high-energy drum patterns.

     • Anchor Standard 2 (Organize and develop artistic ideas and work): Apply drum patterns with different energy levels to song sections.

     • Anchor Standard 3 (Refine and complete artistic work): Use copy/paste and duplication techniques to arrange drum patterns.

  2. Performing:

     • Anchor Standard 4 (Select, analyze, and interpret artistic work for presentation): Discuss drum patterns and create various energy levels in class.

  3. Responding:

     • Anchor Standard 7 (Perceive and analyze artistic work): Students check their work using a checklist.

     • Anchor Standard 8 (Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work): Present their drum grooves to peers.

  4. Connecting:

     • Anchor Standard 11 (Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical context to deepen understanding): Connect drum patterns to real-world applications and tools.

  Technology Literacy Standards

  1. Empowered Learner (ISTE Standard 1):

     • Use music production tools to control learning, set goals, and track progress.

  2. Creative Communicator (ISTE Standard 6):

     • Experiment with muting tracks and altering sounds, presenting their work digitally.

  Career Readiness

  • Music Production: Skills in creating and arranging drum patterns.

  • Sound Engineering: Understanding technical aspects of arranging drum patterns.

  • Broadcasting and DJing: Ability to create and analyze drum patterns for performances.

  • Multimedia Production: Integrating drum patterns into various multimedia projects.