PTP 4.3 Chordal Texture
production through performance
4.3 Chordal Texture // Lesson Plan
LESSON OBJECTIVE
Students will be able to identify pads, punches, ostinattos, and riffs in recorded music and record chordal parts with layered harmonic texture.
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PREPARATION
Watch the chordal rhythm video examples in the Learn section.
Listen to teacher and student selected music and identify the rhythmic roles that are being filled by the different instruments.
Assign student partner or groups and have them do a chordal rhythm scavenger hunt to find examples of pads, punches, ostinatos, and riffs in the music that they listen to. They can then present their findings to the class.
Have students listen to the template audio and give them time to write a chord progression at the piano.
Encourage them to experiment with different chord sequences to find something that they like. Have them use only root position triads to find their progression, it will make it easier to play.
Once students have found a chord progression that they like, have them fill out the harmonic texture organizer.
If students want a challenge, they can change the harmonic rhythm of the chord progression by moving the chords away from beat one of each measure. There is a link to more information about harmonic rhythm in the Write section.
Have students write their chordal parts in the second page of the organizer.
Give students time to record their drum grooves, bass lines, and chordal parts.
REMIND THEM THAT THEY SHOULD LAYER THE SECOND CHORDAL PART STARTING AT MEASURE 5.
Assessment
Check student organizers for the following
Chord progression that follow the rules of progression
That the harmonic rhythm is mostly the same for each measure and that any alteration to the repetition pattern is purposeful.
The chords have been inverted correctly
Octave numbers are correct
The chordal rhythms are the same in each measure
Conference with students individually and listen to their projects to make sure that their organizers match the recording.
Have students present their project to the class and have them talk about the following:
How they came up with the progression
What harmonic rhythm did they use
Which chordal textures were used