1 of 15

Educator Information - This PowerPoint is the first lesson from Unit Four – Influences on Today’s Music from the Les Paul Study Units. This music unit was developed through a collaboration between the Les Paul Foundation, the Wisconsin Center of Music Education, and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

The lessons are geared for use with students in grades 4 and 5. The purpose of the units are to explore the life and achievements of a Wisconsinite who excelled as a musician, inventor, and sound pioneer, Les Paul. Les Paul’s life story offers learners an expanded view of how to develop their curiosities, nurture their creative nature, and to persevere through challenges. The lessons developed offer learners opportunities to explore, create, discuss, and share, while making connections to their own skills and knowledge about being a musician, inventor, and sound pioneer.

Standards are provided, along with essential questions, which help students deeply reflect and apply to their own lives. Additional extension activities are shared, along with blank templates for: Student Study Sheets, PowerPoint's, and Scrapbook pages. These templates allow teachers to build additional lesson activities. Suggestions for cross-curricular connections are also highlighted within the study unit and may be used in multiple increments of time and study with students in a classroom, multiple classrooms, or school building.

2 of 15

Les Paul Study Units

Unit Four: Influence on Today’s Music

Resources

Unit Template
PowerPoint
Student Study Sheet
Scrapbook Page
Article Excerpts
Prezi Link
Supplemental resource list

3 of 15

Essential Question

What would the music of today be like without the inventions used within modern music?

Standards

I can explore and demonstrate an understanding of the elements of music by reading, singing and/or playing an instrument. (MG2.P.6.i)
Utilize appropriate music terminology in the evaluation /reflection of music performances. ( MG3.R.7.i)

1

The Wisconsin Standards for Music (2017) are used for the Les Paul Study Units.

4 of 15

Scrapbook – How do the clues fit the pictures?

1

Script - In our scrapbook, we have several pictures and clues that help us find out about Les Paul. Let’s get started with the scrapbook.

Question - How do the clues fit the pictures? (Students may use the Student Study Sheets to see the clues and pictures.)

Teacher Notes - Choose one of the following instructional methods for this activity.

Review the images as a class, describing what is in each image and possible clue word matches. Have students guess how these words might be connected to the images. The teacher offers a clue match/sentence (see the sentences for each clue on the next slide) to six students who then read the sentence about the picture.

Have the class divided into 6 teams, each with one of the pictures. Each team reviews the image, describes it, and identifies which clue might fit the picture. The team leader shares with the teacher, who then provides the students with the clue match/sentence. The team leader shares about the picture with the whole class and sentence.

CLUE/MATCH SENTENCES - (Quizlet – Words in italics are within the online dictionary. http://quizlet.com/37282801/les-paul-roots-and-beginnings-flash-cards/ .)

1. Harmonica Holder

2. Multi-track Recording

3. Solid-body Electric Guitar

4. Eight Track Recorder

5. Les Paulverizer

6. Recording Techniques – A few shown include: reverb, echo, and close miking- all used today in recording studios.

5 of 15

Scrapbook – How do the clues fit the pictures?

Recording

Techniques

Solid Body Guitar

Harmonica Holder

Eight Track Recorder

Multi-track Recording

Les

Paulverizer

1

CLUE/MATCH SENTENCES - (Quizlet – Words in italics are within the online dictionary. http://quizlet.com/37282801/les-paul-roots-and-beginnings-flash-cards/ .)

1. Harmonica Holder

2. Multi-track Recording

3. Solid-body Electric Guitar

4. Eight Track Recorder

5. Les Paulverizer

6. Recording Techniques – A few shown include: reverb, echo, and close miking- all used today in recording studios.

Les Paulverizer Demonstration- (2 minutes) http://safeshare.tv/w/UdDRkPTCax; Full version Youtube-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sx1YW8SEygo

Les describes “The Log” – (52 seconds) http://safeshare.tv/w/YWHtowoKTN; Youtube- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrLwh3Jh2OQ

Les Explains Multitraack Recording – (2 minutes) http://safeshare.tv/w/oFAbGdHLzE; Full version Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1V5ajYincI

Close Miking- The singer sings into the microphone, only a few inches from the mike, capturing every nuance of their voice. Close miking is a standard method of vocal recording used today. (http://www.frankdoris.com/writing/tas/lespaul.htm)

Reverb and Echo – Mr. Audio (1 minute 17 seconds) http://safeshare.tv/w/tSmdXAteEc; Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nGUrADdjpQ

6 of 15

1

7 of 15

Listen to Lover by Les Paul.

Echo the leader.

Think of the recording techniques used to create this song. Share one recording technique that was used to create this piece.

How has this technique influenced today’s music?

1

Script –

We had listened to this song a few classes ago. What can you tell me about this piece? Students share after a 5 second excerpt is played to help jog their memory.

(As a boy, Les Paul (born as Lester Polsfuss), was curious about music and sound. He grew up to be a musician, inventor, and sound pioneer. Here is a song he performed in 1947. Les was about 31-32 years old when he recorded this song. See Songfacts below for more informaton as needed.)

While listening, think of the recording techniques used to create this song. Share one recording technique that was used to create this piece.

How has this technique influenced today’s music? You’ll have an opportunity to share this word after we have listened to the recording.

Teacher Notes - Click on Lover (PowerPoint page) for the listening excerpt. Have students follow rhythmic movements, clap/move to the beat. You could have pre-set rhythm patterns, have students clap these in order or create their own rhythm for the song. After the listening, have students share their ideas about recording techniques heard and how these have influenced today’s music.

Songfacts. Emphasize that this piece, although it sounds like several people playing at the same time, is one person, Les, with eight different parts that were recorded separately, making this the first multi-track recording. Our study of Les Paul starts with how he got involved with music, created, invented, experimented, and influenced the world of music.

Extension Activities/ Resources-

8 of 15

What do you know about Les Paul?	What do you want to know about Les Paul?	What have you learned about Les Paul as a musician, inventor, or sound pioneer? Complete after the reading excerpt.

K - W - L - Fill in the boxes based on the information gathered so far about Les Paul .

K

W

L

1

9 of 15

Vocabulary (Quizlet)

Underline one word you know. Circle one word you do not know. Echo Les Paulverizer Inducted Reverb Multi-track Recording	I know the word _________________. Describe your word by drawing or writing a sentence about it. Share this work with a partner who has a different word.

1

Script - Here is a list of vocabulary that you will come across in our lesson today. Within your Student Study Sheet, underline one word you know. Circle one word you do not know in the first box. Within the second box, either draw or write a sentence about the word you know. Be ready to share this with someone who has a different word.

Questions - Did you learn a new word or way of thinking about a word from your partner? What words have we already heard so far?

Teacher Notes – Have students write/draw describing their word, then pair up with another student to share with each other. Bring the class back together and ask the questions above. Gather responses from a few students. We will see the remaining words within our next activity.

Extension Activities/Resources -

10 of 15

Inventor and Sound Pioneer -

Les Paul: Inventor and Performer

Read the excerpt with your group.

Think, share, and write with your group for the question below.

What have you learned about Les Paul being a musician, inventor, or sound pioneer?

1

Script - We are going to read a section of this article, with four groups each taking a different section, then a group leader sharing back the main points of their section to the whole class. Your group has five minutes to read and discuss the section. I will call you back for leader sharing with the whole class.

Group 1 - You will read section 1. A clue in your reading involves the words solid-body electric guitar.

Group 2 - You will read section 2. A clue in your reading involves the words eight-track tape recorder.

Group 3 - You will read section 3. A clue in your reading involves the word echo.

Group 4 - You will read section 4. A clue in your reading involves the word inducted.

Your group has five minutes to read and discuss the section. I will call you back for leader sharing with the whole class.

Article - (Use the adapted version within the lesson packet for the jigsaw activity.)

Extension Activities/Resources -

11 of 15

What do you know about Les Paul?	What do you want to know about Les Paul?	What have you learned about Les Paul as a musician, inventor, or sound pioneer?

K - W - L - Fill in the box based on the information gathered so far about Les Paul .

K

W

L

1

12 of 15

Sound Pioneer – Create two different ways to perform the main melody, using recording techniques or your

own ideas. Write this information below.

Variation 1 –

Variation 2 –

How is the performance of this class song the same or different than what Les Paul did for the song Lover?

1

Script –

Let’s see what musical ideas we can come up with. We had listened to the song Lover in the beginning of class today. Although it sounds like several people are playing at the same time, only one person, Les, created the eight tracks. He recorded these separately, making this the first multi-track recording. How did he vary the sound of the guitar to enhance the melody? (i.e. rhythms are different for different parts, pitches and areas of the guitar are different, ….)

Let’s create our own multiple track piece. Each group will create a variation of the main melody provided. We’ll perform these and layer together to create our own song. Consider what the difference is in what we are doing, compared to what Les Paul did in his recording of Lover. We’ll discuss this after we have created and performed our song.

Teacher Notes – Have students in four groups with access to pitched instruments (i.e. orff equipment with pentatonic pitches set for creating melodies is ideal.) Have each team create a two measure ostinato. Encourage teams to play alone and then layered with other groups to create a class composition. You may also choose to create a class part for all to contribute to and perform.

13 of 15

Essential Question

What would the music of today be like without the inventions used within modern music?

Standards

I can explore and demonstrate an understanding of the elements of music by reading, singing and/or playing an instrument. (MG2.P.6.i)
Utilize appropriate music terminology in the evaluation /reflection of music performances. ( MG3.R.7.i)

1

The Wisconsin Standards for Music (2017) are used for the Les Paul Study Units.

14 of 15

Next Lesson Clue –

? Multi-track recording

How is this clue connected to Les Paul?

1

15 of 15

Extension Activities

Les Paul Career Map - Follow Les Paul’s journey as he traveled the United States, working in many career areas. Share what your interests are and what careers you may wish to explore.