Songs and Student Experience: �A DocSong Approach
Alex Adams- DocSong Teaching Artist, Modern Band Teacher
Using a Documentary Songwriting approach for student composition in Modern Band
To Access Digital Resources for Todays Session
go to:
www.mralexadams.com/docsong�Or Scan the QR code
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MODERN BAND
Who Am I?
MODERN BAND
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What Are we Here to do?
MODERN BAND
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What is Documentary Song Writing?
Documentary Songwriting is a “words first” process that turns spoken accounts into finshed songs.
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Documentary Songwriting is a “words first” process that turns spoken accounts into finished songs.
Why is it a great fit for modern Band?
Documentary Songwriting is a “words first” process that turns spoken accounts into finshed songs.
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DocSong uses real student stories as its starting point. Then it applies composition and modern band skills to create the song.
Why is it a great fit for modern Band?
Documentary Songwriting is a “words first” process that turns spoken accounts into finshed songs.
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The result is authentic student experience preserved and communicated through modern music and performed by Modern Bands
Today We are not shooting for finished whole songs
We’re looking to work the process enough to understand it and its potential
There are further resources available!
MODERN BAND
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I. THE WORDS
II. THE MUSIC
III. THE SONG
THE PROCESS: STORY INTO SONG
I. THE WORDS: �STORY INTO LYRICS
II. THE MUSIC:
LYRICS INTO SONG
III. THE DOCSONG
SONG INTO PERFORMANCE
WORDS FIRST: THE STORY
MODERN BAND
So I was 2 and I was in my mothers arms and she put me on the ground for second and I crawled into the middle of the road and my dad saw me and my dad saw me and jumped in front of a car and and got hit by a car. ��My mom and dad told me when I was seven. I thought that it was crazy that my dad jumped in front of the car for me. He did it to save my life. ��My dad has been hit by a car 3 times
When I was five I was upstair in my moms room and I took some tweezers and I stuck them in an outlet. The whole room went black and my dad came up and told me I almost died. Now I know that if I put it in I get shocked. I didn’t get shocked, I just broke the house. We had to get the house we had to fix the fusebox.��Questions:
What kind of car was it? I think it was a jeep
What was your mom doing? She was just like looking around saying where did Henry go? And she was really scared when she saw me in the road. Type it
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WORDS FIRST: THE STORY
MODERN BAND
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WORDS FIRST: THE STORY
MODERN BAND
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1 MINUTE TO FIND A FRIEND: IT’S STORY TIME!
PARTNER UP!
OPEN THE GUIDED COMPOSITION DOCUMENT
PRACTICE TRANSCRIPTION. TALK ABOUT BREAKFAST
TRANSCRIBE A STORY.
ONE PERSON TELLS A STORY ABOUT A SIGNIFICANT TIME IN THEIR LIFE, THE OTHER TYPES IT. I SUGGEST SAYING HI FIRST!
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TRANSCRIBE A STORY.
ONE PERSON TELLS A STORY ABOUT A SIGNIFICANT TIME IN THEIR LIFE, THE OTHER TYPES IT. I SUGGEST SAYING HI FIRST!
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TRANSCRIBE A STORY.
ONE PERSON TELLS A STORY ABOUT A SIGNIFICANT TIME IN THEIR LIFE, THE OTHER TYPES IT. I SUGGEST SAYING HI FIRST!
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TRANSCRIBE A STORY.
ONE PERSON TELLS A STORY ABOUT A SIGNIFICANT TIME IN THEIR LIFE, THE OTHER TYPES IT. I SUGGEST SAYING HI FIRST!
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TRANSCRIBE A STORY.
ONE PERSON TELLS A STORY ABOUT A SIGNIFICANT TIME IN THEIR LIFE, THE OTHER TYPES IT. I SUGGEST SAYING HI FIRST!
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TRANSCRIBE A STORY.
ONE PERSON TELLS A STORY ABOUT A SIGNIFICANT TIME IN THEIR LIFE, THE OTHER TYPES IT. I SUGGEST SAYING HI FIRST!
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TRANSCRIBE A STORY.
ONE PERSON TELLS A STORY ABOUT A SIGNIFICANT TIME IN THEIR LIFE, THE OTHER TYPES IT. I SUGGEST SAYING HI FIRST!
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TRANSCRIBE A STORY.
ONE PERSON TELLS A STORY ABOUT A SIGNIFICANT TIME IN THEIR LIFE, THE OTHER TYPES IT. I SUGGEST SAYING HI FIRST!
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TRANSCRIBE A STORY.
ONE PERSON TELLS A STORY ABOUT A SIGNIFICANT TIME IN THEIR LIFE, THE OTHER TYPES IT. I SUGGEST SAYING HI FIRST!
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TRANSCRIBE A STORY.
ONE PERSON TELLS A STORY ABOUT A SIGNIFICANT TIME IN THEIR LIFE, THE OTHER TYPES IT. I SUGGEST SAYING HI FIRST!
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TRANSCRIBE A STORY.
ONE PERSON TELLS A STORY ABOUT A SIGNIFICANT TIME IN THEIR LIFE, THE OTHER TYPES IT. I SUGGEST SAYING HI FIRST!
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COME BACK!
LETS GET TRIMMING
WORDS FIRST: Find the Good Stuff
MODERN BAND
So I was 2 and I was in my mothers arms and she put me on the ground for second and I crawled into the middle of the road and my dad saw me and my dad saw me and jumped in front of a car and and got hit by a car. ��My mom and dad told me when I was seven. I thought that it was crazy that my dad jumped in front of the car for me. He did it to save my life. ��My dad has been hit by a car 3 times
When I was five I was upstair in my moms room and I took some tweezers and I stuck them in an outlet. The whole room went black and my dad came up and told me I almost died. Now I know that if I put it in I get shocked. I didn’t get shocked, I just broke the house. We had to get the house we had to fix the fusebox.��Questions:
What kind of car was it? I think it was a jeep
What was your mom doing? She was just like looking around saying where did Henry go? And she was really scared when she saw me in the road.
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FIND THE GOOD STUFF
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ESSENTIAL QUESTION: WHAT DETAILS ARE IMPORTANT TO TELL A STORY, HOW DO KNOW THAT IS THE IMPORTANT STUFF?
FIND THE GOOD STUFF
HIGHLIGHT THE STUFF YOU LIKE
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FIND THE GOOD STUFF
HIGHLIGHT THE STUFF YOU LIKE
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FIND THE GOOD STUFF
HIGHLIGHT THE STUFF YOU LIKE
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FIND THE GOOD STUFF
HIGHLIGHT THE STUFF YOU LIKE
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FIND THE GOOD STUFFF
HIGHLIGHT THE STUFF YOU LIKE
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EXAMPLES OF A STORY: KEEP THE GOOD STUFF
TRIM THE OTHER STUFF
I was 2 and I was in my mothers arms and she put me on the ground for second and I crawled into the middle of the road my dad saw me and jumped in front of a car and and got hit by a car. He did it to save my life. it was a jeep where did Henry go?
KEEP THE GOOD STUFF
DELETE THE OTHER STUFF
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KEEP THE GOOD STUFF
DELETE THE OTHER STUFF
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KEEP THE GOOD STUFF
DELETE THE OTHER STUFF
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KEEP THE GOOD STUFF
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KEEP THE GOOD STUFF
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KEEP THE GOOD STUFF
DELETE THE OTHER STUFF
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Words First: The Poem
MODERN BAND
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Trimmed Story
I was 2 and I was in my mothers arms and she put me on the ground for second and I crawled into the middle of the road my dad saw me and jumped in front of a car and and got hit by a car. He did it to save my life. it was a jeep where did Henry go?
Free Verse Poem
I was 2
I was in my mothers arms
she put me on the ground for second
I crawled into the middle of the road
my dad saw me
jumped in front of a car
and got hit by a car
He did it to save my life
it was a jeep
where did Henry go?
ADD THE BREAKS
EDIT FOR IMPACT AND FLOW
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ADD THE BREAKS
EDIT FOR IMPACT AND FLOW
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ADD THE BREAKS
EDIT FOR IMPACT AND FLOW
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ADD THE BREAKS
EDIT FOR IMPACT AND FLOW
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Words First: The Lyrics
MODERN BAND
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FIND YOUR VERSES
Integration Point!
MODERN BAND
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Start With a Rhyme p410
Work with students to develop rhymes that keep the same meaning. Add end rhymes to your established verses by changing words but keep the same intent.
Integration Point!
MODERN BAND
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Hip Hop Hamburger P415:
Use the Hip Hop Hamburger approach with your verses and choruses
II. Lyrics into Song: Add Rhythm
Modern Band
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II. Lyrics into Song: Add Rhythm
Modern Band
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I was 2
I was in my mothers arms
she put me on the ground for second
I crawled into the middle of the road
where did Henry go?�
my dad saw me
jumped in front a jeep
and got hit by a car
He did it to save my life
where did Henry go?
/I was 2 ——-
/I was in my mothers arms——
/she put me on the ground for second
/I crawled into the middle of the road
where did Henry go?
my dad saw me
jumped in front a jeep
and got hit by a car
He did it to save my life
where did Henry go?
PICK A VERSE
PAT YOUR BEAT AND STRETCH SOME SYLLABLE S
TRY A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO SPEAK IT OUT. THEN MARK THE ONES YOU LIKE!
SAY IT BACK
RECORD IT.
MAKE SURE YOU’RE DOING WHAT THEY WANT, RECORD IT, IF YOU CAN, TO REFER TO LATER.
Integration Point!
MODERN BAND
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Rap Talk
P411
This lesson asks students to “rap talk” over a steady beat the words don’t have to rhyme. The point is to pay attention to the rhythm of the words. This dovetails into DocSong’s process and can help students discover their melodic rhythm.
II. Lyrics into Song: Add Melody
Modern Band
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Makin’ Moves: Suggestion starters
Modern Band
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There are only Three places a melody can start: High Middle and Low. Where do you want to start?
There are only three ways a melody can go from there: It can stay on the same note, it can go up and it can go down. Where should it go next?
There are only three ways it can make that move: It can move a little, a little more, or a lot (step, skip, or leap). How much should we move, a little, a little more, or a lot?
ADD TO YOUR VERSE: SING SOME MELODIES WITH YOUR RHYTHMS
INTEGRATION FOR MELODIES FROM CHORDS COMPOSITION LESSON
III. Lyrics into Song: Add Harmony
Modern Band
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III. Lyrics into Song: Add Harmony: Map the Changes
Modern Band
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USE MUSICAL KNOWLEDGE TO ADD BASIC (OR NOT SO BASIC) HARMONY.
FIT YOUR REMAINING VERSES TO THE PATTERN OF YOUR FINISHED VERSE!
WORK ON FITTING IN THE NEXT VERSE TO THE PATTERN OF THE FIRST VERSE.
Integration Point!
MODERN BAND
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1,4,5,4
P99
This lesson introduces a simple chord progression and can be integrated into chord choices for harmony.
Integration Point!
MODERN BAND
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Chord Tic Tac Toe
P414
This lesson introduces a simple chord progression generator that can be used as a guide for adding harmony
Integration Point!
MODERN BAND
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Mix and Match Chords
P421
This lesson introduces a simple chord progression generator that can be used as a guide for adding harmony
Integration Point!
MODERN BAND
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Scrambled Chords
P437
This lesson introduces a simple chord progression generator that can be used as a guide for adding harmony
III. Lyrics into Song: FORM
Modern Band
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MAKE A CHORD CHART!
AND GET THE DEMO DOWN!
III. SONG INTO PERFORMANCE: DEMO
Modern Band
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CREATE A DEMO RECORDING
GET THE DEMO DOWN! PRESERVE THE MOST BASIC COMPLETE VERSION OF YOUR SONG.
III. SONG INTO PERFORMANCE: Arrangment
Modern Band
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ARRANGEMENT
INTROS, OUTROS, SOLOS, INSTRUMENTATION, GENRE ETC.
PERFORM!
OR MAKE A RECORDING!