Creating An Accompaniment Line for Cellists
Laura Cipriano
ciprianol@tas.edu.tw
Taipei American School
TI:ME Technology Areas Addressed:
Notation
Level:
Middle School
Class:
Instrumental
Equipment:
Siblelius Notation Software
Computer and Midi Keyboard
Duration:
45 min Minutes
Prior Knowledge and Skills:
The students should have previous listening and playing experience with the tune used for the assignment;
Treble and Bass staff note-reading
Basic note input entry skills for Sibelius
MENC Standards Addressed:
MENC 2: Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
MENC 3: Improvising melodies, harmonies, and accompaniments.
MENC 4: Composing and Arranging Music within specified guidelines.
MENC 5: Reading and notating music.
MENC 6: Listening to, analyzing and describing music.
MENC 7: Evaluating music and music performances.
MENC 9: Understanding Music in Relation to History and Culture
Materials:
Peek-A-Boo Waltz from the Children’s Fiddling Method by Carol Ann Wheeler
Student Worksheet for the assignment
Notation Rubric
Instruments
Objectives:
The students will improvise and then notate a bass line accompaniment for a familiar tune.
Procedures:
1. The students will have rehearsed and performed the melody of this waltz in previous classes. The violin melody can be transcribed for violas and cellos. Cellists can play if they have experience with shifting.
2. The class will discuss the meaning of the chord names above the staff. The teacher can demonstrate a simple chordal accompaniment as one of the students, or a small group of the students, performs the melody.
3. The students can try improvising an accompaniment by playing the root of the chord with each note length simply as a dotted half note.
4. After the students have some experience hearing the sound result of their improvised accompaniment in with the melody they will do a worksheet for further information and guidance and go over the notation rubric.
5. Finally they will notate their accompaniment on a bass clef staff using Sibelius.
Evaluation:
The students will share the notated accompaniment with a partner for peer assessment using the notation rubric. The notated part and the points earned will be submitted to the teacher.
Follow Up:
Future lessons could focus on style such as the use of ornaments in the melody. The performance of the tune could also be combined with movement.
