Discovering ABA Form

Richard Rogers
rogersr2@k12tn.net
West High School

TI:ME Technology Areas Addressed:

Electronic Musical Instruments
Notation

Level:

Elementary

Class:

General Music

Equipment:

Electronic Keyboard, Computer Station, Play Back Ability, Notation Software

Duration:

30 Minutes

Prior Knowledge and Skills:

Some students with basic piano skills and basic notation software skills. All students should be familiar with AB Form.

NAfME Standards of 1994 Addressed:

NAfME Standards of 1994: Composing and Arranging Music within specified guidelines.
NAfME Standards of 1994: Reading and notating music.

NAfME 2014: Creating 

NAfME Standards of 1994: Listening to, analyzing and describing music.

NAfME 2014: Responding

Materials:

A teacher generated handout with simple melodies in ABA Form and AB Form using notation software.

Objectives:

1. Students will be able to analyze simple melodies on handouts to determine repeating and contrasting sections.
2. Students will be able to label contrasting musical sections with the letters “A” and “B”.
3. Students will be able to aurally identify contrasting sections in simple melodies.

Procedures:

(Pass out musical examples to performers prior to lesson day to practice if needed)
1.The students will analyze simple melodies on handouts to determine when repeating and contrasting sections occur.
2. The students will label contrasting musical sections with the letters “A” and “B”. Not all examples may be in ABA form.
3. Students with piano skills will play musical examples that have been identified as ABA form.
4. Non-performing students in the class will raise their hand when they heard contrasting sections. Students will be prompted as whether it is a similar or contrasting section.
5. The example will be played multiple times while the students follow the example on the handout noting the different sections.
6. Teacher lead discussion will follow about the number of measures in each section and how each section appears.
7. The teacher will play a short musical recording in ABA Form that uses full orchestra, band or chorus.

Evaluation:

1. Teacher will review each student’s handout.
2. Teacher will monitor visually the students’ response during ABA examples.
3. Teacher will re-teach ABA concept in future classes.

Follow Up:

Variations:
1. Use different timbres from the electronic keyboard for the different sections of the melodies.
2. Review AB Form.
3. Have non-performers stand when they hear contrasting sections in the music.
4. Have students write and perform their own ABA melodies.
5. Set up a rhythm track under the melodies and vary the timbres in each contrasting section.

Items to Purchase:

The teacher should have an electronic keyboard, a CPU and a notation program such as Finale NotePad (free download).