Lesson video

Hello, my name's Mr. Pate, and I'm looking forward to doing lots of singing with you in today's lesson.

This unit is called Singing for Performance: Changing Tempo and Dynamics In Our Songs.

And today, we're going to look at changing dynamics to change the mood.

By the end of this lesson, you'll be singing songs with changing dynamics, and you'll be able to explain how this makes the song feel.

Here are some of the keywords that we'll be using in today's lesson.

Dynamics means how loudly or quietly the music is played or sung.

Practice is when we play or sing something several times to try and get better and better.

And actions are movements or facial expressions that we can do while we're singing a song.

Before we start, it's important to warm up our voices and body for every music lesson.

We need to make sure that all of our muscles, even the little tiny ones in our throat, are ready to move and sing.

And this helps keep our voice strong and healthy.

Join in with these warmups.

Let's warm up our bodies.

We're gonna start by giving our hands a good shake.

So put your hand in the air, we're gonna shake it 16 times.

Then we're gonna move over to the other one.

Then we're gonna go down low and on the other side.

Ready? Here we go.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, now down low.

Two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and the other one.

Two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10.

Now, we'll do eight.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.

One, two, three, four, five, now four.

One, two, three, four.

One, two, three, four.

One, two, three, four.

One, two, two.

One, two.

One, two.

One, two.

One, two.

One, one, one, one, hey! Let's warm up our faces.

This warmup is called Big Face, Small Face.

When I shout big face, I want you to make the biggest face you can.

That means eyes open wide, open mouth.

Ah! Big, big, big.

And when I shout small face, I want you to make the smallest face you can, closed eyes, closed mouth.

Everything really small, like that.

Ready? Here we go.

And big face.

And small face.

And big face.

And small face.

Now, let's do big, happy face.

And now, let's do small, cross face.

Let's do some breathing exercises.

We're gonna pretend that we've got a birthday cake in front of us, and we're gonna breathe in deeply and then blow out the candles.

For this first one, we're gonna pretend we're four years old.

And when we breathe in, we're gonna breathe in for four counts, and then we're gonna blow out four times for each of the four candles.

Bit like this, in two, three, four.

And, (exhaling).

Let's give it a try.

Ready? And breathe in, two, three, four.

And blow, (exhaling).

Great.

Now, let's pretend that you're a year older.

You're five now, we're gonna breathe in for five, and then blow out five candles.

Here we go, ready? And in two, three, four, five.

And, (exhaling).

Now, let's start warming up our voices.

We're gonna pretend that we're at a fireworks display.

We are gonna imagine seeing an amazing firework, and then we're gonna say, ooh.

Ready, here it comes.

(firework whirring) Ooh! Now, this next one's really impressive.

We're gonna go, aah.

Ready? Here it comes.

Aah! Great, finally, this one's amazing.

I want you to do a, wow! Ready? Here we go, here comes the firework.

(fireworks whirring and blasting) Wow! Here are some chants and songs that will help us warm up even more.

They'll help us move our bodies and use our voices in lots of different ways.

Join in with this warmup, "Boom Chika Boom." (metronome clicking) <v ->I said a boom chicka boom.

</v> I said a boom chicka boom.

I said a boom chika rocka chika rocka chika boom.

Aha, eehee.

One more time, in a squeaky voice.

I said a boom chicka boom.

I said a boom chicka boom.

I said a boom chika rocka chika rocka chika boom.

Aha, eehee.

One more time, low and strong.

I said a boom chicka boom.

I said a boom chika boom.

I said a boom chika rocka chika rocka chika boom.

Aha, eehee.

One more time, just a whisper.

I said a boom chicka boom.

I said a boom chicka boom.

I said a boom chika rocka chika rocka chika boom.

Aha, eehee.

<v ->Next, join in with this warmup, "High Lo Chika Lo."</v> ♪ High lo chika lo ♪ ♪ Chika lo chika lo ♪ ♪ High lo chika lo ♪ ♪ Chika lo high ♪ ♪ Lo high chika high ♪ ♪ Chika high chika high ♪ ♪ Lo high chika high ♪ ♪ Chika high lo ♪ <v ->Finally, join in with this warmup song,</v> "The Alphabet Song." (pleasant piano music) ♪ A-B-C-D-E-F-G ♪ ♪ H-I-J-K-L-M-N-O-P ♪ ♪ Q-R-S-T-U and V ♪ ♪ W-X-Y-Z ♪ (upbeat piano music) ♪ A-B-C-D-E-F-G ♪ ♪ H-I-J-K-L-M-N-O-P ♪ ♪ Q-R-S-T-U and V ♪ ♪ W-X-Y-Z ♪ (pleasant piano music) ♪ A-B-C-D-E-F-G ♪ ♪ H-I-J-K-L-M-N-O-P ♪ ♪ Q-R-S-T-U and V ♪ ♪ W-X-Y-Z ♪ <v ->Are you warmed up and ready to sing?</v> If so, your body will feel relaxed and ready.

Your voice will feel warm, and you'll feel focused and ready to make music.

Here are the learning cycles for today's lesson.

We'll start by singing songs with character, and then we'll look at singing songs with changing dynamics.

Let's sing our song, "Moving Like An Animal." Each verse mentions a different animal.

Can you sing with character and feeling? Join in with "Moving Like An Animal." (cheerful music) ♪ I'm moving like an elephant today ♪ ♪ Watch the way I stomp and sway ♪ ♪ Big and heavy giant feet ♪ ♪ Feel the rhythm feel the beat ♪ ♪ Boom boom boom boom ♪ ♪ Hear it all around ♪ ♪ Boom boom boom boom ♪ ♪ Listen to the sound ♪ ♪ Louder louder louder now ♪ ♪ Elephants stomp around ♪ ♪ I'm moving like a little mouse today ♪ ♪ Watch the way I sneak and play ♪ ♪ Small and careful tiny feet ♪ ♪ Feel the rhythm feel the beat ♪ ♪ Tiptoe tiptoe tiptoe tiptoe ♪ ♪ Hear it all around ♪ ♪ Tiptoe tiptoe tiptoe tiptoe ♪ ♪ Listen to the sound ♪ ♪ Softer softer softer now ♪ ♪ Mice creeping around ♪ ♪ I'm moving like a cheetah today ♪ ♪ Watch me race and zoom away ♪ ♪ Fast and wild speedy feet ♪ ♪ Feel the rhythm feel the beat ♪ ♪ Running running running running ♪ ♪ Hear it all around ♪ ♪ Running running running running ♪ ♪ Listen to the sound ♪ ♪ Faster faster faster now ♪ ♪ Cheetahs run around ♪ ♪ I'm moving like a tortoise today ♪ ♪ Slow and steady on my way ♪ ♪ Take my time with steady feet ♪ ♪ Feel the rhythm feel the beat ♪ ♪ Plod plod plod plod ♪ ♪ Hear it all around ♪ ♪ Plod plod plod plod ♪ ♪ Listen to the sound ♪ ♪ Slower slower slower now ♪ ♪ Tortoise plod around ♪ <v ->Now you've sung "Moving Like An Animal,"</v> how did you give your singing character and feeling? Lucas says, "I made my voice sound big and loud for the elephant, and soft and quiet for the mouse." Andeep says, "I ran around the room quickly for the cheetah, and plodded slowly for the tortoise.

Let's practice "The Walking Song." Practicing a song by singing it again and again helps us to get better, and it allows us to try different ways of adding character and feeling to the song.

When we sing "The Walking Song," think about how you will use your voice, your facial expressions, and actions to give each verse a different character.

Our actions will follow the lyrics of each verse.

We'll be walking, stomping, sneaking, jumping, and running.

Think about how you'll change your voice and your facial expressions in each verse.

How will you change your voice, and facial expressions in each verse? Share some ideas now with your talking partner.

What did you think? How will you change your voice and facial expressions? Jacob says, "I think we should sing the stomping verse louder, and we should look angry, as if we're stomping because we're cross." Laura says, "I think we should smile when we sing the jumping, because jumping is fun." It absolutely is.

Let's practice "The Walking Song." Here we go.

(pleasant music) ♪ Walking walking round we go ♪ ♪ Loud or quiet fast or slow ♪ ♪ Walking walking to the beat ♪ ♪ Sing a song and move your feet ♪ ♪ La la la la la ♪ ♪ We're walking walking walking ♪ ♪ La la la la la ♪ ♪ We're walking to the beat ♪ ♪ Stomping stomping round we go ♪ ♪ Loud or quiet fast or slow ♪ ♪ Stomping stomping to the beat ♪ ♪ Sing a song and move your feet ♪ ♪ La la la la la ♪ ♪ We're stomping stomping stomping ♪ ♪ La la la la la ♪ ♪ We're stomping to the beat ♪ ♪ Sneaking sneaking round we go ♪ ♪ Loud or quiet fast or slow ♪ ♪ Sneaking sneaking to the beat ♪ ♪ Sing a song and move your feet ♪ ♪ La la la la la ♪ ♪ We're sneaking sneaking sneaking ♪ ♪ La la la la la ♪ ♪ We're sneaking to the beat ♪ ♪ Jumping jumping round we go ♪ ♪ Loud or quiet fast or slow ♪ ♪ Jumping jumping to the beat ♪ ♪ Sing a song and move your feet ♪ ♪ La la la la la ♪ ♪ We're jumping jumping jumping ♪ ♪ La la la la la ♪ ♪ We're jumping to the beat ♪ ♪ Running running round we go ♪ ♪ Loud or quiet fast or slow ♪ ♪ Running running to the beat ♪ ♪ Sing a song and move your feet ♪ ♪ La la la la la ♪ ♪ We're running running running ♪ ♪ La la la la la ♪ ♪ We're running to the beat ♪ <v ->Well done, great singing.

</v> Now, how did you give that singing character and feeling? Jacob says, "I used actions to match each verse, like jumping, running, and sneaking." Alex says, "I changed my voice to sound soft and suspicious when I was sneaking, and loud and excited when I was running." What other ideas did you have? Now, let's look at singing songs with changing dynamics.

Dynamics is a musical word that refers to how loud or quiet a sound is.

And when we change the dynamics of our singing, we change how the song feels.

Let's listen to a piece of music called "In the Hall of the Mountain King." It begins quietly, gradually getting louder and louder as the piece continues.

While you're listening, think, how does the music make you feel? Pause this video now and listen to "In the Hall of the Mountain King." Now you've listened, how did it make you feel? Lucas says, "I think it sounds a bit scary, like someone's chasing you and getting closer and closer." Sofia says, "At first it feels calm, but as the music gets louder, it feels more exciting and full of energy." And changing the dynamics can help something sound calm or sound exciting and full of energy.

How did it make you feel? There's no right or wrong answer here.

Sometimes people feel different things when listening to the same piece of music.

We can practice the song "Bunny Boogie" thinking about our dynamics.

In the verses, the bunny feels happy, excited, and then tired.

When should we sing softly and when should we sing strongly? Why do you think this? When we practice, it's a chance to try out our ideas, and we can try out different dynamics and see which works best.

Let's sing "Bunny Boogie," thinking about our dynamics.

(cheerful music) (bunny yawns) <v Singer>Good morning, Bunny.

How are you feeling?</v> <v Bunny>I'm feeling happy.

</v> ♪ I've got a bunny you've got to meet ♪ ♪ She's got floppy ears and bouncy feet ♪ ♪ She wakes up in a happy mood ♪ ♪ For her morning bunny groove ♪ ♪ Listen to that happy tune ♪ ♪ Soon she'll dance around the room ♪ ♪ I know a song to make her move ♪ ♪ So let's all do the bunny groove ♪ ♪ Wiggle those ears ♪ ♪ Here we go ♪ ♪ Shake your paws fast ♪ ♪ And shake them slow ♪ ♪ We'll make that bunny start to move ♪ ♪ When we do the bunny groove ♪ ♪ Jump to the left ♪ ♪ Jump to the right ♪ ♪ Dance like a bunny all through the night ♪ ♪ We'll make that bunny start to move ♪ ♪ When we do the bunny groove ♪ <v Singer>Good afternoon, Bunny.

How are you feeling?</v> <v Bunny>I'm feeling excited.

</v> ♪ I've got a bunny you've got to meet ♪ ♪ She's got floppy ears and bouncy feet ♪ ♪ Now she's in an excited mood ♪ ♪ For her midday bunny groove ♪ ♪ Listen to that happy tune ♪ ♪ Soon she'll dance around the room ♪ ♪ I know a song to make her move ♪ ♪ So let's all do the bunny groove ♪ ♪ Wiggle those ears ♪ ♪ Here we go ♪ ♪ Shake your paws fast and shake them slow ♪ ♪ We'll make that bunny start to move ♪ ♪ When we do the bunny groove ♪ ♪ Jump to the left ♪ ♪ Jump to the right ♪ ♪ Dance like a bunny all through the night ♪ ♪ We'll make that bunny start to move ♪ ♪ When we do the bunny groove ♪ <v Singer>Good evening, Bunny.

How are you feeling now?</v> <v Bunny>I'm feeling sleepy.

</v> ♪ I've got a bunny you've got to meet ♪ ♪ She's got floppy ears and bouncy feet ♪ ♪ Now she's in a sleepy mood ♪ ♪ For her evening bunny groove ♪ ♪ Listen to that happy tune ♪ ♪ Soon she'll dance around the room ♪ ♪ I know a song to make her move ♪ ♪ So let's all do the bunny groove ♪ ♪ Wiggle those ears ♪ ♪ Here we go ♪ ♪ Shake your paws fast and shake them slow ♪ ♪ We'll make that bunny start to move ♪ ♪ When we do the bunny groove ♪ ♪ Jump to the left ♪ ♪ Jump to the right ♪ ♪ Dance like a bunny all through the night ♪ ♪ We'll make that bunny start to move ♪ ♪ When we do the bunny groove ♪ <v ->Let's learn a new song, called "A Keelie Makolay,"</v> that asks Makolay if they'd like to come out and play.

Let's try singing it with different dynamics.

Does it feel different when you're singing strongly, or when you're singing softly? Think about what different games you might be asking Makolay to come out and play.

Are you out on the playground, or are you in a secret hiding space? Join in with "A Keelie Makolay." (metronome clicking) ♪ Ready steady off we go ♪ (singer singing in foreign language) (children singing in foreign language) (singer singing in foreign language) (children singing in foreign language) (everyone singing in foreign language) (singer singing in foreign language) (children singing in foreign language) (singer singing in foreign language) (children singing in foreign language) (everyone singing in foreign language) (singer singing in foreign language) (children singing in foreign language) (singer singing in foreign language) (children singing in foreign language) (everyone singing in foreign language) <v ->This new song is called "Ocean Explorers."</v> Listen to the changing dynamics in this song, they really help to build the excitement.

As you listen, see if you can join in with the chorus.

(waves crashing) (pleasant music) (water bubbling) ♪ Our submarine is diving ♪ ♪ Beneath the deep blue sea ♪ ♪ We search for sparkling treasures ♪ ♪ And new discoveries ♪ ♪ The water swells the currents pull ♪ ♪ Something moves beneath the hull ♪ ♪ Hold on tight and don't let go ♪ ♪ Adventure's down below ♪ ♪ Oh we love to be ♪ ♪ Explorers of the sea ♪ ♪ We'll leave a lamp behind ♪ ♪ But what do you think we'll find ♪ <v Singer>I think we'll find some treasure</v> ♪ We spy an ancient shipwreck ♪ ♪ Beside the broken mast ♪ ♪ A chest full of treasure ♪ ♪ From pirates of the past ♪ ♪ The water swells the currents pull ♪ ♪ Something moves beneath the hull ♪ ♪ Hold on tight and don't let go ♪ ♪ Adventure's down below ♪ ♪ Oh we love to be ♪ ♪ Explorers of the sea ♪ ♪ We'll leave a lamp behind ♪ ♪ But what do you think we'll find ♪ <v Singer>I think we'll find some animals.

</v> ♪ Dolphins leap into the air ♪ ♪ They splash and spin and play ♪ ♪ A school of silver fish is there ♪ ♪ They flash and dart away ♪ ♪ The water swirls the currents pull ♪ ♪ Something moves beneath the hull ♪ ♪ Hold on tight and don't let go ♪ ♪ Adventure's down below ♪ ♪ Oh we love to be ♪ ♪ Explorers of the sea ♪ ♪ We'll leave the land behind ♪ ♪ But what do you think we'll find ♪ <v Singer>I think it's time to go home.

</v> ♪ Now our adventure's over ♪ ♪ But there's still more to see ♪ ♪ We'll sail again tomorrow ♪ ♪ For more discovery ♪ <v ->When we change the dynamics, we can change the feelings</v> and emotions of a piece of music.

Do you think that these emotions should be sung strongly or softly? The emotions we're gonna talk about are happy, sad, sleepy, and excited.

Would you sing those softly or strongly? And why? Pause the video now to discuss.

So what did you think? Sofia says, "I would sing a happy song loudly, making it sound joyful and full of energy." Aisha says, "I would sing a sad song quietly, making it sound soft and calm." Jacob says, "I would sing really quietly for a tired mood, so they go to sleep." And Lucas says, "I'd start off quiet and gradually get louder to build excitement in a song." What did you think? In today's lesson, we've learned that we can use our voices, our facial expressions, and body movements to give a song character.

We've learned that dynamics means how loudly or quietly the music is played or sung, and we've learned that we can sing with contrasting dynamics to change the character of our singing.

Well done for your great singing in today's lesson, and I look forward to seeing you again in the next one.