Lesson video

Hello again everyone.

It's me, Mrs. Steele, and I'm back with another music lesson for us today.

In today's lesson, we're going to be learning all about melody in fusion music, but before we begin, there are some listening examples that don't feature in today's video, so you'll need to take a moment to find those now if you haven't already done so.

There's a teacher guidance slide at the beginning of the slide deck to help you find them.

Are you ready? Okay, let's get started with this lesson, melody in fusion music.

By the end of today's lesson, you'll be able to play a melody as part of a fusion performance.

Here are the key words we'll need in our learning today.

Classical music, music composed between 1750 and 1820, characterized by formal structure, technical skill, and emotional depth.

Melody, a combination of notes to make a memorable tune.

And fusion, the process of blending two or more different musical styles, genres, or traditions to create a new distinct sound.

But before we begin, we know all about how important it is to warm up our voices, our bodies, and our minds before every music lesson.

We need to make sure that we warm and stretch those vocal chords safely and gently to help prevent injury to our voice, and to develop our vocal strength.

Sequence your whole body, breathing, and voice warmups to prepare you for music.

Now, join in with these warmups to warm up your voice and to practice articulating words clearly.

We'll start with 1-1-2-1.

Here's the music.

(upbeat music) ♪ 1-1-2-1 ♪ ♪ 1-2-3-2-1 ♪ ♪ 1-2-3-4-3-2-1 ♪ ♪ 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1 ♪ ♪ 1-2-3-4-5-6-5-4-3-2-1 ♪ ♪ 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 ♪ ♪ 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 ♪ ♪ 8-8-7-8 ♪ ♪ 8-7-6-7-8 ♪ ♪ 8-7-6-5-6-7-8 ♪ ♪ 8-7-6-5-4-5-6-7-8 ♪ ♪ 8-7-6-5-4-3-4-5-6-7-8 ♪ ♪ 8-7-6-5-4-3-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 ♪ ♪ 8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 ♪ <v ->And now articulate your words really clearly in our song.

</v> Don't let fusion cause confusion.

Here's the music.

(dramatic music) ♪ Don't let fusion cause confusion ♪ ♪ It is just a blend of styles ♪ ♪ Mixing sounds from different places ♪ ♪ Traveling over many miles ♪ ♪ It can be a rhythmic pattern ♪ ♪ Instrumental special scale ♪ ♪ Driving new ideas in music ♪ ♪ Always fresh, and never stale ♪ ♪ Take a rhythm from South America ♪ ♪ Mix it with a scale that comes from Southern India ♪ ♪ Soca beat from Trinidad, soca beat from Trinidad ♪ ♪ Mix it with a baseline from Argentinian tango song ♪ (dramatic music) ♪ Don't let fusion cause confusion ♪ ♪ It is just a blend of styles ♪ ♪ Mixing sounds from different places ♪ ♪ Traveling over many miles ♪ ♪ It can be a rhythmic pattern ♪ ♪ Instrumental special scale ♪ ♪ Driving new ideas in music ♪ ♪ Always fresh and never stale ♪ <v ->Are you ready for music?</v> Check that you have a relaxed singing posture and that your voice feels warm and ready to sing.

Okay, let's go.

We are going to begin by learning about fusing classical melodies.

Musical fusions have often been created by blending music originally written for orchestral instruments and ensembles with different styles of music.

And our first listening example today is an example of just that.

It's called "Shut Down" by BLACKPINK.

This song samples the violin melody from a piece composed by Paganini in 1826, and the melody is looped, or repeated, and forms the main hook of the song.

It's time to press pause to find and listen to that listening example.

As you listen, can you identify any other musical styles hidden within it? Press pause to find and listen to "Shutdown" by BLACKPINK.

Did you hear any other musical styles within that piece? Sofia could hear influences from hip hop.

She spotted some rapping, and the fact that the rhythm had a strong backbeat and a hip hop feel.

Looping the violin melody sample also fits in with the hip hop style.

And Jacob could hear a pop song structure, with rapped verses and a catchy chorus that's easy to remember, typical of K-pop songs.

Well done if you heard any musical influences from hip hop and from pop within that piece.

Let's listen now to La Campanella by Paganini to hear the violin melody in its original piece.

Press pause to listen to that now.

Let's watch the London Symphony Orchestra now.

They're going to play the main "Ode to Joy" theme in Ludwig Van Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.

I wonder if you recognize it when you hear it.

Beethoven finished writing this symphony in 1824.

Here comes the video, enjoy.

("Ode to Joy" - Beethoven) Beethoven is a classical composer.

He composed at the end of the era of classical music.

Key features of classical music are melodies are often graceful and balanced, with distinct phrases that are easy to remember.

The music often has a sense of order and elegance.

The texture often has a clear melodic line with chords supporting underneath, and the tonality is usually clearly centered on a major or a minor key.

It's time for a quick check-in with our learning so far.

Which of the following definitions is the most accurate? Classical music is recognized by, A, its syncopated rhythms and complex harmonies.

B, rhythmic and rhyming speech delivered over a strong programmed beat.

C, a graceful, balanced melody with a clear sense of tonality.

Or D, the blending of two or more distinct musical styles, genres, or traditions to create a new and unique sound.

Press pause to choose which one of these definitions is the most accurate to describe classical music.

Here's the answer, it's C.

Well done if you remembered that.

Classical music is recognized by a graceful balanced melody with a clear sense of tonality.

Great work, everyone.

Listen to the Beethoven theme now, fused with two different styles of music.

We'll start with the listening example "Ode to Joy" by Jacob Koller.

This piece was arranged for the piano and combines Beethoven's melody with a jazz style.

After you've listened to that, listen to "Joyful Joyful" performed by the ACM Gospel Choir.

This piece was arranged for gospel choir, and it combines Beethoven's melody with a gospel style.

Press pause to listen to these two listening examples now.

We just heard the ACM Gospel Choir performing "Ode to Joy" fused with gospel music.

In gospel music, you might hear calls and responses between the lead singer or choir, or between singers.

You might hear syncopated repeated rhythms that get people clapping or moving.

You might hear thick textures created by different layers of the vocal harmony.

The lyrics are often about faith, hope, salvation, or have spiritual messages.

You might hear instruments like piano, organ, drums, and bass supporting the singing, and you might hear song structures with verses and a chorus that people can learn and easily join in.

We also heard "Ode to Joy" by Jacob Koller, arranged for piano and fused with jazz music influences.

A reminder that in jazz music you might hear improvised melodies, syncopated rhythms that sometimes include long, short swing rhythms, instruments taking turns to play solos, calls and responses between different instruments.

Sometimes the notes are bent or played in a way that makes them sound expressive, and you'll hear colorful and complex chords and melodies.

Compare the original version of Beethoven's melody with those jazz and gospel versions.

We'll start by watching the London Symphony Orchestra play the main "Ode to Joy" theme once more.

Here comes the video.

("Ode to Joy" - Beethoven) Now press pause to listen to our listening example, "Ode to Joy" by Jacob Koller, and compare it to the original.

What differences can you hear? Press pause to try that challenge now.

Now let's watch the original once more.

Then after that, press pause to listen to "Joyful Joyful" by the ACM Gospel Choir, and compare that example to the original.

What differences can you hear this time? Here comes the London Symphony Orchestra once more, then press pause to listen to our second listening example and compare.

("Ode to Joy" - Beethoven) What differences could you identify? Here are Laura's answers.

Perhaps yours were similar, or maybe you spotted something different that she didn't identify.

Laura says, I noticed that the rhythm of the melody was syncopated in the jazz version.

In the original, it wasn't syncopated.

That's a great comparison.

The chords were different too.

The melody was decorated with lots of extra notes.

She also says, I could hear the thick texture of the choir in the gospel version.

In the original, the strings played the melody, and the woodwind played a different tune.

The gospel version has a drum kit rhythm.

I also noticed the call and response between the soloist and the choir.

You might like to press pause now to compare Laura's answers with your own, or to share some of your ideas with your group.

It's time to move on now to performing a fusion of classical, Latin, and soca.

Listen to the main melody of "Ode to Joy" played on the glockenspiel.

Here comes the video.

♪ Ready, steady ♪ ♪ Off we go ♪ ("Ode to Joy" - Beethoven) <v ->Now it's your turn,</v> using the notation above to help practice playing this theme on a glockenspiel, or other tuned percussion where you are.

It's time for another check-in with our learning.

Which one of these clips do you recognize as Beethoven's "Ode to Joy"? Listen very carefully.

Here comes clip A.

(upbeat glockenspiel music) And here's B.

(upbeat glockenspiel music) And now here's C.

Is this one "Ode to Joy"? (upbeat glockenspiel music) Did you spot it? Here comes the answer.

A is not owed to joy.

Some of the pitches are slightly incorrect in that one.

B isn't "Ode to Joy" either.

Some of the pitches are slightly incorrect again, and if you said C, you are right.

This one is exactly the same as "Ode to Joy." Listen to this fusion of "Ode to Joy" and the soca rhythm.

Here it comes.

(funky music) Now it's your turn.

Practice playing the melody, the classical theme, with the soca rhythm.

You're going to want to do this at your own pace where you are, so it's time to press pause and give that musical challenge a try.

You've got the classical theme audio if you need a reminder, and you can press go on the soca rhythm whenever you are ready to try playing it together.

Good luck.

It's time for another speedy check-in with our learning so far.

True or false, fusion cannot be more than two genres of music blended together.

Do you think that's true or false? Press pause to decide.

Here comes the answer.

That's false, well done if you knew that.

Fusion may be the blending of two musical styles, but equally it can be many musical influences that together create a new sound.

Now, let's practice layering our Latin rhythms one at a time over the soca rhythm.

Remember, we have the guiro rhythm, the cowbell, the shakers and the claves, and we practiced playing all of those before, but you have an audio button to remind you how each one goes if you need it.

Practice playing each one of those over the top of the soca rhythm.

Press pause to practice all of that together now.

How did it go? Some of our Oak pupils tried that challenge too.

Izzy says, to begin with, we layered one extra Latin rhythm at a time over the soca rhythm.

This helped keep the rhythms accurate.

Hopefully you did it in that order too.

Laura says, it was important to listen to the pulse of the soca rhythm, absolutely, to keep everyone playing in time together.

And Jun says, some parts seemed easier than others, and we needed to practice to get it right.

For our grand finale today, we are going to create the ultimate fusion performance of soca, Latin, and classical influences.

So we're going to have the classical melody "Ode to Joy" played on tuned percussion, the soca rhythm as a recorded audio, and our Latin rhythms performed on untuned percussion too.

Have a listen to this example to see how amazing it's going to sound altogether.

("Ode to Joy" - Beethoven) Now it's your turn to practice that, and it's going to take a lot of practicing.

It might be best to start with the soca rhythm first, then add the Latin rhythms gradually, one at a time.

Then when all of those are secure, finally add the melody on your tuned percussion too.

You're going to want to try this challenge at your own pace where you are.

So before you press pause, I'm going to show you the slide you might need, and talk through some of the steps for success.

So here's the slide you might need, and we can refer back to that in a minute.

In this big musical challenge, you'll be successful if you decide how to begin your performance so that you all start at exactly the same time, or you know exactly when to enter.

You'll need to listen carefully to the soca rhythm and to each other to keep a steady pulse while playing together.

You need to make sure that you balance your parts so that you can hear all the different layers of the texture, and you need to feel the different rhythms and influences working together as you create something new.

Let's pop back to the slide that you might need to reference as you're doing this task.

Here we go.

Now it's time to press pause to try this musical challenge where you are.

Good luck and have fun.

Welcome back.

How did it go? Remember, a big musical challenge like that will take a lot of practice.

I expect it was sounding amazing already.

We've reached the end of our music lesson now, but before we go, let's take a moment to think about everything we've been learning together.

We know that musical fusions have been created by blending melodies and music originally composed for orchestral instruments with other musical styles, and we know that classical music was composed between 1750 and 1820, and is characterized by formal structure, technical skill, and emotional depth.

And finally, we know that fusion music forms a deliberate and new synthesis of styles, combining musical elements from the original music.

What amazing learning everyone.

I can't wait to see you again soon to guide you through another music lesson.

Bye.