Myths about teaching can hold you back
- Year 9
Using samples
I can create a composition based on samples.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- Composers have used recordings of sound in their music since recording technology was created.
- This ranges from abstract-sounding musique concrète, to using samples of sound and music in popular music styles.
- Sampling is the process of creating samples - clips of pre-existing sound or music that are used in a new way.
- To create samples, we isolate individual sounds.
- We can then combine them in a new way to create a musical pattern.
Keywords
Sample - a clip of pre-existing music or sound
Sampling - the process of creating and using a sample
Unpitched sound - sound that lacks a clear pitch (e.g. a clap)
Musique concrète - a style of music that is based on recorded sounds (e.g. cars, doors)
Common misconception
Samples are always non-musical sounds.
This is not true - a sample is any pre-existing sound that is used in a new way. This could be traditionally non-musical sounds like machinery or speech, or it could be clips of pieces of music or individual notes.
To help you plan your year 9 music lesson on: Using samples, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 9 music lesson on: Using samples, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 music lessons from the Approaches to contemporary composition unit, dive into the full secondary music curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Files needed for this lesson
- Unpitched sounds 3.64 MB (MP3)
- Pitched sounds 1.16 MB (MP3)
Download these files to use in the lesson.
Equipment
DAW (and optionally additional recording devices if available).
Licence
Lesson video
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