🎹 FREE Early Music Creation Pack
⏱ 2 Hours
Progression of Skills
Understand the advantages and disadvantages of making music on a computer. (Intro video)
Understand that different instruments make their own sound and that instruments can be divided into groups (Activity 1)
Create a rhythm using a pattern of beats (Activity 2)
Create digital sounds using patterns and shapes (Activity 3)
Create a simple melody using patterns and adjust tempo (Activity 4 and 5)
Introduction, teacher input and key questions
The activities below use free, online software that works on all devices. It helps understand the different sounds instruments make, the important of patterns in music creation and important words such as rhythm/beats, tempo and melody. Most importantly, pupils should be encouraged to experiment with music creation.
You may wish to watch the videos for each activity below as a whole class before pupils try individually. The first video discusses the advantages and disadvantages of making music on a computer. Before watching it with pupils, ask the children and discuss: Can you think why people make music on a computer?
This activity pack has been designed to be taught to both Reception or Year 1 pupils.
What will you and your pupils need?
As well as the websites outlined and PDF help sheet for activity 1 in the activity descriptions below, it also a good idea for pupils to have a pair of headphones so they can focus on their own music creation or headphone splitters if they are sharing a computer or tablet.
Pupils can also follow activities and videos below using the pupil code above. This may help them find the websites they need easier and watch the videos at their own pace.
Paired discussions could be had by pupils for the introduction video and targeted questioning to gather understanding of why we use computers to make music. For activities 2-5, ask pupils to show you their compositions for each activity and for year 1, use the assessment grid below to record.
Pupil Activity Pack (Teacher view)
Why do we use computers to make music?
Watch the video to learn why we use computers to make music.
Starter: Combining sounds
Click/tap play below. Each frog has a sound. Use the + to add sounds and the – to take them away. Select the hat to hear the instructions.
Activity 1. Instrument Sounds and Groups
Instruments make all sorts of sounds and they can also be divided into groups. Wind instruments are instruments such as trumpets and saxophones that you blow air through. Stringed instruments have strings on them, such as guitars, violins and even pianos. Percussion instruments are instruments that you hit or tap, such as drums and xylophones. Watch the video, add people to your music room and give them different instruments. Try to divide the instruments into the groups and use the Instrument Help Sheet below to help you.
Activity 2. Rhythm and Patterns
Watch the video about how to create rhythms and then select play to try yourself.
Activity 3. Create a phrase of music with shapes and patterns.
Watch the video and then select play.
Activity 4: Create a melody
Watch the video and then select play.
Activity 5: Create a melody and rhythm, then change the tempo
Watch the video tutorial and then select play to create melody, rhythm and tempo.
Primary Computing Resources
