Create 4 or 8 bar chord sequences, arrange simple parts for bass, guitar, keyboard, drums and percussion.
Then create different sections of a song, record and export these to wherever you like. What I love about it is the way it allows you to experiment really quickly with what different chord progressions sound like. You should totally check it out, it’s free!
Learning Music from Ableton…
Learningmusic.ableton.com is amazing!! It will teach anyone (on any device) how to create music using a computer. You start off making simple beats, learning about the differences between acoustic and electronic drums.
It just goes on and on… Octatonic scales, modes, inversions, seventh chords?! Unbelievable. I’ve started my year 4s on it and they love it! Click here to go straight to The Playground
ListenImagineCompose…
Here are some more traditional composition resources created by teachers and composers working in the classroom- whole schemes of work, lesson plans etc for you to download for free. The website is called ListenImagineCompose from the fantastic people at Sound and Music, Birmingham Contemporary Music Group and Birmingham City University. You have to register, but once you have, there are so many ideas for you to take and use in your classroom. My personal favourite is scheme of work 4 ‘Making Music Relevant’ created by composer Fraser Trainer with teacher Lizzie Hastings from Sir John Lawes School, Harpenden. One thing though… I would love to see/hear student work that I could use as examples, for me that would really bring these resources to life!
MyMusicEd 