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Echo Game

by | Nov 30, 2022

11

Category

vocal
rhythm

Age

10+

Number of participants

10-20

Duration

approx. 40 min.

Working method

group work

Musical abilities of the trainers

1  2  3  4 5 6

Equipment and instruments
  • music player / app to play the song
  • optional: percussion instruments
Competences
  • learning and memory skill
  • cultural sensitivity
  • collaboration
  • attention
  • concentration
  • rhythm recognition

Echo Game

Playful learning of a Japanese children’s song with a possible interpretation with echoing sounds, movements

AIM

The well-known Japanese children’s song offers the participants simple and easy-to-learn singing. Echo play processing requires attention and concentration and creates a special atmosphere, especially with adding instruments (drum), movements or play with lights.

Description

  1. The facilitator talks about the significance of children’s songs in music and poetry in everyday life and in general. After that they listen to the song in Japanese.
  2. Facilitator shares the translation of the Japanese text.
  3. The group sings the song while listening to the recording, they practise till they know the melody with confidence.
  4. The group can try to sing the melody in canon as signed in score (Version 1, Version 2).In version 1, we divide the team into two groups. Thus, the two groups sing the same melody, only shifted in time. The first group starts singing the melody and when they get to number 2, the second group starts over.

The version 2 is much more difficult, there we divide the team into three groups, and they sing the melody by directly entering one after the other.

Simple echo game:
Facilitator starts the eco game with the group: first participants form 2 groups and they stand opposite to each other, not close to each other. On the facilitator’s signal the first group starts to say “ho” or “ho-ho” or “ho-ho-ho” and the other group echo’s this. This game can be combined with movement, drums or flashing lights (this work better in the evening).

Lyrics

Ho ho hotaru koi
atchi-no mizu-wa nigai-zo
kotchi-no mizu-wa amai-zo
ho ho hotaru koi

Translation – Come Firefly
Fly, fly, firefly, come
The water over there tastes bitter
The water over here tastes sweeter
Fly, fly, firefly, come
Printable version

Composition Game

by | Nov 30, 2022

19

Category

vocal

Age

8+

Number of participants

8-25

Duration

approx. 15 min.

Working method

group work

Musical abilities of the trainers

1  2  3  4 5 6

Competences
  • creativity
  • collaboration
  • attention
  • concentration
  • musical hearing
  • rhythm recognition

Composition Game

In this game sheets with special characters – any character
that are not on a classic sheet – have to be created
and performed by the team.

AIM

This is a game for improving cooperation skills and developing focus in a creative way. Creating the sheet and coming up with a song with rhythms is a great team building exercise. By listening to the song to be performed, it adds to the fun atmosphere.

Description

The facilitator creates two groups and explains the task.

First group has to find a simple song that the other group needs to play on a music device or by heart. This part of the game is like a music sheet creation task: they have to capture the song, however they cannot use classic notes but symbols.

For example:
instead of „ ♪ ♫ ” they can use symbol “$” and they have to explain it means: sing „LA”
or with the symbol „❤” they want the other group to sing another note
etc

When the first group finishes, the second group performs it based on the instructions – as a music reading task.

Printable version

Human Keyboard

by | Nov 29, 2022

31

Category

vocal

Age

8+

Number of participants

8-56

Duration

approx. 10-30 min.

Working method

group work

Musical abilities of the trainers

1  2  3  4 5 6

Competences
  • concentration
  • collaboration
  • attention
  • cooperation
  • sence of rhythm

Human Keyboard

This is a game to get everyone involved – and it can range
from something very simple to quite complex.

AIM

The main aim is inclusion, team building.
Everyone is able to make a sound, feel to be included and present in the group, experienced to build something from simple to more complex.
It can also be a performance, with practice and time!

Description

This a game where players represent the keys of the piano and team creates music by singing the key they represent when leader makes a sign.

LEVEL 1 – Intro/Ice Breaker

Participants stand in a line with their arms out in front of them (elbows bent for comfort!).

Participants are given a sound to make, when the DJ/Producer touches/pushes down their hand. This sound can be a ‘Laa’ or a ‘Bom’ – any kind of sound.

Then 8 people given a Key with the name (C, D, etc). You can even ‘sing’ the name of the Key. You can also use a piano/keyboard etc for the actual tuning if you like/need.

C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C

Practice by ‘playing’ the keyboard. Play a scale. Play random notes. Then play 2 notes together on different keys.

Next, gather any additional people up around each ‘Key’. Make the space needed so everyone can see when you push the hand of the lead key. Also space people out so you can reach all the keys easily!

Practice again by playing the keyboard and doing a Scale.

Play the keyboard!

Get different people to play the keyboard.

 

LEVEL 2 – Tiny songs

As above, with these adaptations:

After the Demo with 8 people, or after the activity above:

Split the group into teams – of 9 or more.
Each Team has 10-15’ to create and practice a short piece of music, 30s-1’ long.

Performances 

 

LEVEL 3 – Making Music

As above, with these adaptations:

You can have multiple keyboard players.
You can also have a singer, or group of singers, playing alongside the piano.

You could combine with the Human Sampler!

Participants are given 30’ or so to create a piece of music – original or an existing song, to perform.

comments for facilitators

This is anything from a short intro/icebreaker, to a full session creating a piece of music. This all depends on the group and the facilitators.
Similar to the Human Sampler, but with more musicality/skill.

Printable version

Hallelujah, We Don’t Need Instruments!

by | Nov 29, 2022

34

Category

vocal

Age

8+

Number of participants

10-30

Duration

approx. 20 min.

Working method
  • group work
Musical abilities of the trainers

1  2 3 4 56

Equipment and instruments
  • music player / app to play the song
  • keyboard and instrument for first reference
Competences
  • concentration
  • attention
  • collaboration
  • cooperation
  • hearing sensitivity
  • inner hearing

Hallelujah, We Don’t Need Instruments!

In this activity they will perform the famous song Hallelujah
only with their voices, without instruments, dividing roles
of chords and melody.

AIM

Following the activities dedicated to capella singing, and inner pitching. The idea of performing harmony and melody enables the participants to go a step further in the inner tuning capacity. They are not going to have a harmonic accompaniment. They are going to do it themselves. In that way, all of the participants have to hear to each other and can achieve a more global (harmonic also) view of singing.

Description

  1. They will listen to the song in order to refresh it
  2. The facilitator will explain that they are going to sing a capella
  3. The group will be divided in groups with chord functions and melody functions
  4. The chords function is going to be progressively complicated if they can do it properly: 1st root, 2nd add fifths and 3rd add thirds

Lyrics

Now I’ve heard there was a secret chord
That David played, and it pleased the Lord
But you dont really care for music, do you?
It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth
The minor falls, the major lifts
The baffled king composing Hallelujah…

Your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew her
She tied you to a kitchen chair
She broke your throne, and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah…

Well, maybe there’s a God above
As for me all I’ve ever learned from love
Is how to shoot somebody who outdrew you
But it’s not a crime that you’re hear tonight
It’s not some pilgrim who claims to have seen the Light
No, it’s a cold and it’s a very broken Hallelujah…

Well people I’ve been here before
I know this room and I’ve walked this floor
You see I used to live alone before I knew ya
And I’ve seen your flag on the marble arch
But listen love, love is not some kind of victory march, no
It’s a cold and it’s a broken Hallelujah…

There was a time you let me know
What’s really going on below
But now you never show it to me, do you?
And I remember when I moved in you
And the holy dove she was moving too
And every single breath we drew was Hallelujah…

Now I’ve done my best, I know it wasn’t much
I couldn’t feel, so I tried to touch
I’ve told the truth, I didnt come here to London just to fool you
And even though it all went wrong
I’ll stand right here before the Lord of song
With nothing, nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah…

comments for facilitators

If the activity is too difficult for them the piano would be added as a harmonic help. Aspects that must be paid attention to during the exercise are the ability to hold the pitch, and the accuracy of the intervals.
Printable version

Vocal Chord Building

by | Nov 29, 2022

36

category

vocal

Age

12+

Number of participants

in multiples of 3 or 4

Duration

approx. 20 min.

Working method

group work

Musical abilities of the trainers

1  2  3  4  56

Equipment and instruments
  • any musical instrument or app to have the first tuning references
Competences
  • attention
  • cooperation
  • concentration
  • hearing sensitivity

Vocal Chord Building

This activity is designed to build the harmonic ear, avoiding the classic exercises. We will improve the inner listening by building chords with our voices, focusing on the triads and on the tonal functions.

AIM

The principal aim is to develop the inner harmonic ear. This cognitive tool will help the participants to understand the musical text in a deeper way, facilitating the singing, humming process and the creative process.
Submitted to that, the activity itself will improve the tuning skills and the listening skills while singing. We cannot forget to mention that cooperation; new ways to practise and healthy singing are part of the second aim.

Description

  1. Order in groups of 3 or 4
    2. Give the participants the musical reference
    3. All together sing with arpeggios the I IV and V degrees withthe guidance of the facilitator.
    4. Repeat the cadence without help
    5. Group by group, give the fundamentals and ask them to develop the chord.
    6. If they complete the precedent activities easily, next they will do directly different cadences. I-V-VI-IV
    7. The most accomplished activity would use different cadences and would alternate the chords they have to do.
    The last cadence but with changing roles, better said.

COMMENTS FOR FACILITATORS

As an illustration, you can search for simple, well-known melodies and songs to which these chords fit and you can sing along with it.

Printable version