LESSON PLAN: Chord Tone Melodies
Objective
Students will compose and transcribe a melody to sing by selecting chord tones from a given set of chords.
Resources
Blank tablature, staff paper, and or regular paper, pencils, guitars
Procedures
- Have the entire class play one chord, such as “G”.
- Do a call and response rhythm on each note/string of the “G” chord, from the low E string to the high E string, singing and playing at the same time.This will be a good vocal exploration inviting students to go into their falsetto range.
- Follow steps 1 and 2 using a second chord, such as “C”.
- Now have students strum the G chord for 1 measure, and then the C chord for 1 measure. While they are doing that, isolate the notes on the high E string for each chord, and sing and play them with a rhythm.
- Now do the same thing on the B string, and then on the G string.
- Explain to your students that you chose a string from each chord as your melody note. First you used the notes that were on the E string, then the notes that were on the B string, and the the G, etc.
- Instruct students to finger each chord as if they were going to strum, but only play the high E string. Give them a rhythm to use, going from G chord to C chord. Now do the same with the B string, and finally the G string.
- Now instruct them to sing and play those tones at the same time.
- Improvise some simple lyrics to the resulting melody.
Extension
Independent Work:
- Distribute tablature paper, staff paper, or blank paper.
- With partners, Instruct students to compose a melody using any two chords of their choosing, but sticking to only one string of their choosing. (You can try also with two strings, or to add non chord tones. Differentiate accordingly)
- One partner plays the chords and the other plays the single string, and then they switch roles.
- Write down their melody, and try to give it some simple lyrics.
National Core Arts Standards (Music)
Anchor Standard #5: Develop and refine artistic work for presentation. Example: MU:Pr5.1.3b – Rehearse to refine technical accuracy, expressive qualities and identified performance challenges. Anchor Standard #1: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work. Example: MU:Cr1.1.5 - Improvise rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic ideas, and explain the connection to specific purpose and context.