Lesson focus & goals:

• Understand the role of sequencing / arranging in music

• Exploring sequencing techniques

• Begin to use Ocean to create music

• Begin to create sounds for your own tracks

Learning objective:

• Introduce students to the world of sequencing and enable students to compose a piece of music effectively by putting sounds together through sequence.  

What is a Sample?

A Sample is a short recording of sound taken from an existing recording and re-used in another recording.

What Is a sequencer?

A sequencer is an app or device that can record, edit or play back music. in Ocean the sequencer looks like this. Sequencing beats on Ocean is easy, just click the sequencer to form a pattern, and press play to hear it.

Patterns & Brains

Our brains are hard-wired to recognize patterns. When we hear or see a sequence, our brains can start to understand what comes next. All of our senses can spot patterns. Below are two examples of visual and audio patterns.

This is an example of human pattern art etched onto a rock from 200,000 years ago.

https://ideas.ted.com/what-the-mysterious-symbols-made-by-early-humans-can-teach-us-about-how-we-evolved/

Fast forward 200,000 years and humans have developed ways of creating electronic music and representing drum beats as patterns. Below is an example of a very repetitive piece of music. Can you visualise the pattern of this music?

When we listen to repetitive musical sequences, we hear the subtle details of all the sounds involved. How does the hi-hat change, how does the kick drum really sound? We have to mindfully listen to music and reflect on it.

Structure / Activity:

1. Students will be introduced to Ocean: how to use the platforms tools - using the sample library, effects, sequencing and arranging tab

2. In pairs you will compose a piece of music using the same laptop / iPad

3. 1 person will focus on melody / harmony (piano, synth, vocal sounds), the other on beats/percussive elements i.e. drums

4. Discuss in your pair what will be your inspiration for creating the music i.e. storms, sunshine, orchestral, etc. 

5. Create a minimum of 30 second loop on Ocean and develop your ideas together using a mixture of sounds, creating a clear structure 

6. Showcase your work to the class, and explain your ideas for the composition

7. Students are then able to give feedback and ask questions on others’ compositions 

Homework idea: 

• Experiment musical ideas at home using Ocean, try manipulating sounds with the effects available, and experiment with the ‘arrange’ tab to build up to a longer track

• If you play an instrument, create a backing track on the website and use this to improvise over your creation with 

• Useful resource to dive into, terminology bank here

Lesson focus & goals:

• Gain a deeper understanding of the origins of Disco music 

• Gain a clear understanding of how disco music is created using basic elements available on Ocean

Learning objective:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the origins of disco music

• Use Ocean to begin to make a track using disco music elements

• Share your project with the teacher & one other student

Structure / Activity:

1. Following from learning about House Music, we’ll go back further than this and understand the origins of Disco

2. Teacher to showcase the basics of Disco Music, see below;

• Typical Tempo: 120 - 130 bpm

• Origins: Late 1960s - early 1970s, from Philadelphia & New York City (US) 

• Pioneers: ABBA, Bee Gees, Gloria Gaynor, Earth Wind & Fire, Chaka Khan  

• Characterised by: four-on-the-floor beats, repetitive lyrics, syncopated repetitive bass line. It also often includes strings, horns, synths and guitars. 

• Influenced by: Funk, Soul 

• Influenced future genres: House, Pop, Hip Hop 

• Play some examples of classic disco tracks e.g:

1. Get students on the platform and showcase the samples that will be needed for them to create their own:

• Samples needed: kick, snare, hi hat, tambourine, cowbell, handclap

• Drum machines: A LinnDrum, TR 707, TR505, or Oberhein DMX, Hi hats from Boss DR-660 

1. Now that you have the basics of house music, use the concepts to create your own track using inspiration from the ABBA and Bee Gees track.

2. Your track must be at least 1 minute long

3. Once you have created your track, collaborate with one other student and build on your idea. Get creative with your project

4. Share your project with other students and the teacher for feedback and suggestions

Homework idea: 

• Continue to work on your disco  music project at home, explore other ideas through developing a further understanding to the genre

• Listen to some classic disco tracks on YouTube HERE

Lesson focus & goals:

• Gain a deeper understanding of the origins of House music 

• Gain a clear understanding of how house music is created using basic elements available on Ocean

Learning objective:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the origins of house music

• Use Ocean to begin to make a track using house music elements

• Share your project with the teacher & one other student

Structure / Activity:

1. Now that you have understood some fundamentals of music making on Ocean we will begin to use these to focus on different genres 

2. Teacher to showcase the basics of House Music, see below;

• Typical Tempo: 120 - 130 bpm

• Cultural Origins: Early 1980s, Chicago & New York, United States predominantly by black and LGBTQ+ audiences 

• Pioneers: Frankie Knuckles & Ron Hardy 

• Characterised by: Uptempo, consistent heavy kick drum on four beats per bar (“four to the flour beat”), a clap on beat 2 & 4, uplifting, powerful vocals & melodic synth hooks. 

• Influenced by: Disco, Jazz, Latin Soul 

• Influenced future genres: Footwork, Acid House, Deep House, Techno, UK Garage and many more. 

• Play some examples of classic house tracks e.g. Frankie Knuckles - Your LoveRon Hardy - Sensation

1. Get students on the platform and showcase the samples that will be needed for them to create their own:

• Samples needed: Kick drum, snare, 3x toms, rim shot, hand clap, open & closed hi hat, ride, crash + adding shuffle / melodic pattern to the production 

• Drum Machines: 707, 808 and 909 are the core drum machines that gave house music its particular sound. 

1. Now that you have the basics of house music, use the concepts to create your own track, your track must be at least 30 seconds long and use musical techniques like layering when sequencing out your beat

2. Once you have created your track, collaborate with one other student and build on your idea. Get creative with your project

3. Share your project with other students and the teacher for feedback and suggestions

Homework idea: 

• Continue to work on your house music project at home, explore other ideas through developing a further understanding to the genre

Listen to some classic house tracks on YouTube here