AABA Songwriter Part 2

Part 2: Planning the Music
Complete the Part 2: Planning the Music handout using the information below.

This project will build on your songwriting skills and incorporate new skills of composition.

Task: Write a 32 bar song in the AABA Form.  

Your song will have 5 tracks all created by you:

1. Melody 
2. Harmony RH 
3. Harmony LH
4. Bass
5. Drums (snare, bass, cymbal as minimum)

You will be writing a song in the AABA format like this:

AABA, this type of song has an opening section (A), a bridge (B) before transitioning to the final A section. This song form is used in a variety of music genres including pop, gospel and jazz.

Construction:

The classic AABA song form can be illustrated as such:
A = 8 bars
A = 8 bars
B = 8 bars
A = 8 bars

Harmony:

Choose one progression for the A and one progression for the B section.  

Each four bar progression will be repeated once in each section to total 8 bars.

Progression 1: I - V - vi - IV (C - G - Am-F)

Progression 2: I - IV - V  -I    (C - F - G - C)

Progression 3 : I - ii - V - I (C - Em - G - C)

Progression 4 : I - IV - vi - V ( C - F - Am - G)

Progression 5: I - vi - IV - V  (C - Am - F - G ) 

Melody:

A melody is one note at a time and STARTS on the root note of the scale - in this case C.

Your melody uses notes from the C Major Scale:

Melody A is REPEATED each time the A section is repeated.  In a song that is sung, the words would change, while the melody remained the same.

Melody B must be DIFFERENT from Melody A.

Complete the "Songwriter Plan" Handout before starting to create you project in Mixcraft.

AABA Songwriter Project Part 1

You will be writing a song in the AABA format like this:

This type of song has an opening section (A), a bridge (B) before transitioning to the final A section. This song form is used in a variety of music genres including pop, gospel and jazz.

Construction:

The classic AABA song form can be illustrated as such:
A = 8 bars
A = 8 bars
B = 8 bars
A = 8 bars

• You'll notice that it has 32 bars all in all. 
• The first and second A sections are composed of verses which are the SAME in melody but different in lyrics. 
• This is followed by the bridge (B) which is musically and lyrically different than the A sections.
•  The melody, harmony, bass, and drums of the bridge is DIFFERENT from the A section MELODY.
• The bridge gives the song contrast before transitioning to the final A section.

Song Samples:

AABA Song Form - "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"

First A: Somewhere over the rainbow way up high
Second A: Somewhere over the rainbow skies are blue
B Section: Someday I'll wish upon a star and wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Final A: Someday over the rainbow bluebirds fly...
This song also has a short "Coda" or ending.

Other Examples of AABA song form:
Deck the Halls

 "Crazy" (1961, Patsy Cline, by Willie Nelson) 

"That'll Be The Day" (1958, Buddy Holly)
"Great Balls of Fire" (Jerry Lee Lewis)

"From Me To You" (1963, The Beatles, Paul McCartney and John Lennon) 

Part 1: Planning Title and Meaning
Complete the Part 1 Songwriting Planning Handout using the information below.

Choose a Theme
Here is a HUGE list of songwriting themes. Choose one or make up a theme of your own.  Remember to write about your own experience.

Title / Main Hook 

The title in an AABA song can be used in three main ways:

• The first line of the verse
• The last line in the verse
• Both the first and last line of the verse

(Sometimes the title / main hook will also appear within the bridge section.)

Create a Title that will HOOK your listener.  Choose from the list above how you will include it in your song.

Planning Your AABA Song

It is a good idea to have a clear outline that can be used to develop your idea clearly and help you to convey it concisely. Plan what the purpose of each A section is, and what you want it to convey. The bridge section is a great place to make a point to make relating to the hook. The fact that the B section contrasts melodically and rhythmically from the A sections helps the point to stand out and be set apart from the rest of the song.

The natural flow and uninterrupted development of the AABA Song Form lends itself beautifully to one of the following formulas:

Basic

Verse 1 - Introduce an idea

Verse 2 - Develop the idea

Bridge - Offer a different perspective, omitting the title

Verse 3 - Conclusion

Problem-Solution

Verse 1 - Identify the problem

Verse 2 - Elaborate on the problem -- what caused it?

Bridge - Discuss the solution to the problem

Verse 3 - Talk about where we go from here. In a sad song, this is where we offer hope.

Vignette

Use "word pictures" to suggest visual images to imagination of the listener. Keep them interested in and focused on the hook.

A common vignette development is to use a time-line:

Verse 1 - Set in the past

Verse 2 - Set in the present

Bridge

Verse 3 - Set in the future

or

Verse 1 - Set in the present

Verse 2 - Flashback to the past

Bridge

Verse 3 - Back in the present

Vignettes can use unrelated verses, except in the way they come to or develop the hook.

Yet again the B Section is the place to draw focus back to the core song concept.

Interesting Online Music Tools

Bored? Done your work? Try these sites for Online Music tools:

Drumbot - Drum machines, chord progression generator and much more.

Until AM - online DJ tool

UJAM - Songwriting

Audiotool - Sequencing

Chord Progressions Exercise

In each scale and key there are a series of Chord Progressions that sound good and are often used in songwriting.  You will explore these sounds today.

Task:
Record these 5 common chord progressions in one exercise so that you can choose what progressions to use for your next songwriting project.

You will need 2 tracks:
1. Chords
2. Bass

Your whole project is going to be 20 bars long.

Here are your Chord Progressions.  Use ONE BAR for each chord in the progression.

Progression 1(Bars 1-4) : C - G - Am-F or  I - V - vi - IV

Progression 2:  (Bars 5-8) ; C - F - G - C or  I - IV - V  -I  

Progression 3 : (Bars 9-12) C - Dm - G - C or I - ii - V - I

Progression 4 :  (Bsrs 13-16)  C - F - Am - G or  I - IV - vi - V

Progression 5:  (Bars 17-20) C - Am - F - G  or  I - vi - IV - V

These are the chords you will need. Use fingers 1-3-5 to play each

Chords



Bass:
As always, use the Root note of each triad (chord) for the bass line.  Use only one note at a time. Always play the Bass notes in the Bass Clef (lower half of keyboard).

Add a Marker to your tracks at the beginning of  Progression 1, Progression 2, Progression 3 etc. to mark where each begins.



Right Click on the TIMELINE at the beginning of each progression. Give each progression a Title: Progression , for example and a different colour.


Once completed, submit as an MX7 file entitled "Chord Progressions Your Name."

Listen to each progression carefully as you will be choosing from these progressions for your next songwriting project.

Beginner Songwriter Project

Task: To create a short song using a melody, chord progression, bass line and drum beat.

Objectives:

• To understand and use the primary chords of I, V, vi, and IV in C Major
• To understand the concept of the Pentatonic Scale
• To understand the concept of the Bass Line and how to write one.
• To create a melody using a Pentatonic Scale
• To import a MIDI file into a Mixcraft project.

Previous knowledge required:

• copy, paste and labeling of regions and tracks.
• creation of drumbeats.
• mixing, panning and Master Effect

This is how  your final project should be laid out:

Songwriter Diagram

Bar#

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

Track 1: Melody

Premade Melody A

Create your own B melody

End

Track 2:  Harmony RH

C

G

Am

F

C

G

Am

F

C

G

Am

F

C

G

Am

F

C

Track 3: Harmony LH

C

G

Am

F

C

G

Am

F

C

G

Am

F

C

G

Am

F

C

Track 4: Bass Line

Create your own A (see instructions)

Create your own B

End

Track 5: Drums (Cymbal, Snare, and Bass)

Create your own A

Create your own B

End

Steps:

1. Open a Mixcraft Virtual Instrument project and under the Sound menu, select "Add Sound File." Choose the MIDI file "Beginner Songwriter Melody.mid" from the Pickup folder. 
2. Begin recording your Harmony RH and Harmony LH in separate tracks.  Use whatever rhythms you like for your chords. 
3. Create your B part Melody using only the notes of the Pentatonic Scale.  It must be different from the given melody, but still sound like it  is from the same song.
4. Create the Bass Line for each chord using the instructions on the handout.
5. Choose appropriate instruments for each part by choosing a genre or style of music.  Choose your instruments wisely: 
1. Harmony parts are played by Keyboards or Guitars or a group of instruments like Strings or Choir.  Harmony cannot be played by Tambourine! 
2. Melody parts should be played by an instrument that will stand out from the rest of the sounds.  
3. Bass parts must be played by a Bass - not by a Flute!
6. Create the Drumbeat for the A section and then change it and create something different for the B section.
7. Create an ending that sounds intentional.  Don't just cut off the music!
8. ALWAYS QUANTIZE!
9. Add a Master Effect.
10. Pan, mix and balance.
11. Submit as MX6 and MP3 as :"Beg Songwriter Your Name:

Extension ideas for bonus marks:

• Create a 2 or 4 bar intro and outro
• Add drum "fills" to add interest to your drum part.
• Vary the TEXTURE in your assignment so that not every instrument is playing at the same time.  

Handouts:

Beginner Songwriter Exercise

Your task is to use the handouts provided to create short mini song using the popular
I - V- vi - IV chord progression we discussed last class. This is a short exercise to prepare you to write a longer song for the Beginner Songwriter project.

Task:

1. Record the 4 chords in the progression as Harmony RH and Harmony LH.  One bar each.
2. Create a bass line for each chord using the handout provided as a basis for your understanding.
3. Create a very short Melody using the Pentatonic Scale provided in the handout.
4. Create a drum beat for your short clip. 
5. Label ALL regions and tracks like so:
1. Melody
2. Harmony RH : C - G - Am - F
3. Harmony LH :  C- G - Am - F
4. Bass Line
5. Drums (minimum 3 basic sounds)
1. Cymbal
2. Snare
3. Bass Drum (Kick Drum)
6. When done, I raise your hand and I will check your work.  Save it in your H: drive. 

Your final product should be set-up like this:

Some extra help with chords.  Here is a diagram of most of the chords you will need for our upcoming project.  Check the titles of each chord carefully before using this diagram. The first four chords (C Major, F Major, G Major and A Minor) are the chords needed for this assignment. 

Scales, Triads and Chords Lesson

In Western Music, songs are made out of scales and chords.

Here is a C Major Scale:



The 8 notes of this scale are the white keys of the piano, starting on C and ending on C one octave higher.

The scale follows a specific pattern of intervals which is Whole Step, Whole Step, Half Step, Whole Step, Whole Step, Whole Step, Half Step. Every major scale follows this pattern, no matter what note the scale starts on.  More on that later.

A TRIAD is made up of three notes like this:

Triads look like snowmen!

Each triad is made up of a Root, a Third, and a Fifth

The triad is always named after the ROOT.
This Triad has a C as the Root, so this is a C Triad.

Triads are what make up Chords that we use to write our music.

Triads can be written on any degree of the scale.




The triad is always named after the ROOT note.

Practice: Now practice your Triads and Scales on the worksheet distributed by Ms. Moynihan.