Thank you for helping us to make a difference in the lives of our Antelope Valley youth. Introduction Be a Theatre Critic...

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2 Dear Educator, As you make plans for your students to attend an upcoming presentation of the Arts for Youth program at the Lancaster Performing Arts Center, we invite you to prepare your students by using this guide to assure that from beginning to end; the experience is both memorable and educationally enriching. The material in this guide is for you the teacher, and will assist you in preparing your students before the day of the event, and extending the educational value to beyond the walls of the theatre. We provide activity and/or discussion ideas, and other resources that will help to prepare your students to better understand and enjoy what they are about to see, and to help them connect what they see on stage to their studies. We also encourage you to discuss important aspects of the artistic experience, including audience etiquette. We hope that your students find their imagination comes alive as lights shine, curtains open, and applause rings through Lancaster Performing Arts Center. As importantly, we hope that this Curriculum Guide helps you to bring the arts alive in your classroom! Thank you for helping us to make a difference in the lives of our Antelope Valley youth. Arts for Youth Program Lancaster Performing Arts Center, City of Lancaster Introduction... 2 Overview of the California Content Standards for Public Schools... 3 Theatre Etiquette... 4 Be a Theatre Critic... 5 What s Important to Know?... 6 Play Your Part Discussion Questions Resources... 16

3 Our Arts for Youth program addresses and supports California Content Standards for K-12 education. Curriculum Connections: Visual and Performing Arts: Music, History, Music History, Creativity, Math. Applicable California Content Standards Samples easily applied in your classroom Visual and Performing Arts, Music: Grade Analyze and compare the use of musical elements representing various genres and cultures, emphasizing meter and rhythm. 2.5 Arrange simple pieces for voices or instruments, using traditional sources of sound. 3.5 Classify by style and genre a number of exemplary musical works and explain the characteristics that make each work exemplary.

4 Arrive on time Plan for possible delays in travel and parking. Please arrive a minimum of 30 minutes prior to show time. Students: Leave recording devices of any kind at home or in your backpack at school Video or audio recording and photography, including camera phones, are often prohibited by law and may disrupt the performance. They are not permitted and are considered very rude to the others around you. Teachers: Turn off or silence all personal electronics Beeps, clicks, tones and buzzes and light pollution emanated by personal electronics such as watches, pagers, Bluetooth devices, cell phones, etc. interrupt the performance and spoil the theatre experience. Observe the instructions of ushers The ushers are present to offer assistance, ensure rules are observed and provide guidance in the case of an emergency evacuation. Please show them consideration. You will be asked to exit to the left of the theatre at the end of the performance. Be respectful While entering and exiting the theatre: Put your hands in your pockets or behind your back. Talk very quietly. Once seated: Do not talk. Keep your feet on the ground. Put your hands in your lap or fold your arms. Abstain from eating or drinking inside the theatre Crackling wrappers and containers and food messes in the auditorium are unwelcome. Food, candy, gum and drinks should never be brought inside the theatre. Avoid talking, waving and shouting during the performance Laughing and applauding are encouraged at appropriate times. Shouting to actors/friends is disrespectful to others. Save personal conversation for after the show. If you must talk, please whisper very quietly. Do not exit the auditorium during the performance except in the case of emergency If you must leave, please wait for an appropriate break in the performance. Teachers, please arrive early enough to escort students to the restroom prior to the start of the show.

5 Do not get onto the stage or place items on the edge of the stage To ensure the safety and security of performers and audiences, this behavior is strictly prohibited unless expressly permitted by a performer or staff member. Dispose of garbage in proper receptacles Help preserve a pleasant environment by depositing all debris in appropriate receptacles. Extend common courtesy and respect to your fellow audience members Civility creates a comfortable and welcoming theatre experience for all. Bring very small children only to age-appropriate performances Small children easily become restless at programs intended for older children, and may cause distractions. During the performance watch for: Facial expressions and actions Use of Stage and Space Lighting, Music and Sound effects Vivid stories and word pictures Interaction with audience and each other Voice Dynamics: projection, volume, speed, rhythms and differing styles in speech

6 Biography of Ethan Bortnick Ethan Bortnick 10 Year Old Pianist, Musician, Composer, Actor, Artist. At only ten-years-old, Ethan Bortnick is already achieving accomplishments that many musicians work towards for an entire career. Ethan learned to play the piano at the early age of three by mimicking any music he would hear, whether on the radio or while listening to the popular Baby Einstein series. With a talent well beyond his years and the ability to play almost any song by ear, he has developed a repertoire spanning from classical masterpieces to timeless jazz standards to current chart-toppers. This talent includes the outstanding ability to compose his own music, which he began doing at the age of five. Ethan appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in May of 2007, making his national television debut. Since then, he has returned to the show three times as Leno s guest, including an appearance in May 2009 where he presented Jay with a special gift a song titled The King of Late Night which Ethan wrote as a tribute to the talk show host. He has appeared on national shows on every major network including The Oprah Winfrey Show, Good Morning America, The Martha Stewart Show and Yo Gabba Gabba. Appearing in front of audiences as large as 20,000 people, Ethan has performed in concerts and televised specials both nationally and internationally. He made his concert stage debut in May 2007 opening for Nelly Furtado in Hollywood, after meeting her on the set of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Ethan has taken the stage with both the Orlando and Naples Philharmonic Orchestras, making him the youngest piano soloist to ever perform with these ensembles. Through concert and charity events, he has shared the stage with legendary artists including Elton John, Natalie Cole, Smokey Robinson, Beyoncé, Reba McEntire and many more. Ethan has opened for Katy Perry and also recorded with artists such as Black Eyed Peas and Jay Z! On February 1, 2010, Ethan joined music s biggest names as the youngest member of the all-star We Are The World 25 For Haiti line up. Produced by Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie, the track featured superstars including Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Kanye West and Miley Cyrus and made its debut during the opening ceremony of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. Ethan also recently earned the distinction of being the youngest musician to be endorsed by premier instrument manufacturer Gibson Guitar/Baldwin Piano. Ethan has also made a name for himself as one of the world s youngest philanthropists, using his talent to express his desire to help people, especially children. By performing, inspiring and educating, he has helped raise millions of dollars for charities around the world. These charities include the Miami Children s Hospital, the Boys & Girls Club, the American Heart Association, the Starkey Hearing Foundation and many others. Ethan also made a special appearance at Muhammad Ali s Celebrity Fight Night in March 2009 to help raise money for the fight against Parkinson s disease and other charities. As part of the event, Ethan honored the legendary boxer with a song titled The Champ that he wrote for especially for Ali. The song led to an impromptu on-stage sing-along featuring such high profile guests as Josh Groban, David Foster and Forrest Whitaker. In August 2010, Ethan achieved the honor of being the youngest musician with a PBS concert special when Ethan Bortnick and His Musical Time Machine aired nationally on the network. Recorded at the historic El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles, the special features Ethan performing musical classics from all eras and will include special guest appearances by legendary artists such as Arturo Sandoval and Gloria Gaynor.

7 Ethan started his road tour in late 2010, lighting up the stage in his first national headlining tour. Like his PBS special, the tour will feature Ethan bringing some of music s biggest hits and classics to life for crowds both young and old in over 50 cities across the country. While on tour, Ethan will also entertain the crowd with some of his own compositions while sharing the inspirational stories behind each piece. piece. Music from different time periods (Mozart, Justin Bieber). Show how music is still music. Study each How Did Music Begin? Prehistoric music is music made before people were writing things down. Because there are not records, experts have to hypothesize (hi-poth-eh-size), or make guesses, about how early people made music. Human voices: Humans used different noises to express fear or joy. These sounds, along with some of the sounds they heard from animals, such as birds chirping, might have led them to make music. Finding a rhythm: When people began to use tools, for instance to pound grains, they may have done so in a rhythm, or a regular pattern. These sounds might have led them to make other pleasing rhythms with the first percussion instruments. Early percussion instruments: Early humans probably banged rocks together to make tools. When they did, pieces might have broken off that they used for another purpose, such as scraping. Those same pieces of stone could have been used to scrape rhythms on shells, wood or other stones. Early people probably made clapping sounds with their hands. They also might have hit sticks on a hollow tree and noticed how loud it was. This may have been the beginning of a hollow wood instrument called a slit drum. Later, people stretched animal skins over wooden frames then hit the drums with their hands or sticks. Such drums were used in honor of animals or plants. Some filled gourds, shells or other items with small stones, nut shells or animal teeth and shook them as rattles. They were used to accompany, or go along with, music and dance. Today, instruments are usually grouped into four categories: Strings, Brass, Woodwinds and Percussion. A piano falls into two instrument categories: strings, because it has long metal strings, and percussion, because small felt hammers strike the stings when you play the keys. Strings: Strings include guitars, violins and large standing instruments such the cello. The strings may be made from sheep gut, nylon or wire. Today s stringed instruments are more complex than the early similar instruments. Violins, guitars and other strings can be electrified, which makes them louder and can give the musician more control over the sound. Brass: A wind instrument, such as the French horn or the trombone, made of brass or other metal. Sound is produced through vibration of the lips and adjustment of the length of the sound tube by means of valves or a slide. Woodwinds: Woodwinds include Bassoons, Bass Clarinets, Piccolos, Flutes, English Horns and Oboes. Today s woodwinds are made of wood, plastic or metal. Others, such as clarinets and saxophones, have a reed that vibrates when the player blows air through the mouthpiece.

8 Percussion: There are many ways to add a rhythm to music. Percussion instruments can be used as rhythm instruments to help us keep the beat. Others can be used as melody instruments. History of Classical Music We have seen how composers throughout the ages have written in a wide variety of forms, and for an even wider range of musical instruments and combinations. But exactly how did this veritable mountain of musical material come into existence, and how does it all interrelate? The following brief outline provides an introductory overview of musical history, from Gregorian Chants to the present day, picking out the major composers along the way. Medieval ( ): This is the first period where we can begin to be fairly certain as to how a great deal of the music which has survived actually sounded. Renaissance ( ): The Renaissance (literally meaning "rebirth") was a time of great cultural awakening of the arts, letters, and sciences throughout Europe. With the rise of humanism, freedoms were increased. Sacred music began to break free of the Church, and composers trained in the Netherlands mastered the art of what is actually perceived as 'harmony' and 'polyphony' (the simultaneous movement of two or three interrelated parts) in their settings of sacred music. Secular music thrived during this period, and instrumental and dance music was performed in abundance, if not always written down. Baroque ( ): During the Baroque period, the foundations were laid for the following 300 or so years of musical expression: the idea of the modern orchestra was born, along with opera (including the overture, prelude, aria, recitative and chorus), the concerto, sonata, and modern cantata. Classical ( ): The Baroque era witnessed the creation of a number of musical genres which would maintain a hold on composition for years to come, yet it was the Classical period which saw the introduction of a form which has dominated instrumental composition to the present day: sonata form. Early Romantic ( ): As the Classical period reached its high point, it was becoming increasingly clear (especially with the late works of Beethoven and Schubert) that the amount and intensity of expression composers were seeking to achieve was beginning to go beyond that which a Classically sized or designed orchestra/piano could possibly cover. Late Romantic ( ): With the honorable exceptions of Brahms and Bruckner, composers of this period shared a general tendency towards allowing their natural inspiration free rein, often pacing their compositions more in terms of their emotional content and dramatic continuity rather than organic structural growth. Post 'Great War' Years ( Present): The period since the Great War is undoubtedly the most bewildering of all, as composers have pulled in various apparently contradictory and opposing directions. As world cultures have combined with other cultures, their native musical styles have often merged into new styles. For example, the US-American bluegrass style contains elements from Anglo-Irish, Scottish, Irish, German and some African-American instrumental and vocal traditions, and could only have been a product of the twentieth century. These mixing of styles have been named World Music and covered diverse destinations from Haiti to the Himalayas, and musical styles from arabesque to samba; and big successes have included Salsa, Paris Café Music, Cajun & Zydeco, Highlife, African Rap and Bellydance. Some, producers

9 see a clear connection between world music and social change, and have established good relationships with a number of development and human rights organizations. History of Piano Since the first time man plucked a string to create sound, many stringed instruments of vastly differing creation have been invented. One such instrument using strings to create music is the piano. There have been many forms of this instrument throughout history. The piano is an instrument found in all parts of the world. Its large range, which practically encompasses that of a symphony orchestra, its ability to whisper the pianissimos and thunder the fortissimos, and its magnificent literature, make it one of the most beloved, useful and popular of instruments. Dulcimer: This ancestor of the piano originated in Iran shortly after the birth of Christ. It illustrates the basic principles of the piano, hammers striking multiple strings tuned over a flat soundboard. Instead of mechanical hammers, dulcimer players used two light sticks ending with broader blades. Clavichord: First built around 1400, the clavichord was most popular three centuries later in the music of Bach. When a key is pressed, a vertical brass strip (tangent) is lifted toward a pair of strings. The clavichord has a quiet tone, but the way it s built allows for some control of dynamics and even vibrato. Virginal: The typical virginal is a small harpsichord with keys at right angles to a single set of strings. When a key is pressed, a vertical rod (jack) holding a leather or quill plectrum rises and plucks the string, producing a louder tone than the clavichord but without its dynamic variety. Spinet: Though originating in Italy, the spinet was perfected by English builders in the late seventeen century, about the time of composer Henry Purcell. The jack mechanism plucks the strings just as in the virginal, but the wing shape permits longer strings, increasing the volume and expanding the range to as much as five octaves. Harpsichord: Pictured as early as the fifteenth century, the harpsichord form (where the keys are in line with strings) reached its peak in the period of Bach and Handel. In this shape, the pattern for the modern grand, the strings are longer, and the instrument sounds louder than the clavichord. Cristofori Pianoforte: About 1709, Bartolommeo Cristofori built several instruments in the harpsichord shape but with hammer mechanisms surprisingly like the modern piano action. Because players could control soft and loud (piano-forte), which was impossible on plucked keyboard instruments, Cristofori named his new instrument pianoforte! Piano of Beethoven s Time: During the eighteenth century, piano builders gradually extended the keyboard. Two important new developments were the escapement action for faster repetition of notes (about 1770 by Stein in Augsburg), and the damper and soft pedals (1783 by Broadwood in London). Special pedals, like the ones in this illustration, were often added to produce exotic effects.

10 Upright Piano: The upright design was already in use for harpsichords in the sixteen century. In the eighteenth century, many builders (especially in Germany) tried to apply this form to the pianoforte. In 1800 the first satisfactory uprights were invented. Square Grand Piano: The square piano originated when German builders (especially Johannes Socher in 1742) tried to adapt Cristofori s pianoforte to the traditional rectangular shape of the clavichord. The square piano was popular until about Piano of Lincoln s Time: During the nineteenth century, the piano continued to become more powerful and responsive. The outstanding improvements were the double-repetition action of Sebastien Erard (Paris, 1821) which allowed very rapid repetition; and the full cast-iron frame of Alphaeus Babcock (Boston 1825), the basis for today s extended keyboard. Modern Grand Piano: The grand piano of today incorporates the best qualities of early keyboard instruments. Cross stringing a way to achieve greater richness of tone by passing more strings over the center of the soundboard was invented by Alphaeus Babcock in 1830, but was not used in the grand piano until the second half of the nineteenth century. The sostenuto, or middle, pedal was introduced in the late nineteenth century, permitting greater musical coloring. On early fortepianos, the mechanism we now know as the pedal was often manipulated by the knees. For example, you would raise a lever with your knee in order to lift the damper from the string. Can you imagine a piano with five pedals? These existed. Two of the pedals we still have today. The first pedal the right pedal is the damper, which releases the dampers from the strings, allowing them to vibrate. The shift, or una corda, pedal is the one on the left that helps change tonal color and play more softly. Then there were other pedals we do not use today: the moderator, bassoon, and harpsichord or Janissary pedals which created various effects. The third pedal on our contemporary pianos is the sostenuto, invented in The modern piano acquired its essential characteristics by the 1860s or 1870s. The first piano in America was made by John Brent of Philadelphia in There have been many piano companies in our country through the years. You have an important role to play; it wouldn t be a performance without you! Your part is to pretend the stories are real. Part of this includes accepting certain theatre ways, or conventions: 1. Performers tell the story with words (dialogue), actions (blocking), movement and sometimes songs. 2. Performance Poets tell stories and depict their feelings through rhymes or rhythmic verse. 3. Performers may speak to the audience. 4. Performers may play several different characters (doubling) by changing their voice, costume or posture. How to play your part: A performance is different from television or a movie. The actors are right in front of you and can see your reactions, feel your attention, and hear your laughter and applause. Watch and listen carefully to understand the poems, verses and stories. The stories and ideas are told by the performers and come to life through your imagination.

11 Musicians use a very special vocabulary when they are composing and performing music. You can also find some words that a teacher may use in band, orchestra, chorus, or private music lessons. Accelerando: growing gradually faster Accent: stressed or marked; the note is a little louder than the notes around it Allegro: lively, brisk, rapid Andante: "walking" speed; indicates a moderately slow tempo Compose: To create a literary or musical piece Crescendo: gradual increase in loudness Diminuendo: gradual decrease in loudness Forte (f): loud, strong Fortissimo (ff): extremely loud Interval: the distance between two notes Lento: slowly Mezzo-forte (mf): medium loud Mezzo-piano (mp): medium soft Moderato: medium tempo or speed Pianissimo (pp): very softly Piano (p): soft in sound Ritardando: growing gradually slower Rondo: a piece of music in which the "A" section alternates with the other sections Tempo: the speed of the beat Common terms used to discuss particular pieces Notes: an abstraction that refers to a specific pitch and/or rhythm, or the written symbol Melody: a succession of notes heard as some sort of unit Chord (music) chord: a simultaneity of notes heard as some sort of unit Chord progression: a succession of chords (simultaneity succession) Harmony: the relationship between two or more pitches Counterpoint: the simultaneity and organization of different melodies Rhythm: the organization of the durational aspects of music.

12 Join Ethan s network: Kidz Bop: millions of Ethan s fans from 1st-5th grade communicate with him here: You too can become his fan and be a part of The Ethan Show. You can give him ideas for his next show, and learn about his interests, such as his favorite music, which is everything except Heavy Metal; he loves classical, Jazz, Rock, Pop Music, and Kidz Bop! Compose your own music: Ethan likes to compose his own music (he started when he was five!). Remember that he even figured out how to play your cell phone ring tone! There are many methods to composing. Here is a fun website that can help you learn more about notes and composing: Have YOU ever wanted to be like Johnny Nasser, Beethoven, and others? Listening to music and enjoying the melodic overtones makes you wonder if you also could compose a song, or even just a melody! Some very well known composers do not know how to read sheet music, but are very successful. Most of the time however, a background in reading music and playing an instrument is important. Compositions Musical composition is a term that describes the makeup of a piece of music. Methods of composition vary widely. Music can be composed for repeated performance or it can be improvised, or composed on the spot. The music can be performed entirely from memory, from a written system of musical notation, or some combination of both. The study of composition has traditionally been dominated by Western classical music methods, but the definition of composition includes spontaneously improvised works like those of free jazz performers and African drummers. Understanding the composition of a piece is done by singling out its elements. An understanding of music's formal elements can be helpful in figuring out exactly how a piece is made. A universal element of music is time, or more generally rhythm. When a piece appears to have no time, it is considered 'rubato'. The Italian term, meaning "free time", which does not mean "without rhythm", but rather that the 'tempo' or time of the piece changes dynamically. Even random placement of random sounds, often occurring in musical montage, occurs within some kind of time, and thus employs time as a musical element. Any musical piece comprised of elements can be considered a "composition." Steps to compose for more musicians with some experience Method 1 Enroll in a class and take lessons for a beginner s instrument if you are not already playing an instrument. You will need to be able to play the something at least at a basic level. Please do not assume piano is the only way to go. Yes it is conventional, but many composers have begun their compositional careers on

13 instruments such as the guitar, oboe and clarinet. Learn to actually listen to the musical devices and their sound. Learn the musical scales. The most powerful scale tool musicians have is the diatonic modes, which are just scales, starting on different root notes. You will need to know all about music theory. Take a class in high school or college, or even teach yourself via the internet. You will need the knowledge regardless of how you learn it. You may want to take easy and well-known pieces and try to switch them around, make your own version of them, change the key, and alternate the chords. Be creative! Listen to other composers' music to learn techniques through instrument combination or rhythms that get the most out of each emotion. Understand that after creating the melody, knowledge of harmony and accompaniment is essential. Some helpful things to look up for an accompaniment would be chord progressions and scale knowledge. Remember that music theory was made so each musician wouldn't have to experiment as much when making music. Know the sounds of each instrument used in your composition. Know which instruments fit into which category of music as explained above (e.g. String Quartet: 2 violins, viola, cello; Brass Quintet: 2 trumpets, horn, trombone, and tuba). Sit at the piano or pick up a guitar and have fun. Play by ear. Play things and see if they sound good together. If you want to be able to play the same thing again later, try using a MIDI keyboard. It can be hooked up to a computer, and will print your notes onto sheet music for you. If you have good ear training try to make a melody in your head, then hum it, and pass it to the guitar or piano. This takes a lot of practice and dedication, but is a great composing tool. Have a notebook with the musical staff and pencil handy, if you don't use a MIDI keyboard. Write the note combinations that sound good to your ear. With guitar, write down the chords and guitar lines you play. It will help you to be familiar with music so you can name the chords and know the notes/scales that should be played along with the chord. Create a rough draft. Just like a written composition in English class, music requires multiple revisions before the final piece is ready. Build off your melody. The best thing here is imagination. Don't forget about dynamics, expressions, or articulation. Utilize contrary motion. Contrary motion is the technique of having one line go down while the others go up. This is an extremely useful technique that will rapidly improve the sound of your piece. Consider carefully the structure of the piece; if it has sections make them clear, and keep the listener interested. Try to think where the listener will become bored, and be brutal with your judgments. Also, read up on musical forms.

14 You can go to your music teacher and ask him/her for help. Often you will find they are more willing than you assume. Method 2 Start from the rhythmic foundation (percussion and bass), the chord progression (guitar and/or keys), or the melody (lead guitar/keys). Songs have a definite structure to them. You want to get to the foundation as soon as you can, to create a strong base for your piece. Create a groovy bass line that complements the melody but doesn't copy it note for note (use counterpoint for example). Make a drum beat starting with just the kick and snare that complements and supports the bass line. Note: just lay down a basic beat to act as a template. Once you go to the other sections you can return to change things up a little based on the progressive sound of the song. Quite often I find I have a vision of what I'm trying to write and it will morph into something new. You have to be able to make adjustments along the way. Create a rhythm that complements the core/ foundation of the song. Start with a basic chord progression and build/ change from there. For example a chord progression may use I, III, and V (ex C, E, G) and fall into a: I, III, pattern for example (where I is the root of the chord and III and V are the next two higher notes in the chord). Play individual notes randomly, then see which ones sound good playing at the same time and use that to build chords from scratch. While you write the music, write lyrics to the song. You may already have lyrics, so you can tailor a song to match them; or you could do the lyrics after the rhythm. To ensure you tell a good story, do not be afraid to change lyrics or the music to achieve the best mutual fit. Make sure you put in all the essential elements: Intro, verse, hook, bridge (optional), and outro/coda. Let the lyrics help guide you if you have lyrics. Pick a key idea of the song or a catchy phrase and a cool guitar/ keyboard lick to create a melody. Choose the mood or style of the song. You'll know you're there when you can't get the phrase/ lick out of your head! Quite often a 2-8 word phrase will do it ("shoulder lean", "love shack, baby love shack", etc). Once you have it to this point add a pad, sound effects, lead parts, etc. If your song "tastes right" then you've done a good job Record and listen back to your song as a music critic (would you listen to this on the radio or change the station?). Let others listen to it and make suggestions. Go back and make any adjustments you need to, but be warned! too many adjustments will make your song sound/ "taste" terrible, DO NOT over correct. Good luck and have fun!

15 Method 3 Keep in mind that some of these steps are - clearly - for songs with guitars. You don't have to follow all of them exactly - in fact, some of them can just be omitted from memory if you don't need them for the kind of music you play. It's not recommended that you do, but follow the general outline. Pick a scale/mode for a note. Any one works. If you're writing a progressive song, then you have the option of picking more than one, just make sure the two aren't the same thing (check out the notes in each scale and make sure that they are significantly different). The chromatic scale is usually sonically pleasing. Find out the chord configuration for that scale/mode (the major scale, starting from the first degree, is as follows: major, minor, minor, major, major, minor, diminished, seventh, ninth). Add chords of two to four notes to some melody notes to produce harmony. Come up with a drum beat. Don't overdo and try to "display all your talent". Write the rhythm and lead guitar riffs. If you're writing an upbeat song, you can use full/barre chords, power chords or both. If you're writing a slow, calm song, only use full/barre chords, or there will be nothing in the song worth listening to. If you're going for the heavy metal song, then you can use the higher note/bass note patterns that At the Gates popularized for flavor or groove (although it's not recommended that you do it a whole lot, or else you'll seem like you're hopping on the mallcore train), power chords can provide the chord progression, and full/barre chords can add something different. Add the other instruments. Bass can follow the chord progression, but also has the option of doing whatever as long as it stays in the key everyone else is playing in. Keyboards/pianos generally follow the chord progression, although some bands have keyboardists that follow the lead guitar part. Write the lyrics if you have them. Come up with the chorus, bridge, etc. Progressive songs don't necessarily need the song structure. Add the extras such as solos, etc. Come up with collaboration between all the instruments. Have fun. Most of the musicians and composers we know did not take any lessons- but, they compose music from their hearts. Feel the song inside you and just play it on!! Steps to compose for more musicians with some experience See the following website for suggestions:

16 Study guide created by: Ethan Bortnick Study Guide Edited and Enhance by: Lancaster Performing Arts Center Staff Other Resources: htm ry/music