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Read MoreHalloween-Themed Inspired Play-Along Medley with Live Instrumental Selections
Though this is not one of my popular rhythm play-along videos, I have to say that it is one of my favorite ones. This is a Halloween-inspired rhythm play-along video with all live, instrumental selections. Taking five familiar live instrumental selections played often around Halloween time, this is a medley rhythm play-along intended for older elementary and middle school music classes. This is one of many play-along videos for the fall. Click like and subscribe, check out other play-along videos, and if you like my resources, please consider donating me a cup of coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/elmusedtech
Read MoreNew Boomwhacker Play-Along for Older Elementary: I Want Candy
Get ready to rock with this boomwhacker play-along for older elementary students, featuring the fun tune "I Want Candy" by Berns, Feldman, Goldstein, and Gottehrer, performed by Kidz Bop. This is a perfect jam to bring out during the Halloween season, as it's all about sweet treats and no mention of spooky stuff.
Read MoreAutumn Medley Body Percussion/Movement Play-Along Video
This week’s play-along video is one that focuses on movements and rhythms so that you can choose how to use them in your classroom. In the States, Autumn begins this week. I chose a medley of songs that include the months of September and October, and the seasonal weather that is associated with fall in certain parts of the world. This video does not mention Halloween or pumpkins, but more in the lines of leaves and the weather becoming colder.
The songs are:
“September” by Earth, Wind & Fire (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gs069dndIYk)
“Harvest Time” by Luke Bryan featuring The Bartaks (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4QTpRoYLdg&t=20s)
“Just Like Autumn” by The Tuesday Crew · Jordy Searcy · Carly Bannister (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I--bUH-JJdA&t=87s)
“Autumn Leaves” by Ed Sheeran (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Vpk9zYYeBs&t=22s)
Added to the blog this year are the digital manipulatives and ideas on how to perform this with students.
Like my resources? Please consider buying me a coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/elmusedtech
Read More#techtiptuesday: How to Create an Interactive Boomwhacker Play-Along Video from a PDF File Using Soundslice!!
I love using resources for songs, especially ones that come with extra parts for classroom instruments. When Music K8 sends boomwhacker parts with the song, it gives me options for alternative ways for students to learn the song. However, there are times when my students need manipulatives to assist with their music literacy. How can I create an interactive video for the boomwhacker part to assist with my students’ learning of the song?
Read MoreSeptember: Boomwhacker Challenging Edition
I adore Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September,” and it received plenty of airplay this past weekend as we celebrated the 21st of September. While many have speculated that the lyric, “Do you remember the 21st night of September?” refers to the equinox, the band has mentioned that they considered several dates, but the 21st sounded correct with the meter.
Boomwhacker Edition
I searched for a Boomwhacker version of the song but couldn't find one. Please let me know if there are any available. However, I discovered numerous videos for body percussion and rhythm play-along. As a result, I quickly created my own using Soundslice.
Imported the melody into SoundSlice.
Added Boomwhacker colors.
Adjusted the accompaniment track to C Major and modified the tempo with Moises.ai, while lowering the vocals since the key change affected them significantly.
Uploaded it to SoundSlice.
Synced the melody with the accompaniment, and voila! A Boomwhacker play-along video.
However…
The video is quite basic. I opted not to swing the rhythms, but you might choose to do so. The tempo may still be a bit fast, and it sounds somewhat off in C Major. This might not suit your students perfectly, so no worries! You can always use one of my other play-along videos or find alternatives from other channels. However, if this one works for you, I hope you and your students enjoy it!
Manipulatives
The manipulatives include a fun video of musicians performing a version of the song on Boomwhackers, some interesting facts about the song, and the score to help your students learn it before they dive into the play-along video. Manipulatives can be found in my https://buymeacoffee.com/elmusedtech/september-boomwhacker-challenging-edition
Soundslice or YouTube
Feel free to use this YouTube link (https://youtu.be/f8rZ_uqpeGY) or the Soundslice link (https://www.soundslice.com/slices/lpK2c/) with your students. With the YouTube link, you can change the tempo (and key if you have the Transpose Extension - https://transpose.video/). With the Soundslice link, you can change the tempo, key, view, the way it scrolls, add the melody or take it away, take out the note names, and more.
Coming Soon
#techtiptuesday Turn a YouTube Video into a Slide Presentation using Brick
Brisk Teaching is an AI tool designed to help educators save 10-20+ hours weekly by creating instructional materials and providing feedback. It integrates with platforms like Google Docs and Slides, allowing teachers to generate quizzes, lesson plans, and presentations tailored to diverse learners. Brisk is free and easily added as a Chrome Extension.
One feature allows users to turn YouTube videos into slide presentations, generating content about artists and music styles. Teachers can customize presentations by selecting templates, grade levels, and personalization options once they provide feedback.
Key features include:
Creating lessons based on videos
Starting presentations that accompany videos
Providing additional context about songs or topics
Brisk offers a convenient option for those using Google Slides in music classes.
Play-Along Video: A Sky Full of Stars (Body Percussion Version)
This is the body percussion version of the rhythm play-along I created over the summer.
This summer, I have been getting into Coldplay’s music. I am not sure why I am so late to join on this bandwagon, but their music has evolved throughout the almost three decades that they have been making music and I am enjoying listening to their progression.
The rhythms included in the play-along are:
Quarter Note - Crotchet and rest
Eighth Note - Quaver
Half Note - Minim and rest
Whole Note - Semibreve and rest
Accents
Crescendo/decrescendo
Dynamics
Use this as retrieval practice for reading and performing rhythms, as a fun play-along to introduce a new concept, to welcome a new school year, or to celebrate that you all made it through a full week of school.
Read MoreSteady Beat Play-Along Video: Pumpkin Spice Teacher
Check out this rhythmic play-along video tailored for your youngest students, drawing inspiration from the current "everything pumpkin" trend. The video not only features the song created using Suno but it also demonstrates the free tools employed for producing the video, such as Canva and Clipchamp.
Read More#techtiptuesday Recording Your Google Slideshows/Manipulatives
I love the phrase, “I was this years old when…” I discovered the record button that will allow you to screen-record your Google slideshows.
Read More12345678 Boomwhacker and Solfa Challenge!
The "12345678 Challenge" is a rhythmic workout that focuses on your timing, coordination, and groove by clapping or tapping numbers 1-8. Check out this play-along video for a fun mashup of pitches using boomwhackers, Solfa, dance moves, and faster beats. For teaching aids, swing by my Buy Me A Coffee page. Let the musical magic begin!
Read More#techtiptuesday Flat.io Has Recorder Fingerings and RIP Finale
I love the phrase, “I was this many years old when I discovered…” that Flat.io has recorder fingerings! During Midnight Music’s webinar last week, Batya, one of the Midnight members, told us about the recorder fingerings found in Flat.io. Plus, RIP Finale Music Notation Software. 35 years and many users were shocked.
Read More2 New Tips in Canva for Elementary Music Teachers!
If Canva is your ultimate sidekick for creating classroom wonders like presentations, videos, posters, and more or diving into the magic of AI tools for creating all sorts of cool stuff, then brace yourself for some classroom magic!
Katie Argyle from Midnight Music introduced me to the wonderful TeamRonDi’s Design with Canva YouTube Channel, where they spill the tea on Canva's latest features and sprinkle in tips and tricks to level up your Canva game. From their recent video 8 Exciting Canva Updates, I cherry-picked two gems perfect for jazzing up the elementary music classroom.
Read More#techtiptuesday #17B MusicFIrst Elementary’s New Graphic Score Tool!
MusicFirst Elementary just introduced the Graphic Score Tool as a part of their Creative Tools, which now makes it seven creative tools included in this curriculum.
Read More#techtiptuesday Have You Checked Out Futurepedia?
Futurepedia is a well-known online platform that focuses on AI tools, technology trends, and futuristic innovations. It acts as an extensive AI tool directory, providing in-depth descriptions, user feedback, and the most recent developments in AI and related areas. Through the platform, users can browse a variety of tools grouped by their functionalities like image creation, text processing, data analysis, and others. It is especially beneficial for individuals aiming to remain up-to-date with advanced technology and to find new tools that can boost productivity, creativity, and innovation.
Read More#techtiptuesday Let's rock 'n' roll with Soundslice in the Elementary Music Classroom!
Join me as I share a tech tip about using Soundslice, a versatile tool ideal for music education. Key points include customization options, transposition features, and benefits like focused learning and practice. Soundslice complements classroom use, offers advanced features, and allows exploration of artists' work. Consider checking out Midnight Music for helpful resources on creating content with Soundslice.
Read MoreEmbarking on a First Project Using YuStudio and 3 Loops!
YuStudio in MusicFirst Elementary Is an amazing web-based DAW that can score videos and notate music! Here is one of the first projects to have your elementary music students do with YuStudio!
Read More#techtiptuesday Transpose | Pitch Shifter - Browser Extension
Have you ever been on YouTube and wished you could change not only the speed of the video but the pitch as well so that the song could play in a key that fits your students’ voices or instruments better? If the answer is yes, then look no further than the Transpose | Pitch Shifter - Browser Extension (Transpose ▲▼ pitch ▹ speed ▹ loop).
Read MoreBoomwhacker and Percussion Instrument Play-Along in Honor of the 2024 Summer Olympics
Image captured from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoyRy3FpoFk
This week’s play-along is a tribute to the upcoming Summer Olympics in Paris, France. It is titled “Boomwhacker and Percussion Instrument Play-Along to John Williams - Olympic Fanfare and Theme conducted by Gustavo Dudamel - Performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic with the help of the U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own” at the 2014 Walt Disney Concert Hall Gala”. It features many instruments and some complex rhythm patterns. The manipulatives feature fun facts about John and Gustavo, along with the score of the boomwhackers and percussion instruments.
You can view this on my YouTube Channel or my Soundslice Channel. The benefit of the latter is that you can alter the tempo, isolate the parts, change the key, mute certain parts, and more.
The manipulatives have the score along with fun facts about the music, composer, and conductor! They can be found on my Buy Me a Coffee Channel in the Extras Section.
Read More#techtiptuesday 5 Ways to use Canva's AI Tools in Your Classroom
It's challenging to avoid the topic of AI in education these days, given its significant presence. Regardless of your personal stance on AI, it has become an integral part of our students' lives, including elementary students who likely interact with it in various ways. We've also incorporated AI into our own practices, such as using a track splitter to remove vocals or a website to edit photo backgrounds.
Considering the availability of Canva for Education as a free tool for K-12 educators, here are five AI Tools (or Magic Tools) found in Canva that educators can utilize to save time or enhance writing and other tasks.
Read More