Scaling Up and Down

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This is a theme and variations for pupils to join in the notes of a C major scale in several different ways.

The video

Scaling Up and Down

This is a theme and variations for pupils to join in the notes of a C major scale (C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C’) in several different ways, as if going up and down mountains all around the world.

The video’s background image shows Mount Fuji in Japan and the backing track has percussion influences from Peru, Greece and Turkey, urban rock and soul, and Latin music, ending with a cha-cha-cha. Here’s the plan:

Introduction:

• At the start shakers, tambourines, cajon and hand drums set off gently with a laid-back walking pace rhythm to join in; body percussionists play steady thigh slaps and claps in time. Other instruments and voices can hum or play Cs and Gs, joining in with a big double bass.

Theme:

• Following the on-screen notation and arrows, melody instruments of all kinds play C major scale notes going up and down, four notes at a time.
• Drums etc keep going.

Variation 1:

• The groove changes, with percussion and body percussion playing spiky Greek and Turkish rhythms.
• Melody instruments play scales as quavers, following arrows and notation as before, four notes at a time.
• Percussion keep going!

Variation 2:

• The percussion groove changes back to walking pace, with body percussion tapping their cheeks in time.
• Melody instruments join their quavers into eight note phrases, following the notation and arrows.

Variation 3:

• Percussion will play like a rock or soul drum kit, with body percussion patting chest and making cymbal type sounds - ‘tsssss…’ etc.
• Melody instruments play wiggly patterns as triplets, as shown by the notation and arrows.

Variation 4:

• Percussion play like a samba band, with body percussion clicking fingers and playing the whole body in the Latin rhythms.
• Melody instruments play phrases in short semiquaver patterns following the notation and arrows.

Theme again:

• Percussion goes back to the first, laid-back walking groove, with body percussion slapping thighs and clapping.
• Melody instruments play the theme four notes at a time, as at the beginning.

Coda:

• The whole piece ends with four melody notes going down (F, E, D, C) and a cha-cha-cha rhythm from percussion and body percussion.

Resources

School Radio > Music > Join in with Music