Computer running sequencer software (Cubase, Logic etc.), providing MIDI information either to a keyboard or to an internal sound card.

Printouts of song, notation and words.

Pitched and unpitched classroom instruments.

This activity will fit into any unit where pupils are developing singing or playing skills as a class, or in smaller groups. They would be expected to have some experience of singing together as a class and of working together independently in mixed ability groups on simple performing or composing tasks.

The activity described uses a round, but could be adapted for teaching any song, part-song or instrumental piece. The choice of round is deliberately left to the teacher, who may wish to place the lesson within a wider context.

Observe basic recording and copying procedures on a computer sequencer.

Sing a round with whole class, using sequencer as aural accompaniment and visual guide.

Learn to play round, or devise a rhythmic accompaniment.

Learn to sing and play a round from memory.

Devise and rehearse a group performance.

Play with an awareness of others, developing a sense of ensemble.

Develop awareness and knowledge of simple sequencer operations.

Teacher records the song on the sequencer, demonstrating simple editing as appropriate. Having created one ‘part’ containing the whole melody, this is then copied to adjacent tracks to create a round of 4 or 5 parts. Pupils listen and observe movement of song position line as the round proceeds.

In groups, class sing song as a round, using sequencer both as an accompaniment, and as a visual prompt for the entry of each part. This could be attempted in a variety of ways, e.g. with larger or smaller groups; muting sequencer tracks corresponding to more confident groups; muting all tracks, sequencer acts merely as a visual prompt, perhaps with the metronome click; sing at different tempos, using sequencer tempo change.

Pupils devise a way to perform the song in group, using voice, pitched and unpitched instruments as they wish. The pupils themselves decide who in the group does which task e.g.:

• sing the melody
• play the melody
• devise a melodic or rhythmic accompaniment

(Pupils can use printed scores as support as appropriate).

As they work, the teacher invites a group to work with the sequencer:

• One pupil starts, stops, ‘rewinds’ sequencer while the other pupils devise or rehearse their parts.
• Pupils take turns to operate sequencer.

Extension activity: Pupils experiment with different timbres for each part of the round.

Groups perform to class, deciding for themselves whether they wish to use the sequencer as accompaniment.

Whole class performance: teacher leads performance, adapting to the individual group arrangements as necessary. Extension: compare class performances undertaken with, and without, the sequencer.

Teacher observation

Peer/self assessment

Questioning might include:

• Did you learn to sing the round from memory?
• Did you learn to play the melody from memory?
• Did your group play well together?
• Did the sequencer help you to learn the round?
• Did the sequencer help you perform the round?
• What did you learn about computer sequencers?