Unit Name:
Introduction to DAW
Unit Description:
For students to generate creativity by navigating, understanding, and operating Avid Pro Tools - a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW). Students will learn and demonstrate how to import, manipulate, and export digital audio and create and edit MIDI files in the DAW at a professional level.
Length:
1 Session Unit
Grade Level:
High School +
Learning Objective:
To engage with Pro Tools - a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) in order to produce a pop music instrumental track. Students will learn the functions and settings in Pro Tools to create original instrumental music within a standard pop song arrangement.
Insights:
Concepts, ideas, and emotions influence a music producer’s creations through a diversity of causes.
Questions:
How do music producers determine what to create?
What is Pro Tools?
Content:
Pro Tools basics
Deciding what to create
Deconstructing a current hit pop song
Proficiencies:
How to operate and navigate Pro Tools
How to add/use EQ on tracks
MIDI and Digital Audio usage
Importing audio
Arrange song form
Knowledge:
How to start the Pro Tools application
How to create/save a Pro Tools session/project
How to export completed production audio
Assessment:
Consider the steps and actions taken by student in Pro Tools to achieve the final project.
Unit Name:
Introduction to Music Theory and Chordal Composition
Unit Description:
For students to conceptually grasp the foundational rules of harmony. Students will learn and demonstrate basic music theory and chordal composition skills necessary to produce pop music.
Length:
1 Session Unit
Grade Level:
High School +
Learning Objective:
To compose and arrange basic chord progressions in the pop music genre in order to produce a pop music instrumental track. Students will learn the standard use of chords from a key to create original instrumental music within a standard pop song arrangement.
Insights:
Concepts, ideas, and emotions influence a music producer’s creations through a diversity of causes.
Questions:
How do music producers determine what to create?
Content:
Major scale
Chords – major and minor
Chords in a key
Deciding what to create
Deconstructing a current hit pop song
Proficiencies:
How to determine what chords to use
How to compose simple melodies based on a key
How to compose a bass part consistent with the chord changes
Arrange song form
Knowledge:
Basic music theory
Major scale outlines a key
Chords are a root, 3rd, and 5th starting from each scale tone
Assessment:
Consider the steps and actions taken by student regarding chords, basslines, and melodies in their final project.
Unit Name:
Deconstructing a Pop Song
Unit Description:
Listen to a pop song and determine exactly what the drum part is, exactly what the bass part is, exactly what the keyboard part is, and transcribe each, including the chord progression. Students will learn and demonstrate how to transcribe these elements.
Length:
1 Session Unit
Grade Level:
High School +
Learning Objective:
To reverse engineer a pop song through transcription in order know how producing a pop music instrumental track is done. Students will learn the art of transcription to gain the skills necessary to create original instrumental music within a standard pop song arrangement.
Insights:
Concepts, ideas, and emotions influence a music producer’s creations through a diversity of causes.
Questions:
How do music producers determine what to create?
What is transcription?
Content:
Transcription basics
Deciding what to create based on the transcription
Deconstructing a current hit pop song
Proficiencies:
How to transcribe a drum part
How to transcribe a bass part
How to transcribe a keyboards part
How to transcribe the chord progression
Ear training
Knowledge:
Transcribing a drum part
Transcribing a bass part
Transcribing a keyboard part
Transcribing a chord progression
Assessment:
Consider the steps and actions taken by student through transcribing in order to achieve the final project.
Unit Name:
Introduction to MIDI and Audio
Unit Description:
For students to become acquainted with MIDI and audio samples. Students will learn and demonstrate how to utilize MIDI with a software synthesizer and import, manipulate, and export digital audio in the DAW at a professional level.
Length:
1 Session Unit
Grade Level:
High School +
Learning Objective:
Use MIDI and audio samples in order to produce a pop music instrumental track. Students will learn the differences between MIDI and audio samples and demonstrate each use to create original instrumental music within a standard pop song arrangement.
Insights:
Concepts, ideas, and emotions influence a music producer’s creations through a diversity of causes.
Questions:
How do music producers determine what to create?
What is MIDI?
Content:
Audio sample basics
Deciding what to create
Deconstructing a current hit pop song
Proficiencies:
Creating a MIDI track
Pointing your MIDI notes to a software synthesizer
MIDI and Digital Audio usage
Importing audio
Arrange song form
Knowledge:
How to use MIDI
How to use audio samples
How to export completed production audio
Assessment:
Consider the steps and actions taken by student in Pro Tools regarding MIDI and audio samples to achieve their final project.
Unit Name:
Producing Drum, Bass, and Keyboard Tracks
Unit Description:
For students to generate creativity by producing drums, bass, and keyboard parts to build a song’s structure. Students will learn and demonstrate how to import and manipulate digital audio in the DAW at a professional level to build drums, bass, and keyboard parts.
Length:
2 Session Unit
Grade Level:
High School +
Learning Objective:
To engage with Pro Tools - a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) in order to produce a pop music instrumental track by importing and manipulating MIDI and audio samples creating drums, bass, and keyboard parts. Students will learn the functions and settings in Pro Tools to create original instrumental music within a standard pop song arrangement by importing and manipulating MIDI and audio samples creating drums, bass, and keyboard parts.
Insights:
Concepts, ideas, and emotions influence a music producer’s creations through a diversity of causes.
Questions:
How do music producers determine what to create?
Content:
Separate drum instruments (kick, snare, high hat, tom toms)
Appropriate basslines and riffs
Create simple pop chord progressions on keyboards
Deciding what to create
Deconstructing a current hit pop song
Proficiencies:
How to operate and navigate Pro Tools
How to add/use EQ on tracks
MIDI and Digital Audio usage
Importing audio
Create MIDI files
Knowledge:
How to make a drum beat
How to make a bassline
How to create chord progression
How to choose sounds from a software synthesizer for bass and keyboard
Assessment:
Consider the steps and actions taken by student in Pro Tools to achieve the final project with regard to the above knowledge.
Unit Name:
Introduction to Mixing and Mastering
Unit Description:
For students to grasp the understanding of EQ and Mastering techniques inside Pro Tools. Students will learn and demonstrate how to add EQs to carve out the dark mud of a mix and implement simple mastering techniques to put the finishing touches on their production.
Length:
1 Session Unit
Grade Level:
High School +
Learning Objective:
To engage with Pro Tools in order to produce a pop music instrumental track polishing the mix with EQs and mastering. Students will learn the art of mixing levels and EQs and final mastering in Pro Tools to create original instrumental music within a standard pop song arrangement.
Insights:
Concepts, ideas, and emotions influence a music producer’s creations through a diversity of causes.
Questions:
How do music producers determine what to create?
Content:
Learn EQ
Determine the proper volume level of each instrument for a good mix.
Master the mix to make it pop
Deconstructing a current hit pop song
Proficiencies:
How to operate and navigate Pro Tools
How to add/use EQ on tracks
Determine proper volume levels
Master a song
Knowledge:
How to EQ
How to mix
How to master
Assessment:
Consider the steps and actions taken by student in Pro Tools to achieve the final project through EQ-ing, mixing, and mastering.
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