Friday, January 10, 2020

Dice Composing Game: Good Better Best

What is the first step to composing a melody?

This question has multiple answers depending on which avenue you decide to take. For example you can make a motif, launch with lyrics, start from the ground up, let rhythm set you in motion or borrow from the experts (See 5 Avenues to Begin Composing). 
This Dice Composing Game inspired by Mozart (the expert!) is a blended approach that provides a comfortable framework for beginning composers as they let the die decide their melodic pathway.
In Finale I stumbled on a hidden Mozart's Dice game and decided to put a "Good Better Best" spin on it to use with my beginning piano students.
Good Better Best Piano Teaching Activity and Free Printable to teach composing skills

Dice Composing Game

Materials Needed:
Dice
The first page provides a rhythmic framework of the completed piece with lyrics, but all the notes are Middle C with chords.... pretty boring!

Cut apart the measures from pages 2-3 and stack the measures with the same letters/lyrics into piles.
Roll the die to determine which melody card from each pile you will use as you play your composition one piece at a time.
If you roll a 1,2,3 or 4 play the card with that number.
If you roll a 5- choose a card of your choice.
If you roll a 6- create your own melody to match the rhythm of the measure using notes from the C pentascale.

Related Posts:
Fun Tools for Teaching Composition
Halloween Composing Free Printable
Scale Practice and Composition with BenSound
Do-Re-Mi Ice Cream Improv Free Printable
Valentine's Composing Piano Group Lessons

No comments:

Post a Comment