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Learning about Rhythm and Texture while using our voices to create A Capella masterpieces. Boots and Cats.

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Learn the fundamentals of Music, how to read and write some basic staff notation, and get our heads around the concepts of Pitch, Dynamics and Tempo.

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Learn the necessary skills for performing both an 18th Century Waltz and a 21st Century Pop song.

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Music is for everyone. Play with simple experiments that let anyone, of any age, explore how music works.

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Learn about synthesizers via Ableton's interactive website. Play with a synth in your browser and learn to use the various parts of a synth to make your own sounds.

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Learn about the instrument families of the Orchestra, and utilise them in performing 2 different keyboard pieces.

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Guess the Sound | Musical Instruments Quiz | Instrument Sounds

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The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra - Animation

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Learn about the chronology of Hip-Hop and write/perform your own rap, in 3 distinct flow styles.

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Choose a theme - it could be about anything, for example where you live, your family, school. Write down lots of words that you associate with your theme, they don't need to rhyme at first.

When you have the words, try to build some rhymes. Rap is often written with couplets that go at the very end of each line. Find some pairs of rhyming words that work well together as you're writing, and aim to keep the lines all the same length.

Project self-confidence - often rappers will write about being the best at what they do.

Work on performing and writing lyrics that get the crowd excited.

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Choose a theme - it could be about anything, for example where you live, your family, school. Write down lots of words that you associate with your theme, they don't need to rhyme at first. When you have the words, try to build some rhymes.

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Rapping, deconstructed: The best rhymers of all time

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Create a modern pop song with 4 chords and lyrics. With Pitch, Dynamics and Tempo in the bag, it's time to focus on Structure and Texture.

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Most songs will have a , which is repeated several times with the same lyrics.

In between there are - there are usually new lyrics in each verse and they have a different melody to the chorus.

Some songs have a - a section which is a bit different to the rest. It often appears before the final chorus.

Some songs have an instrumental section or solo. The solo could be the same on each performance or it could be improvised.

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Most songs will have a , which is repeated several times with the same lyrics. In between there are - there are usually new lyrics in each verse and they have a different melody to the chorus. Some songs have a - a section which is a bit different to the rest.

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HELP! What's a VERSE, CHORUS, & BRIDGE? (Songwriting 101)

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Following the traditions of Vivaldi and Saint-Saens, we will write our own descriptive pieces of Music about seasons and animals.

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Melody writing - KS3 Music - BBC Bitesize

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Explore writing a melody and find out how melodies are used in popular music, with this guide for students aged 11 to 14 from BBC Bitesize.

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7 super common chord progressions and why they work

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Using your voice is a personal thing but there is a style of singing for everyone. If you don't know what style you might enjoy, experiment to find out what works for you. Here are some suggestions on how to start:

Pick a style of music you're interested in. If it requires sheet music, you are likely to find lyrics and music on the internet. Listen to some versions of a chosen song and have a go - it doesn't have to be perfect!

Don't be put off if it doesn't sound good at first. Keep practising and try to copy the song styles as best as you can.

Find other people to perform with, whether that's in your home, at school or in groups with friends. It's much more fun to have a go together.

Listen to lots of music and performances, both professional and amateur.

If you want to pursue this further, consider finding experts in the style, for example singing teachers, local choirs or online tutorials.

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How to sing, rap and beatbox - performing

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Using your voice is a personal thing but there is a style of singing for everyone. If you don't know what style you might enjoy, experiment to find out what works for you. Here are some suggestions on how to start: Pick a style of music you're interested in.

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Use GarageBand to compose and improvise in 2 distinct styles from around the World: Indian Classical Raga and Chinese Pentatonic Music.

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It combines Punjabi folk music from India and western pop music.

Popular banghra artists include Panjabi MC, Bally Sagoo and Sazia Judge.

Mundian To Bach Ke by Panjabi MC was a banghra pop hit. It used electronic instruments and traditional Punjabi instruments including the , a one-string fiddle which plays a three note riff. The song also features a sampled bass line taken from the 1980s television series Knight Rider .

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Compose your own fusion music - with Ravi Shankar and Ten Pieces

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It combines Punjabi folk music from India and western pop music. Popular banghra artists include Panjabi MC, Bally Sagoo and Sazia Judge. Mundian To Bach Ke by Panjabi MC was a banghra pop hit. It used electronic instruments and traditional Punjabi instruments including the , a one-string fiddle which plays a three note riff.

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The Concert for Bangladesh, August 1, 1971

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Learn about Syncopation through the medium of Reggae. Compose a Reggae song using your own chords and lyrics.

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Roots, Reggae, Rebellion Full BBC Documentary

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A hands-on half term, showing off your ability to collaborate, percussively, in a Samba Bateria. Some lessons on the loud drums, and some on the keyboards.

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Rhythm Clap Along - Level 1 to 3  (For Beginners/Kids) 👂🎵👏

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Rhythm Clap Along – 3/4 Time | Level 1 to 3 | For Beginners/Kids 🎵👏

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Learn about the functional side of Music - content creation. Aim for your target audience as you compose the Music for an advert.

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Anyone can be a composer! Though it may seem intimidating at first, composing music does not have to be a difficult thing - by the end of this post, you'll already have composed your first (and perhaps second and third) piece of music.

Learn more about composing your music and then read a spotlight on one of the United States' most famous composers, Leonard Bernstein.

Compose With Us Now

Check out this easy composition game that will have you creating new music in no time! When you're done composing, click "share" to get a link you can send to friends. Click to share it with us as well - you just might get to hear your very own composition performed by professional musicians in a special project we're working on!

*If your composition won't play back for you, give it a try in full-screen mode.

STEAM Composition Activity

STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math and this composition activity combines music and math is such a smart and simple way. Children will get to flex their creativity and work on their basic addition or subtraction skills all at the same time. This blog post goes into even more detail, but the basic steps are as follows:

Tips:

For young children, keep the numbers smaller or don't involve math at all.

For older kids, you can make this as difficult as you'd like:

Use fractions that need to add up to a whole

Include decimal points

Make their target number even larger

Tell them that they can include more than just addition in their "musical math problems" and have them notate the math function they are using (addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division) along with the note numbers as they work to reach their target number.

Composer Spotlight - Leonard Bernstein

Watch as Leonard Bernstein conducts one of his very own pieces, the Overture to Candide.

Leonard Bernstein - Our Favorite Pieces

Listen to this playlist featuring some of our favorite music by Leonard Bernstein.

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Anyone can be a composer! Though it may seem intimidating at first, composing music does not have to be a difficult thing - by the end of this post, you'll already have composed your first (and perhaps second and third) piece of music.

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The OG. Every modern genre can trace its roots back to The Blues. Learn about the difficult history, and learn to create a song using the 12-Bar Blues.

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All About Jazz for Kids - Educational Video for Kids

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Analyse what makes a good cover version, and create your own.

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A group is any combination of two or more musicians. Whatever your instrument, you will be able to play with others or form your own group.

Playing together isn't about all playing at the same time. Different skills are required depending on your role or the instrument that you play. There are many opportunities to learn from each other.

In a musical group, some instruments might play the main tune or and some might play the accompaniment . These roles can be passed between the players too.

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A group is any combination of two or more musicians. Whatever your instrument, you will be able to play with others or form your own group. Playing together isn't about all playing at the same time. Different skills are required depending on your role or the instrument that you play.

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Queen ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’ Arranged by Nathaniel Murphy/Zeppelinbarnatra

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Use GarageBand to create a remix of One Kiss. Learn some new production techniques, like Slicing and Automation.

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Find out what technology is needed to DJ.

Listen to examples of top DJs including Joris Voorn, Peggy Gou and Euphonique.

Explore key concepts of DJing such as mixing, cueing and scratching.

MUSIC

Dujon: First question, how did you get into DJing?

Jordss: I was always that go-to music person. I was always making CDs for friends and family. At parties, I was always playing the music so DJing felt like the natural progression. I've been DJing now for about eight years maybe professionally.

Dujon: What type of music do you play?

Jordss: I play a range of genres. Everything from R&B to garage. I started mixing using Jamaican dancehall music, mainly because the songs are made of 'riddims', which is the Jamaican word for rhythms. Which ultimately means that the songs have the exact same instrumental but just the vocals, the lyrics are different. So, when it comes to learning how to mix and beat match, it makes it very easy because the songs are ultimately the same.

Dujon: What exactly is mixing?

Jordss: It's different for all DJs. For me, it is mixing two completely different songs together and making it sound good. So, just to explain the setup that we have here, we've got one CDJ, we've got another CDJ. These two play music and the mix-it in the middle allows you to go from one song on this one, to the other on this one. So we'll start with this song, which is currently at the speed of 133BPM, which is beats per minute. Press play, and that's playing out in the speakers to the crowd.
MUSIC STARTS PLAYING
Jordss: With this second deck, you're picking the other song that you want to play. This one, I need to speed up so it's 133BPM, using this, so they're the same speed. Using your headphones, you listen to this track, find a cue point which is the start point. Found it. And now, you listen to this track that's playing out. And it's just about finding your timing; when is the right time to bring it in? With my headphones, I'm finding the perfect time to mix the two songs together, which seems like... Here. Using the crossfaders, I bring this one up...
NEW PIECE ADDED TO THE MUSIC
Jordss: ...So now they're playing at the same time, and sounding good. They're blending together. Bring one up and you can bring the other one down.
ONLY NEW PIECE PLAYS
Dujon: So, what tech would I need to start mixing music?

Jordss: Nowadays, it's really simple. So, you can get apps on your phone, your tablet or your laptop. This setup is quite expensive, these are CDJs. So maybe once you've mastered the apps, you can graduate onto these. I would say pick a type of music, learn how to mix it well and also go and watch other DJs mix. Everyone has different styles of mixing. Also be patient because I have been DJing for a very long time and I still have a lot to learn, and I'm nowhere near mastering DJing. So, it takes time, so just be patient.

Dujon: Thank you so much for showing me all of your DJing skills. I'm going to go get started.

Jordss: Good luck!

DJing is the art of mixing two or more tracks together.

It emerged in Jamaica, the USA and the UK in the 1960s and 1970s with DJs mixing vinyl records on sound systems and at parties.

You can listen to some DJs mixing music on these BBC shows:

DJ equipment

Vinyl record decks. The first DJs used vinyl records and some still do today.

CDJs - mixing CDs is a popular alternative to vinyl.

DDJs - DJ decks that play digital audio files (eg. MP3, WAV, AAC) - carrying music on USB sticks is an easy way to transport thousands of songs.

A laptop running software containing a collection of songs.

Phone apps mixing streamed songs.

One key function that all types of equipment have is the ability to change the tempo of the track. This can be done without changing the pitch. This means you can speed up or slow down tracks so that they can be mixed together more smoothly without clashing (or clanging, as DJs sometimes call it).

Mixer

Whatever equipment you use, it will usually have a mixer which has:

Volume faders - for each track to fade in or out.

Cue control - so you can decide which track you want to play next.

Crossfader - to blend between two pieces of music, controlling what the audience hears out of the speakers. Normally moving the crossfader from left to right will blend from one track to the other. When in the middle, the crossfader will let both tracks play out loud.

Headphones

Headphones are essential so that the DJ can hear different pieces of music to what the audience hears. For example, the DJ will be listening to the next track on their playlist and getting it ready while the audience is still listening to the one currently playing. This is called cueing.

Sound system

A sound system is something you connect the mixer to so you can play the tracks out loud. These are usually speakers which can allow the audience to hear the tracks clearly. The early pioneers of DJing, especially Jamaican artists, were famous for their sound systems, combining their decks with huge speakers.

Key techniques

Mixing is the process of using the decks, mixer and headphones to blend one track smoothly into the next. Usually this is done by changing the tempo (or speed) of the second track to match the first and then using the volume control, crossfade and EQ to blend them together.

EQ (or equalisation) is an effect which allows you to control the amount of bass, middle and treble - or the low, middle and high parts of the track the audience hears.

As well as mixing records for the dancefloor, some DJs add turntablism to their selection. Turntablism is when DJs combine techniques, like scratching and juggling beats, to transform their turntables into an instrument in their own right. They create new sounds and performances from the records.

Listen to these examples of DJs mixing music

Try DJing

The key to being a DJ is knowing your music and being able to keep the audience or dancefloor happy. This is called ' selection ' and most DJs agree this is really the key to being a great DJ.

Try finding a collection of tracks that you want to mix into a DJ set. Look for tracks that you think would work together, that maybe have a similar style or tempo, and that you think would work well if you played them in a party or to a group of your friends.

Now try blending tracks if you can. There are many different free apps or software that can be used on a computer or mobile phone. Once your selection is ready, play it for your friends and see what they think.

Keywords

DJing
Mixing together records live.

crossfader
A tool that blends between two pieces of music, controlling what the audience hears out of the speakers.

EQ
Equalisation - the part of the mixer that allows you to adjust the amount of the bass, middle and treble you hear from each track.

turntablism
Using the turntable to create new sounds with the records.

selection
Choosing the right tracks for the audience, to create a great experience for them.

More on Music technology

Find out more by working through a topic

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DJing and mixing - KS3 Music - BBC Bitesize

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Explore the technology needed to DJ, what you need to know to play a set, and how to get started being a DJ, for students aged 11 to 14 from BBC Bitesize.

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25+ GarageBand Pro Tips (Advanced GarageBand Tutorial)

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Like countless people before, it's time for you to utilise the Power of Music™ to shout your passion. Whatever -ism you're angry about, protest it through your own song.

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Writing lyrics - KS3 Music - BBC Bitesize

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HELP! What's a VERSE, CHORUS, & BRIDGE? (Songwriting 101)

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Find out how to make your own Doctor Who theme.

Learn to compose music using found sounds and music software.

Discover more about Delia Derbyshire and how the first Doctor Who theme was written.

The Doctor Who theme

The Doctor Who theme tune is a very famous piece of TV music.

It was written in the 1960s but new versions have been made over the years.

Ron Grainer wrote the theme, but Delia Derbyshire recorded and arranged the first version at the BBC Radiophonic workshop.

Listen to the theme - can you hear the futuristic sci-fi sounds?

Found sounds

Derbyshire's composition was created by recording found sounds.

Back in the 1960s, there was no music software available. To make the theme, Derbyshire recorded sounds onto physical tape - including a plucked piano string, wooden blocks and clanging metal.

She then cut up the tape, adjusted the tempo and spliced it together to create the eerie futuristic music.

How the latest Doctor Who theme was made

In 2018, Segun Akinola wrote a new theme for the latest series.

He took the original music and used software to make new sounds from the old sounds. Segun says,

Music doesn't have to be played by traditional instruments. Anything can be music. It just depends what you do to it.

Compose a Doctor Who theme

Follow the steps below to have a go at making your own version of the Doctor Who theme using found sounds.

You will need a recording device (phone, computer or microphone) and music software.

The original theme is made up of:

a rhythmic bass line

a simple melody

Step 1: Record sounds

First, you'll need to capture some sounds which you can then play with in the music software. Use your recording device to do this.

The Doctor Who theme uses longer notes for the melody, which could be a held ringing sound, like a spoon hitting a cup, the sound of a bird or a buzzing noise.

Import and edit your sounds

1. Copy your sounds onto your computer or phone and import them into the music software.

2. If your software lets you, change the BPM and time signature.

3. Set the BPM to 200. BPM stands for beats per minute and relates to how fast or slow a piece of music is - the higher the number, the faster the piece.

4. Change the time signature to 12/8 time. The time signature says how many beats there are in a bar of music.

5. The main part of the theme is the famous melody. Take one of your sounds and put it on an audio track in the project.

6. Isolate one of your sounds by cropping it. Use that as the first note of the melody and start to recreate the theme.

Rhythm

Try to match the rhythm of the Doctor Who theme.

Copy and paste the cropped, isolated note to make 16 notes, as there are 16 notes in the theme tune.

Change the length of each note or the spaces between them so that the timing sounds similar too.

Pitch

Try and match the melody. Many pieces of music software have a transposing or pitch editing tool. This changes how high or low a note is.

Use this to change your individual cropped sounds higher or lower so that they sound like the Doctor Who theme.

Use the notation above as a guide.

The difference between the first two notes (B and C) is 13 semitones. A semitone is the smallest gap between two notes on a guitar or piano.

Effects

Next you can add effects to the track to give the found sounds a futuristic feel. Some effects you can try are:

Delay - repeats the notes.

Reverb - adds an echoing effect that makes it sound like it's in a large room or hall.

Chorus - makes it sound like lots of tracks are playing at the same time.

Make it your own

Now you've made your own version of the melody, make a bass and rhythm track to go with it. Some steps you can try are:

Use a different found sound to recreate the bass line.

Add a drum loop using music software.

Record your music

When you have finished, create a recording:

Export your track from the music software.

Record instruments playing your piece.

Make a video, putting your music to the film.

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Compose your own Doctor Who theme - with Delia Derbyshire and Ten Pieces - KS3 Music - BBC Bitesize

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Create your own Doctor Who music theme inspired by Delia Derbyshire and Ten Pieces in this guide for students aged 11 to 14 from BBC Bitesize.

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This is a topic about self-improvement. Challenge yourself to see how far you can get through 3 piano pieces. Choose the easy pieces if you want, or see if you can tackle the hard pieces!

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