Grade Level: 7 - 12
Curriculum Area: Language Arts, General Music, Dramatic Arts
Time: 5 - 7 days/class periods
Materials: word processing software; music sequencing software; computers; various MIDI keyboards capable of multiple sound effects (i.e. Roland™ JV series); digital - audio recording/sequencing software or digital-audio hard disk recorder.***
Telecommunication Resources: (Optional) Use of Internet search engines to find short stories on specific themes.
Major Objectives:
- to collaboratively write a dramatic composition and incorporate sound effects.
- to learn basic elements of digital - audio recording.***
- to learn basic elements of Music Instrument Digital Interfacing (MIDI) and sequencing.
- to practice, perform, and record*** student written compositions.
- to incorporate a sound effects MIDI sequence into dramatic reading recordings.
Summary:
Besides being a very helpful music composition and performance tool, MIDI can be used to control other events such as lights in a rock concert or to play sound effects at just the right time in your favorite movie. As in introduction to MIDI music sequencing, students will compose a story and record it and add the sound effects to accompany it using MIDI music sequencing.
Using a list of sound effects provided in class, students will experiment with MIDI sound effects to become familiar with them and to start thinking about what could be used in your story.
Using word processing software, students will compose a story with a partner. The story must be 1.5 to 3 minutes in length and based on the topic given in class. As students write, they should indicate where sound effects will be placed. For example: "One day, Bob was walking down the street (FOOTSTEPS). All of a sudden, a big car zoomed by (CAR PASSING)..." Each story should use at least 8 different sound effects, which can be repeated. As as maximum, students should use no more than 16 different sound effects. All work should be saved on student disks.
Students will practice and rehearse each story as if it were a radio production from the Golden Age of Radio. When students are ready they will digitally record the story. Digital recording allows students to fix mistakes and add various recording effects to the overall recording. The recording can actually sound like it is coming from a old Victrola or tube radio. Students will be able to exactly pinpoint precise locations to insert sound effects or fix mistakes.
Students will use the music sequencing software to add the sound effects to the pre-recorded story. If digital recording is unavailable, students would rehearse reading the story aloud, at the pace it would be read to the class and sequence the sound effect.Each time a sound effect is to be included in the story, students will record it by pressing the appropriate keys on the synthesizer. Elements like those in word processing can be used similarly in music. Cut, copy, paste, delete, drag, stretch, and shrink. Highlight and press delete to remove notes or sections. You can also change the length of notes, and the pitch of notes by dragging left to right or up and down. Students will be able to scroll back and forth in the piece to edit various parts of the project.
Assessment:
Students will display project knowledge through several concepts such as: creative story writing, plot development, dramatic production, and use of technology to portray ideas to the listening audience.
Students will hand in a final copy of the story with added cues for sound effects.
The end product will be a dramatic presentation (or a live performance if no recording capabilities) of your story with a MIDI music sequencer filling in the sound effects at specified moments in the story.
***If materials cannot be recorded digitally, live performances can be used at conclusion of this project.
