Hints and Tips for Composing

Set Parameters

• Encourage children to create a short phrase that can be repeated (creating an ostinato). This avoids ending up with an endless stream of notes and also allows pupils to master playing the phrase with accuracy.
• The rests are just as important as the notes that can be heard!
• Encourage the use of silent beats (rests). If using a rhythm grid, stipulate how many boxes on each line should be empty. 
• If you are including pitch, consider a limited note set. Using a pentatonic scale made up of C, D, E, G and A can work well, as there will be no dissonance. 

In a classroom setting, be prepared for noise!

• In order to compose music, children need to experiment with ideas.
• Giving children time and freedom to explore will ignite enthusiasm and creativity.
• Use alternative spaces and extra adults where possible.
• Consider the use of ear defenders for pupils who are sensitive to sound.
• If children are working in groups, encourage exploration time, followed by discussion time to prevent constant noise exposure.
• Have pre-discussed non-verbal cues to initiate and stop playing time. Teachers need to protect their voices and shouting over noise is both ineffective and harmful.

Guide and Encourage Your Young Composers!

• There is no right or wrong when it comes to composing! There is a vast array of composers in the world creating music for various genres. Your children will all have different ideas as to what ‘sounds good’, just as we have certain genres that we prefer to listen to.
• You can guide children to think about musical phrases like sentences. Inflection helps us realise when a sentence has come to an end. Does their piece sound like it has finished? If using pitch, consider starting and ending on the same note.
• Encourage children to use talking tins or iPads whilst they improvise and explore ideas, so that they are not lost. Having ideas recorded means they can listen to ideas repeatedly, recreating them and making adaptations where necessary.
• Guide the children through questioning, or artistic suggestions: What would it sound like if you played this part quietly? Could we change the rhythm here? Do those notes you have used together sound harmonious?