Overview 

In this session, we engage high school learners in exploring multiple contemporary musicking practices,
including: Remixing, Mashups, Sample-based Composing, and Parody/Remediation. Following a brief
introductory “gallery walk” where we share examples of activity overviews of each musicking station, we
work with small groups of students to create and explore the musicking approaches in more depth, including:
- Remixing
- Students will recognize the process of remixing, and can identify examples of remixing.
Students will understand the difference between remixing, mashups and Sample-based
composing.
- Mashups
- Students will identify harmonic, rhythmic, and melodic similarities between various pop songs
and adapt these selections to create one larger work that blends two or more songs of their
choice.
- Sample-based composing
- Students will by creating an instrumental track using samples of a variety of songs.
- Students will layer small samples of different songs in order to create an entire sample-based
composition.
- Parody/Remediation
- Students will learn to edit lyrics to an existing song in order to make a light hearted version of
the song based on a topic given by the mediators.

After self-selecting 3 different stations, students will share some of their creations and discuss what they
have learned about music and music making through these experiences.

Rationale 

- Remixing
- Helps students identify and explore individual auditory sounds that combine to make pieces of
music. Through manipulating specific elements of a song, the students can learn to expand
and mold different musical ideas that result in a new creation.
- Mashups
- Mashups allow students to discover similarities in music and find ways to make more
meaningful messages out of existing material. They also provide a space for students to
discover things that work and don’t work with trial and error and then to discuss why they do
or do not.
- Sample-based composing
- Provides students with a way to use their creative energy by layering a variety of samples to
make one song. They will learn how to loop and layer the music in order for it to sound like a
cohesive piece.
- Parody/Remediation
- Helps give students another creative outlet. This gives an opportunity for students who may
enjoy songwriting but only enjoy the lyric perspective of songwriting.
- Provide stepping stone for students who may be interested in songwriting but needs help
 getting started

I Can Statements (learning goals) 

● Extrapolate meaningful learning goals related to your acquisition goals here. (Reference a related ​VA
or ​Core Arts standard​ here in parenthesis with VA 2.2.2 or CA 2.3.1, numbers indicate the actual
standard numbers)

Remixing
Creating (National Core Arts Standards)
● I can generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work (Anchor Standard #1) .
● I can organize and develop artistic ideas and work to the best of my ability (Anchor Standard #2).
○ Taking the clips from a piece to develop into a larger work using digital tools and resources
● I can refine and complete artistic wor​k to my learning level (Anchor Standard #3).
Performing→ HS Proficient
● Describe how context, structural aspects of the music, and digital media/tools inform prepared and
improvised performances
(not core arts standards)
● I can identify individual elements of a piece of music
● I can expand on a musical idea by changing and manipulating aspects of a musical line

Mashups
● I can sing or play one song while someone else sings or plays another at the same time
● I can discuss similarities between pieces of music that make them compatible (comp/theory Anchor
Standard 4, music tech Anchor Standard 7)
● I can discuss reasons why pieces of music don’t work together
● I can experiment with combining different musical elements together with my peers
● I can create a shareable product for peer evaluation and enjoyment (MU:Cr3.2.C.Ia, MU:Pr6.1.C.Ia)

Sample-based composing [insert standards]

● I can compose music using a variety of sound and technological sources.
● I can investigate characteristics of musical sounds by employing technology to explore musical
sounds.
● I can investigate characteristics of sound by employing elements of music, including melody, rhythm,
harmony, form and texture.

Parody/Remediation
● I can generate and conceptualize an artistic idea. (Core Arts 1)
● I can formulate criteria to be used for critiquing musical performances.
● I can use personal experiences to generate original lyrics (Core Arts 10)
● I can use historical, societal, and cultural references to generate original lyrics (Core Arts 11)
●

Materials 

Remixing
● Pre-log in to Annalise’s SoundTrap
● Example of Original Song
 ● Example of a remixed (Will be submitted later)
● Individual tracks (link to drive: ​https://goo.gl/zPKoBe​ )

Mashups [insert materials]

● A example of a mashup (live performance or video)
● A “lead sheet” of the demo mashup
● Example list of pop songs that mash well together

Sample-based composing [insert materials]

● An example of a sample-based composition with the original
● Tracks of different music selections
(​https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ICsyGnqEkPmpDO22zdcxEvdhvAcThihr​)
● SoundTrap

Parody/Remediation [insert materials]

● Paper/pencils
● Laptop for mediators to play a song off of

Detailed Process 

Time Required
10 mins 1) Learners will explore the four stations to see/hear examples and discuss what each
station has to offer.
- Remixing [insert examples and what you will share]
- Mashups: Live performance of an original mashup or display Youtube video
- Sample-based composing [insert examples and what you will share]
- Parody/Remediation [insert examples and what you will share]

5 mins 2) Learners will self-select to join 3 of 4 stations to more fully engage.

3) Below are the fully-fleshed out mini-experiences for each musicking approach.
These include discussion of demonstrations, prompts, questions, and deliverables
(20 mins) (students should create something tangible throughout each station).

- Remixing
1) Show a song (I See Fire Ed Sheeran)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TgiH5Rr3M0
- 2) Show remixed version
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=23&v=oWYp1xRPH5g
- 3) Based on the differences and similarities between the two songs, how
would you define a remix?
- 4) Show Sorry by Amy Guess
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLuEd2CK_P4
- 5) Show Annalise’s remix:
https://www.soundtrap.com/studio/mOQXHh-6TXWdC8C84-la9Q/
- 6) ​10 MINS:​ Students make their own remixes!
- Tracks: ​https://goo.gl/zPKoBe  
 - 7) ​5 MINS​: Share/Reflection  
- What musical part intrigued you the most? Did you begin with that one? 
- What challenges did you encounter? How did you overcome them? 

- Mashups
1) Show students an example of a mashup (live performance or video)
2) Walk students through a basic pop chord progression (I-V-vi-IV)
- Show a few pop song examples where this is used
3) Pass out handout for sample songs to experiment with
- ^List of pop songs with a I-V-vi-IV progression
4) Have students pick 2-3 songs to combine. As a group, walk through the
process of mashing together multiple songs.
5) Have students choose how to spend the last 10 minutes: either group work or
partners.
​Group: ​continue previous exercise with student input to create a group mashup
​Partners​: pair up or work individually to create their own short mashups
- This could be as short as overlaying two different choruses or as
long as a full mashup, depending on student speed and time
allotted.
6) If time, have some students share what songs they chose to combine and how
they made the two selections mix well. Talk through the process and its challenges.

- Sample-based composing

1. Show the students an example of an original song and then show them the music
that sampled the original. (Mr. Postman and then Feel It Still).
a. Talk about how based off of sampling, they just sampled that one melodic
line for the song.
2. Show them my version with garageband so they are able to see how everything
looks assembled together.
3. Now, students have the opportunity to begin their sample-based producing using
SoundTrap. They will pull up the link that I share with them to find music and then
go from there.
4. If they have time, they will be able to share their music with each other.

- Parody/Remediation [insert fully-fleshed out activity]

4) Learners will join together to share their work. As they share, facilitators will
scaffold broad reflection discussions to help learners conceptualize what they have
learned and how they can transfer these concepts to other music making (including
next steps). Generate questions to act as reflection/assessments:
 - Remixing
- How many different ways can a song be interpreted or changed?
- How can taking individual parts of a song help you strengthen your
understanding of music?
- What part of a song do you find easiest to start with?
- Mashups
- What are some musical concepts to keep in mind when combining 2+ songs
together?
- What made you think your song selections would mix well?
- What were some challenges you faced when trying to combine your song
selections?
- How can mashups invoke meaning, be it serious or satirical?
- Sample-based composing
- What is a way that artists can use samples in a meaningful way?
- When layering the music, how do the keys of the different songs mesh?
- Parody/Remediation [insert reflection questions]

Assessments 

Develop specific assessment mechanisms to help you chart the growth of individual students related to each
specific learning goal (I can statement). Actually make some assessments in these forms:
● Checklists
● Rubrics
● Self-assessments
● Performance assessments with clear criteria for how you are assessing

- Remixing [insert student self-assessment mechanisms to evaluate their learning]

- Mashups (Checklist form)
❏ I can identify musical elements of a song including melody, harmony, and rhythm
❏ I can identify and use the common harmonic progression I-V-vi-VI in pop music
❏ I can identify songs that use this progression or progressions similar to it
❏ I can overlay two melodies and interchange between musical ideas from more than
one work
❏ I can piece together different parts of different songs to create a mashup
❏ I can articulate my thoughts and rationale within my creation process and share them
with others

- Sample-based composing [insert student self-assessment mechanisms to evaluate their learning]

- Parody/Remediation [insert student self-assessment mechanisms to evaluate their learning].

Extensions: 

- Remixing [insert ideas for extensions/next steps]

- Mashups
- Students can mix together more than two songs
- Students can do a search for their own songs to find what works together
- Students can create mashups that invoke a specific meaning, be it sincere or satirical
 - Ex. “Songs About Travel” or “Every Taylor Swift Song Is The Same”
- Sample-based composing
- Students can do a collaboration.
- They can complete a piece that has a lot of metaphors due to the samples chosen.
- Parody/Remediation [insert ideas for extensions/next steps]

Adaptations 

Size - Remixing
- Students have the capability to make their screen larger or smaller.
- Mashups
- Sample song lists can be printed in a larger, easier to see font size
- Sample-based composing
- Students can adjust their screen to their desired size.
- Parody/Remediation [insert adaptations]

Color - Remixing - Students are able to change the color of each track on Soundtrap,
enabling them to group instruments or ideas by color.
- Mashups
- Chords can be color coded in progression study segment of lesson
- Sample-based composing
- Students are also able to change the color of each track on SoundTrap.
- Parody/Remediation [insert adaptations]

Pacing - Remixing
- Students will be given the different tracks at the beginning. This allows the
for the students to work at the pace that works best for them. Some
students to allow their pieces to have more tracks than others so that they
have the ability to choose what is best for them.
- Mashups
- Students can break off into groups and help each other
- Students struggling with their own mashups can help add to the demo
mashup with instructor
- Students who need more to do can mashup as many songs as they can
together into one song
- Sample-based composing
- Students are able to work at their own pace and level.
- Parody/Remediation [insert adaptations]

Modality - Remixing
- Kinesthetic: ​Students are encouraged to bat the beat with their bodies as
much as they can. Having the students be engaged in the music in
someway besides by just being engaged with their daws can help them to
understand their pieces better.
- Visual: ​Students will be able to see the sound waves of each track on
 Soundtrap.
- Aural:​Using Soundtrap, students will be able to isolate sounds or listen to
their song as a whole.
- Mashups
- Visual​: Students will be given visual aides of the chord progression and a
sample list of songs that follow that progression. Students will also be given
a “lead sheet” of the demo mashup
- Aural:​ Mashup demo will be performed and sections can be repeated as
needed. As students experiment with combining songs, instructors can
assist in singing and/or playing through student creations so that they may
hear how different sections do or do not line up musically.
- Kinesthetic​: Students will hopefully have access to a keyboard and/or
ukuleles for accompaniment as well as writing materials to create. Students
may write lyrics of one song on one strip of paper or notecard and lay them
above or below other song lyrics in spatial relation to their occurrence in the
mashup.
- Sample-based composing
- Kinesthetic​: Students are able to move to the rhythm of the music.
- Aural​: Students are able to listen to the music and select exactly what
sound they want in their piece.
- Visual​: The sound waves are shown in SoundTrap, so students are able to
see how the sound changes.
- Parody/Remediation [insert adaptations]

Include any visual aids or manipulatives here.

Mashups
Also, a growing list of song selection:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mb4cas0bFcU4CaLMAwnGKQEe_vYGfPfp4x3iIRUoEso/
edit?usp=sharing