General Music
The 9-12 Music Appreciation Course is about much more than simply appreciating music. Students are engaged as active musicians through three distinct units:
- Music Technology. Students learn basic and intermediate skills of electronic music production by using AcidPro software in the music technology lab. Students are also introduced to recording technology in our ProTools studio.
- Drumset. Students develop a sequence of skills by following a logical progression of scaffolded instruction. By the end of the unit, students are able to play a standard rock beat with bass drum on 1, 3, and 3&, insert crashes, and even play simple fills. More advanced students are able to play funk beats with 16th note syncopation.
- Guitar. Students receive beginning instruction in guitar including melodic playing, open chords, power chords, blues progressions, and various playing techniques. Students learn to play a number of popular songs, and electric guitar and electric bass are explored. Don't forget to check the guitar page for resources.
The culminating event for the 2008-09 course was an optional performance at the January 2009 Electric Coffeehouse, when the students performed Zombie by The Cranberries. A video of that performance is below.
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