Major and minor tonality folk songs

Hello, everybody. My name is Mrs. Steele and I'm so excited that we're going to be learning together today. Today's music lesson is all about major and minor tonality folk songs. And we're going to have a lot of fun singing, moving, and learning as a team. Let's get started. By the end of today's lesson, you will be able to sing new major and minor tonality folk songs with a sense of character. Let's take a look at the keywords that will be important in our learning today. The first is warm-up. A sequence of exercises used to prepare the mind, body, and the voice for singing or for playing instruments. Folk song. A song that originates from a particular country, culture or people that's usually passed down orally. Tonality. The organisation of notes around a central note, the tonic, which helps the shape of the music's sound and character. And finally, dynamics. How loud or quiet the music is. Let's begin by warming up so that we're ready to make some music together. It's important before every music lesson that we warm up our bodies, voices and minds so that we are ready to move and ready to sing. This helps prevent injury and make sure that we can sing safely. Warm-ups also help to develop our music and our singing skills too. We'll start by warming up our body. Warming up our whole body helps us to stand at ease with the correct singing posture. That's really important for singing. Join in with these whole-body warm-ups. Here comes the video. (upbeat piano music) Ready chickens? [Mrs. Steele And Students] One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. One, two, three, four, one, two, three, four, One, two, three, four, one, two, three, four, one, two, one, two, one, two, one, two, one, one, one, one. Rubber chicken! (upbeat piano music) Ready, chickens? [Mrs. Steele And Students] One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. One, two, three, four, one, two, three, four, one, two, three, four, one, two, three, four, one, two, one, two, one, two, one, two, one, one, one, one. Rubber chicken! (students imitating chickens clucking) After those whole body warm-ups, does your body feel alert and awake? Are your muscles warm and relaxed? And do you have a comfortable singing posture? Check those things now. Now, let's move on to warming up the muscles in our face. If our face muscles have gently warmed and stretched, we hold less tension in our face, which helps to sing better. Join in with these face warm-ups. Here they come. Let's warm up all the muscles of our faces. Show me your happy face. Show me your grumpy face. Show me your big face. Show me your small face. Show me your silly face. Show me your thinking face. After your face warm-ups, does your jaw and neck feel relaxed? And does your mouth feel nice and loose? Excellent news. Let's keep going. Now, let's practice our breathing exercises. When our breathing is controlled and we sing longer phrases safely and musically, we're helping to protect the muscles around our voice. Breathing also supports our singing. Join in with these breathing exercises where you are. Here they come. Okay, ready. (piano music) (exhales deeply) (piano music continues) (exhales deeply) (piano music continues) (exhales deeply) (piano music continues) (exhales deeply) (piano music continues) Check that after these breathing exercises, your shoulders are staying relaxed as you breathe in deeply. And does your chest feel broad and open and your breathing controlled? Great news, you're breathing like a singer. Now, we're ready to warm up our voice. Vocal exercises like the ones we're about to do safely warm and stretch our vocal chords, preparing us for singing, and helping to prevent us from injuring our voices. Join in with these vocal warm-ups. Here they are. Follow me. ♪ Mmm ♪ ♪ Zzz ♪ ♪ Aaah ♪ After those vocal exercises, does your throat feel warm? And do you feel you're ready to reach higher and lower notes than before you warmed up? Excellent. It sounds like your voice is warmed up and almost ready to go. Now, it's time for my favorite. Tongue twisters. Tongue twisters help to warm up our mouths and improve our articulation. Join in with this tricky tongue twister. The great Greek grape growers grow great Greek grapes. Could you do the tongue twister? And now do you feel alert and focused? Does your mouth feel warm, stretched, and ready to go? Brilliant. Let's keep going. Now, join in with this warm-up song. It's called Light and Dark. Sing it nice and gently as we're continuing to warm up our voices safely. Here's Light and Dark. Join in. (upbeat piano music) ♪ Mmm, mmm, minor, minor ♪ ♪ Mmm, mmm, minor, minor ♪ ♪ Mmm, mmm, minor, minor, mmm ♪ ♪ Mmm, mmm, major, major ♪ ♪ Mmm, mmm, major, major ♪ ♪ Mmm, mmm, major, major, mmm ♪ ♪ Mmm, mmm, minor, minor ♪ ♪ Mmm, mmm, minor, minor ♪ ♪ Mmm, mmm, minor, minor, mmm ♪ ♪ Mmm, mmm, major, major ♪ ♪ Mmm, mmm, major, major ♪ ♪ Mmm, mmm, major, major, mmm ♪ After we finish our warm-ups, check in with your body so that you can check that you are ready to make music. Are your feet shoulder-width apart? Does your face and neck feel warm and relaxed? Are your hands held loosely by your sides, with your shoulders nice and relaxed? And do you feel ready to sing? You might like to pause here to check any of those things, or if not, let's carry on together. Let's learn about new major tonality folk songs. Join in with this American folk song, She'll be Coming Round the Mountain. I wonder if you've heard of it before. This song has a major tonality. Here comes the music for you to join in. (upbeat piano music) ♪ She'll be coming round the mountain when she comes ♪ ♪ She'll be coming round the mountain when she comes ♪ ♪ She'll be coming round the mountain ♪ ♪ She'll be coming round the mountain ♪ ♪ She'll be coming round the mountain when she comes ♪ ♪ Singing ay ay yippee yippee ay ♪ ♪ Singing ay ay yippee yippee ay ♪ ♪ Singing ay ay yippee, ay ay yippee ♪ ♪ Ay ay yippee yippee ay ♪ (upbeat piano music) In this unit, we'll be singing folk songs with either a major or minor tonality. A song's tonality describes the way the notes are organized around a central note, which we call the tonic. Depending on this organization of notes, the music may have a different feeling or character. A song's tonality can affect how we react to it or how the music makes us feel. Bele mama is a folk song from Cameroon, which also has a major tonality. Songs with a major tonality will be organized around the pitch do. Have a listen. Every time the melody returns to do is highlighted green. Here comes the music. (upbeat piano music) ♪ Bele mama, bele mama eh ♪ ♪ Bele mama, bele mama eh ♪ ♪ Bele mama, bele mama ♪ ♪ Bele mama, bele mama ♪ ♪ Bele mama, bele mama eh ♪ Listen to Bele Mama twice more and hum the melody gently each time. Here comes the music twice through. (upbeat piano music) ♪ Bele mama, bele mama eh ♪ ♪ Bele mama, bele mama eh ♪ ♪ Bele mama, bele mama ♪ ♪ Bele mama, bele mama ♪ ♪ Bele mama, bele mama eh ♪ (upbeat piano music) ♪ Bele mama, bele mama eh ♪ ♪ Bele mama, bele mama eh ♪ ♪ Bele mama, bele mama ♪ ♪ Bele mama, bele mama ♪ ♪ Bele mama, bele mama eh ♪ We're getting to know this song really well now. This time, can you touch your toes whenever the melody reaches do? Remember, it's shown in green on the lyrics you can see on the screen here. Press pause to sing Bele Mama again. This time touching your toes each time the melody reaches do. Here's another challenge. This time can you show the hand sign for do near your tummy whenever the melody reaches do. Press pause to try that now. Here's another folk song with a major tonality. It's from Ghana and it's called Senwa Dedende. Listen to the song and tap the pulse gently on your knees. Here's the music. ♪ Steady, steady, off we go ♪ ♪ Senwa dedende, senwa ♪ ♪ Senwa dedende, senwa ♪ ♪ Senwa dedende ♪ ♪ Senwa dedende ♪ ♪ Senwa dedende, senwa ♪ ♪ Senwa dedende, senwa ♪ ♪ Senwa dedende, senwa ♪ ♪ Senwa dedende ♪ ♪ Senwa dedende ♪ ♪ Senwa dedende, senwa ♪ ♪ Senwa dedende, senwa ♪ ♪ Senwa dedende, senwa ♪ ♪ Senwa dedende ♪ ♪ Senwa dedende ♪ ♪ Senwa dedende, senwa ♪ Let's try singing Senwa Dedende, changing the dynamics each time you repeat the song. Remember, the dynamics are how loud or quiet the music is. The major tonality gives the song character, but changing our dynamics can also change the character and feeling of the song. Press pause to try singing Senwa Dedende with different dynamics each time you repeat. Hello, again. Let's take a moment to think about how the tonality and the dynamics makes this song feel. Perhaps you thought it was happy, excited, or thoughtful? And how did changing the dynamics change the character of the song too? You might want to press pause now to share your ideas about this, or you could think about it in your thinking voice. Listen to the Congolese folk song Banaha (Si Si Si). See if you can hear the three different voices singing together. Enjoy. I love this one. ♪ Sisi, sisi, dolada ♪ ♪ Yaku sine ladu banaha ♪ ♪ Sisi, sisi, dolada ♪ ♪ Yaku sine ladu banaha ♪ ♪ Banaha (Sisi, sisi) ♪ ♪ Banaha (dolada) ♪ ♪ Yaku sine ladu banaha ♪ ♪ Banaha (Sisi, sisi) ♪ ♪ Banaha (dolada) ♪ ♪ Yaku sine ladu banaha ♪ ♪ Banaha ♪ ♪ Ha (Sisi, sisi) ♪ ♪ Banaha (dolada) ♪ ♪ Yaku sine ladu banaha ♪ ♪ Banaha ♪ ♪ Ha (Sisi, sisi) ♪ ♪ Banaha (dolada) ♪ ♪ Yaku sine ladu banaha ♪ ♪ Banaha ♪ ♪ Ha (Sisi, sisi) ♪ ♪ Banaha (dolada) ♪ ♪ Yaku sine ladu banaha ♪ ♪ Banaha ♪ ♪ Ha (Sisi, sisi) ♪ ♪ Banaha (dolada) ♪ ♪ Yaku sine ladu banaha ♪ ♪ Banaha ♪ ♪ Ha (Sisi, sisi) ♪ ♪ Banaha (dolada) ♪ ♪ Yaku sine ladu banaha ♪ ♪ Banaha ♪ ♪ Ha (Sisi, sisi) ♪ ♪ Banaha (dolada) ♪ ♪ Yaku sine ladu banaha ♪ Banaha (Si Si Si) has a major tonality. The lively lyrics, which are in the Kiluba language, talk of pineapple trees and aunty, and putting bananas into a red hat. Join in with, ♪ Sisi, sisi, dolada ♪ each time you hear it and listen to the rest of part one. Can you sing it with a sense of that lively character, really bringing the song to life? Here comes the music. Join in with, ♪ Sisi, sisi, dolada ♪ each time you hear it. ♪ Ready, steady, off we go ♪ ♪ Sisi, sisi, dolada ♪ ♪ Yaku sine ladu banaha ♪ ♪ Sisi, sisi, dolada ♪ ♪ Yaku sine ladu banaha ♪ Let's listen to the other two parts of the song now. As you listen to part two, join in with, ♪ Banaha, banaha ♪ and then listen to the rest of that part. Here comes part two. ♪ Banaha, banaha ♪ ♪ Yaku sine ladu banaha ♪ ♪ Banaha, banaha ♪ ♪ Yaku sine ladu banaha ♪ And now let's listen to part three. This time, join in with, ♪ Ha, banaha ♪ each time you hear it. Remember to sing with that sense of character and bring the song to life. Here's part three. Join in with, ♪ Ha, banaha ♪ ♪ Ha, banaha ♪ ♪ Yaku sine ladu banaha ♪ ♪ Ha, banaha ♪ ♪ Yaku sine ladu banaha ♪ How did you bring character to this folk song? Maybe you added extra emphasis or articulated the words really clearly. Maybe you sang with confidence and medium dynamics. Did you show any expression on your face? That really helps the quality of sound when we sing. And maybe you thought about a funny story of the lyrics to help you sing with expression. Now let's learn about new minor tonality folk songs. Listen to this new folk song. It's called Old Abram Brown and it was composed by Benjamin Britten. This song has a minor tonality. In songs with a minor tonality, the notes are organized around the central note, la. This gives the music a different character and feel to the major tonality. Have a listen. Here's another folk song that has a minor tonality. It's called, Have You Seen The Ghost of Tom? It begins and ends on la. Join in singing, Have you Seen the Ghost of Tom? Here it comes. (upbeat piano music) ♪ Have you seen the ghost of Tom ♪ ♪ Long white bones with the skin all gone ♪ ♪ Oooooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ Wouldn't it be chilly with no skin on ♪ ♪ Have you seen the ghost of Tom ♪ ♪ Long white bones with the skin all gone ♪ ♪ Oooooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ Wouldn't it be chilly with no skin on ♪ It's time for a check-in with our learning. Can you remember what tonality is? Is it A, the layers of sound that helps to build a thicker texture? B, the way the music is organised, like what happens first and then what happens next? Or is it the organisation of notes around a central note, the tonic, which helps to shape music's sound and character? Which one do you think tonality is? Press pause to decide. Here comes the answer. It's C. Well done for remembering that. Tonality is the organisation of notes around a central note, which we call the tonic, and this helps to shape the music's sound and character. Great understanding, everyone. Here's another new folk song. This one originates from the African American spirituals and it's called When the Train Comes Along. This folk song has a minor tonality too. Have a listen. (bright music) ♪ When the train comes along, when the train comes along ♪ ♪ I'm gonna meet you at this station ♪ ♪ When the train comes along ♪ (bright music) ♪ When the train comes along, when the train comes along ♪ ♪ I'm gonna meet you at this station ♪ ♪ When the train comes along, ♪ How do you think the melody uses the central note or tonic to establish the minor tonality? You might want to press pause to share your ideas about that, or you could think about it in your thinking voice. Every new phrase or line starts with a pitch la, and the song begins and ends on la. Well done if you notice that. Excellent listening. Let's listen to this minor tonality folk song now. It's called Rise Up O Flame, and it was composed a long time ago in the 1600s. This song is in three-time, which means we can tap the beats like this when we listen. Strong, weak, weak, strong, weak, weak, strong, weak, weak. Have a listen. ♪ Ready, steady, off we go ♪ ♪ Rise up o flame ♪ ♪ By thy light glowing ♪ ♪ Show to us beauty ♪ ♪ Vision and joy ♪ ♪ Rise up o flame ♪ ♪ By thy light glowing ♪ ♪ Show to us beauty ♪ ♪ Vision and joy ♪ ♪ Rise up o flame ♪ ♪ By thy light glowing ♪ ♪ Show to us beauty ♪ ♪ Vision and joy ♪ ♪ Rise up o flame ♪ ♪ By thy light glowing ♪ ♪ Show to us beauty ♪ ♪ Vision and joy ♪ What do you think the character of this song is? How does the song make you feel? You might want to press pause to share your ideas about that or you could think about it in your thinking voice. It's not just tonality that determines the character of a song. Listen to the soft version and the strong version of Rise Up O Flame. How did the dynamics affect the character here? Here comes the music. ♪ Ready, steady, off we go ♪ ♪ Rise up o flame ♪ ♪ By thy light glowing ♪ ♪ Show to us beauty ♪ ♪ Vision and joy ♪ ♪ Ready, steady, off we go ♪ ♪ Rise up o flame ♪ ♪ By thy light glowing ♪ ♪ Show to us beauty ♪ ♪ Vision and joy ♪ Let's listen again. This time try tapping the three-beat pattern and humming the minor tonality melody gently. Here's the music again for you. ♪ Ready, steady, off we go ♪ ♪ Rise up o flame ♪ ♪ By thy light glowing ♪ ♪ Show to us beauty ♪ ♪ Vision and joy ♪ ♪ Ready, steady, off we go ♪ ♪ Rise up o flame ♪ ♪ By thy light glowing ♪ ♪ Show to us beauty ♪ ♪ Vision and joy ♪ Here are Lucas and Sofia's thoughts about Rise Up O Flame. Do you agree? Lucas says, "I think the song sounds hopeful and strong. I really liked the quiet version. It made me think something exciting was soon to happen." And Sofia says, "Some people think minor music is always sad, but this folk song is not sad at all. I think it sounds joyful." Do you agree? I think I do. We've come to the end of our lesson together today, so let's take a moment to think about everything we've been learning. We know that it's essential to warm up the voice before singing, to keep it strong and healthy and to prevent injury. And we know that performing with a sense of character and emotion brings a song to life. We know that the same song can be sung with different character and feeling, and that singing with different dynamics can change the character of a song. Finally, we know that many songs have a tonal center or tonality. Often, this is described as major or minor. A great lesson, everyone. I can't wait to see you again for another music lesson soon. Bye!.