Piano Guidance
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What is a melody made from?

A melody is made up of high and low pitched notes played one after the other. Catchy melodies often repeat the same series of notes over and over.

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Boy 1: Sorry I'm late, I had this weird dream about cannons and loud bangs!

Girl 1: Awesome!

Boy 1: It was scary! BUT I think I came up with the lyrics for our song. We're gonna go out with a bang bang, boom boom... Well?

Girl 2: It's... different.

Girl 1: You know, those lyrics could work. We just need something to make them catchy.

Girl 3: Why don't we just sing them and see what happens?

Girl 1: Ok, everybody!

The Band: BANG BANG BOOM BOOM! BANG BANG BOOM BOOM! BANG BANG BOOM BOOM!

Bob Marley: Yo man, take it easy!

Boy 2: Bob Marley! Cool!

Bob Marley: NOT cool, man. Your lyrics need...hmm, let me think what it need...?

A sweet, sweet tune. A MELODY!

They're the same thing you know, man.

Let me show you what I'm talking about...

Boy 2: Whoah! Let's get this melody started!

Bob Marley: Hold your horses, man!

First we got to learn about a little thing called pitch.

That's a nice low pitch, man.

And that's a high pitch.

You can put different pitches together to make a melody.

Why don't you try stir it up?

Girl 1: We’re gonna go out with a bang bang boom boom, yes we are, we really are, we're totally going out with a bang bang boom...

Bob Marley: Mmm, it's good, but it's a little bit long, man.

Boy 1: It's a bang bang, boom boom. Boom boom, boom boom.

Girl 2: Bang bang, boom boooom.

Bob Marley: Okay, okay, don't worry.

Here's a few tips from old Bob to make your melody sweet.

Melodies have a nice shape and don't stay on the same note.

Don't worry, about a thing. Cos every little thing, is gonna be alright.

Ya see, the melody is nice and short, easy to sing.

The pitches don't jump around like a frog, man.

Boy 2: Oh, the pitches are close together!

Bob Marley: Now try it on your lyrics!

Boy 2: We're gonna go out with a...

Boy 1 ...bang bang...

Girl 1: ...boom boom?

Boy 2: That's...actually good!

Bob Marley: Now we're jamming!

The Band: We're gonna go out with a bang bang, boom boom!

Bob Marley: Don't worry, every little thing's gonna be alright.

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What is a group of 10 singers called?

In Western classical and jazz music, the terms duet (two), trio (three), quartet (four), quintet (five), sextet(six), septet (seven), octet (eight), nonet (nine) and dectet (ten), describe groups of two up to ten musicians and/or vocalists.

I don't know about you, but I rarely can remember what you call a musical group with more than five players. Perhaps my days as a somewhat confused and struggling undergraduate-voice student at San Francisco State were more oppressive than I realized. To spare you from my pain endured years ago, here is a short primer on applicable terms for musical groups: In Western classical and jazz music, the terms duet (two), trio (three), quartet (four), quintet (five), sextet(six), septet (seven), octet (eight), nonet (nine) and dectet (ten), describe groups of two up to ten musicians and/or vocalists. By the way, some 'musicians', don’t consider singers "musicians" because they don’t actually negotiate (externally) an instrument. To the formally trained concert vocalist, this is an argument waiting to happen. Obviously, a solo is represented by a single artist, though I’ve always found this a ticklish idea particularly when a soloist is accompanied by a pianist. Now, a group of eleven musicians is termed a hendectet or an undectet. And, it's worth noting that classical music (as do some other groups engaged in world, jazz and popular music, etc.) does assign smaller ensembles to the categorical title of "chamber ensemble". Today, the compliment of various instruments used in chamber ensembles, first assigned to Western classical music and later to jazz and popular music, often includes a host of varied percussive instruments from various cultures that may include a plethora of wind and/or stringed-instruments from different musical traditions. Such varied collectives will often liberate the explicit term, chamber ensemble as well. For one, I'm perfectly okay with the adapted inclusion. -- Jonathan

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