Self-confidence issues Cooperative songwriting

Lesson 8 of 10

In Progress

← Previous

Cooperative songwriting

Comusyc June 12, 2023

Group size	3-10 participants
Time	25-40 minutes
Overview	This activity is focused on expressing emotions concerning a topic that particularly resonates with the participants in unconventional ways, that is, by forming a rhythm and creating a lyric for it. This is a collaborative activity that aims to foster sharing personal experiences and views with the members of a group. This should stimulate participants’ creativity to put together a song that they all feel is theirs.
Learning Objectives	Increase self-confidence Participate in a collective creation Reduce overthinking and anxiety Create a safe environment for self-expression
Materials	Musical instruments (body percussion and singing can also be used)
Preparation	Prepare the venue with the necessary material for the activity. Prepare musical instruments that could be used by the participants to create their own rhythm and prepare some paper and pens if it is necessary to write something down. Prepare some prompts on some topics on which the activity could be focused in case no one has any idea. However, first try to stimulate the participants engagement and try to get them to share their thoughts with the group.
Implementation	In a circle, the participants choose a theme, a feeling, or a situation they would like to make a song about (discrimination, love, a violent situation that happened yesterday, etc.). After that, a participant proposes an easy rhythm (with an instrument or with body percussion) related to the theme. Everyone starts to play it. While playing it, each participant will say one word so that a story or phrases related to the theme are created. The phrases can be recorded, or someone can write them down, so that later the group can decide which is the chorus and edit and complete the lyrics. Once the lyrics are finished, the group will create the music with the rhythm chosen as a base.
Debriefing and evaluation	Questions to ask participants at the end of the activity: Can you express how your song represents your feelings about the topic? Why did you use certain words? How are they connected to what the rhythm provoked in you? Did this activity help you overcome some obstacles concerning expressing yourself within a group? Questions to ask facilitators at the end of the activity: Do you think that through this type of activity, participants have improved their communication skills? Do you think that composing a song is an effective way to help individuals reflect on a topic? What would you change or improve about this activity?
Other useful resources	Shaziety (2020). “Co-Operative Songwriting”. https://www.shaziety.com/2020/03/12/co-operative-songwriting/ Blog post that provides a description of a first-hand experience with the same kind of workshop. It explains how the activity took place, the various steps, and the participant’s opinion about it. This can serve as a useful resource to practically understand how to implement the activity and follow the example of others. College of Contemporary Music (2020). “8 Collaborative Music Apps to Make Music With Anyone, Anywhere”. https://www.mi.edu/in-the-know/8-collaborative-music-apps-make-music-anyone-anywhere/ This article provides a list of collaborative music apps that have been developed that allow people to create music together with others. This is a digital instrument that facilitators could consider when implementing the activity. McGillen, C. & McMillan, R. (2003). “Cooperative Song Writing: Adventures in Anarchy and Engagement with Adolescents”. Australian Journal of Music Education No. 1, 25-38. https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/INFORMIT.673860812765968 This paper explores cooperative learning and original music-making with a remarkable group of secondary student musicians. These students named themselves Jungle Express and undertook a much less-travelled journey in music-making than most other ensembles in the school context. In many ways, the group operated in a similar way to a “garage” rock band, with its anarchic mix of “jamming” and group compositional processes, allied with its sense of social relevance, although on a much larger scale. From its inception, the group assumed a significant place within the school that enabled the participants to explore issues of identity and meaning through their self-composed music. The paper highlights issues of identity construction, positive engagement between staff and students, and the overwhelming benefits that were derived from making music together.