MAPSPut Words to Music
Summary
Students add short, singable words to an instrumental phrase based on its character and emotional expression. By fitting language naturally to the rhythm, accents, and shape of the phrase, students give abstract musical ideas a more concrete meaning, then return to the instrument and use that meaning to guide expressive playing.
Procedures
- 1
Choose a phrase from current repertoire.
Select a short phrase from a piece the student is already practicing.
- 2
Describe the phrase.
Ask the student to describe its mood, character, or possible situation.
- 3
Add a short sentence.
Create one simple sentence that matches the phrase’s rhythm, accents, and expressive character.
- 4
Speak or sing, then play.
Say or sing the sentence with the melody, then return to the piano and play the phrase again while keeping the same direction, phrasing, and emotional meaning.
Variations
1. Ask students to create two different sentences for the same phrase and compare how each one changes the musical expression.
2. Use contrasting phrases from the same piece and give each phrase a different sentence to highlight changes in character, direction, or mood.
Activity Preparation
1. Piano or keyboard
2. A short phrase selected for expressive work from the student’s current repertoire
Activity Sources
- Source Type:
- Learned from a teacher
- Source:
- Prof. Maria del Pico Taylor
MAPS teaching activities may come from a variety of sources, including original contributions by the MAPS team, online resources, published materials, activities learned from teachers, activities shared by colleagues, traditional teaching practices, and other sources. When a source can be reasonably identified, we make every effort to acknowledge it on the relevant activity page or in the accompanying reference information.
Some content may be organized, translated, structured, or adapted by the MAPS team for specific teaching contexts. Such editorial or instructional adaptation does not mean that MAPS claims ownership of the underlying third-party material. Rights to third-party content remain with the original authors, publishers, or other lawful rights holders.
If you are an author, copyright holder, or authorized representative and have questions or concerns regarding the source, attribution, or use of any content, please contact us:
Email: musicactivityps@gmail.com
Put Words to Music
Summary
Students add short, singable words to an instrumental phrase based on its character and emotional expression. By fitting language naturally to the rhythm, accents, and shape of the phrase, students give abstract musical ideas a more concrete meaning, then return to the instrument and use that meaning to guide expressive playing.
Procedures
- 1
Choose a phrase from current repertoire.
Select a short phrase from a piece the student is already practicing.
- 2
Describe the phrase.
Ask the student to describe its mood, character, or possible situation.
- 3
Add a short sentence.
Create one simple sentence that matches the phrase’s rhythm, accents, and expressive character.
- 4
Speak or sing, then play.
Say or sing the sentence with the melody, then return to the piano and play the phrase again while keeping the same direction, phrasing, and emotional meaning.
Variations
1. Ask students to create two different sentences for the same phrase and compare how each one changes the musical expression.
2. Use contrasting phrases from the same piece and give each phrase a different sentence to highlight changes in character, direction, or mood.
Activity Preparation
1. Piano or keyboard
2. A short phrase selected for expressive work from the student’s current repertoire
Activity Sources
- Source Type:
- Learned from a teacher
- Source:
- Prof. Maria del Pico Taylor
MAPS teaching activities may come from a variety of sources, including original contributions by the MAPS team, online resources, published materials, activities learned from teachers, activities shared by colleagues, traditional teaching practices, and other sources. When a source can be reasonably identified, we make every effort to acknowledge it on the relevant activity page or in the accompanying reference information.
Some content may be organized, translated, structured, or adapted by the MAPS team for specific teaching contexts. Such editorial or instructional adaptation does not mean that MAPS claims ownership of the underlying third-party material. Rights to third-party content remain with the original authors, publishers, or other lawful rights holders.
If you are an author, copyright holder, or authorized representative and have questions or concerns regarding the source, attribution, or use of any content, please contact us:
Email: musicactivityps@gmail.com
