Sample Music Materials

The MERLOT Music collection offers diverse tools and approaches to learning music. The materials in the collection can be adapted for your use in any number of ways: as self-study materials assigned for students as homework, as pair and small group work with tangible tasks assigned, and in many cases, projects for whole class activities. Here are some examples:

Example 1: Self Study assigned as homework - Musicianship

Add a link to Interactive Music Skill Checks by Dave Megill from your class website. Assign musicianship students 10-15 minutes of practice in identifying triads for which they are in current need of practice.


Example 2: Pair and small group work - World Music

Assign the DanceDrummer.com by Kevin O’Sullivan to your world music learners. Ask each member of the group to recreate the individual parts of the Atsi drum pattern demonstrated in the Drum Recreations video link and perform the pattern. Be sure that each part of the pattern is assigned and that learners have the time and opportunity to work together in preparing their performance.


Example 3: Project for whole class activity - Fugues

Project one of the fugues from the The Fugues of the Well-Tempered Clavier by Dr. Timothy A. Smith and Dr. David Korevaar that aligns with your current syllabus. As a group, scroll and read through the analysis of the fugue, then play the fugue, watch the score and analytical animation while listening to the performance, then discuss the analysis with the group clicking back through the score to replay the music, score and animation to highlight, review and reinforce various aspects of the fugue. Learners may discuss compositional aspects of the fugue as well as the analysis many times over.

Finally, as a member you can share the ways you make use of items in the MERLOT Music collection by submitting Assignments and/or Member Comments.