Do Now assignments for Guitar from the past 3 weeks

Tips for Composing your DO NOWs

-Make sure you write accidentals (b flats, # sharps, and naturals) before the note you wish to adjust.

-Only use ledger lines when there is a note on the line or under the line you have added. Otherwise, they are unnecessary (incorrect).

-Stems that are going up (low notes) need to be on the right side of the note. Once you get to B in the middle of the staff, the stems go down on the left.

-Write your name at the top, and label each composition with a date by your composed line. (You’ll get your manuscript paper back for future DO NOWs)

- Your meter (time signature) determines where the bar lines fall. If in ¾, place a line across the staff (cover the five lines but don’t go above or below) every 3 beats of music. If in 4/4, place a line every 4 beats.

-Stem lengths are always one octave long (from the note to the next note with the same name). If you don’t know how long that is, the stem should cross 4 lines of staff/leger lines.

-When you compose, think about the chords that would fit with the notes you are writing. Start and end on the tonic. For example, in the key of E minor, if you’re using notes e, g, and b this would fall in the tonic. If you use f, a, c this would be a borrowed II chord, F major. Using the notes g, b, d you will have G major. If you use D F# and A you will have D major… d f a is d minor.

4/9

DO NOW: In 3/4 time, compose 4 measures of music using half notes and quarter notes. Use only the notes the book has taught you on the E, A, D and G strings. This must be written in standard musical notation. Start as soon as your guitar is tuned. Raise your hand when you are done, and I will come around to hear you perform it and check it as complete. Keep your manuscript paper for daily journal. You’ll be turning this in before finals week for a grade, so don’t lose it.

4/11

DO NOW - In 4/4, use quarter notes and half notes to create a 4 measure song. Think about the chords your individual notes would match and write the chord above the staff notation. You should be able to play this as a duet with your neighbor.

4/14

Compose 4 measures in 4/4 time, using only the notes in the key of E minor on the E, A, D, and G strings. Use half, quarter note, and eighth note rhythms. Write the chord symbol above each measure.

4/15

Today, you will read through the music symbols and terms page. Find 3 terms/definitions you did not know before(if you know all the terms, great, compose 8 measures of notation with chord symbols on top of the measures) and copy them to the back of your manuscript paper. Then describe how you would use one of these items in a composition in 1-2 sentences. Don’t lose your Do Now Sheet--you have to turn it in for credit at the end of the semester!

4/16

Do Now! In 4/4, with 4 measures, write out broken chords (arpeggio) in notation for Em(E,G,B), Am(A,C,E), G(G,B,D), and Dm(D, F, A), in that order.

4/24

Compose a 4 measure piece with the harmonic structure of Em - G - C - D. You don’t have to spell out the chords, because you can use passing tones. Passing tones are notes that add color or interest to a piece because they are outside of the chord structure. You should use some notes from the chord, but think of one note outside of the chord that could add interest.