Music
Merit Badge Workbook
This workbook can help you but you still need to read the merit badge pamphlet.
This Workbook can help you organize your thoughts as you prepare to meet with your merit badge counselor
Merit Badge Counselors may not require the use of this or any similar workbooks.
You still must satisfy your counselor that you can demonstrate each skill and have learned the information.
You should use the work space provided for each requirement to keep track of which requirements have been completed,
and to make notes for discussing the item with your counselor, not for providing full and complete answers.
If a requirement says that you must take an action using words such as "discuss", "show",
"tell", "explain", "demonstrate", "identify", etc, that is what you must do.
No one may add or subtract from the official requirements found in Scouts BSA Requirements (Pub.# 33216) and/or on Scouting.org.
The requirements were last issued or revised in 20123 • This workbook was updated in August 2023.
Scout’s Name:__________________________________________ Unit: __________________________________________
Counselor’s Name: ____________________ Phone No.: _______________________ Email: _________________________
Please submit errors, omissions, comments or suggestions about this workbook to: Workbooks@USScouts.Org
Comments or suggestions for changes to the requirements for the merit badge should be sent to: Merit.Badge@Scouting.Org
1. Sing or play a simple song or hymn chosen by your counselor using good technique, phrasing, tone, rhythm, and
dynamics. Read all the signs and terms of the score.
2. Name the five general groups of musical instruments.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Create an illustration that shows how tones are generated and how instruments produce sound.
Workbook © Copyright 2023 - U.S. Scouting Service Project, Inc. - All Rights Reserved
Requirements © Copyright, Boy Scouts of America (Used with permission.)
This workbook may be reproduced and used locally by Scouts and Scouters for purposes consistent with the programs of the
Boy Scouts of America (BSA), the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) or other Scouting and Guiding Organizations.
However it may NOT be used or reproduced for electronic redistribution or for commercial or other non-Scouting
purposes without the express permission of the U. S. Scouting Service Project, Inc. (USSSP).
Music Scout's Name: ________________________
3. Do TWO of the following:
a. Attend a live performance, or listen to three hours of recordings from any two of the following musical styles:
blues, jazz, classical, country, bluegrass, ethnic, gospel, musical theater, opera.
1. Musical Style: ________________________________________________________________________
Describe the sound of the music and the instruments used.
Sound
Instruments
Identify the composers or songwriters, the performers, and the titles of the pieces you heard.
Composers or songwriters Performers Titles
If it was a live performance, describe the setting and the reaction of the audience.
Setting
Reaction
Discuss your thoughts about the music.
Music - Merit Badge Workbook Page. 2 of 7
Music Scout's Name: ________________________
2. Musical Style: ________________________________________________________________________
Describe the sound of the music and the instruments used.
Sound
Instruments
Identify the composers or songwriters, the performers, and the titles of the pieces you heard.
Composers or songwriters Performers Titles
If it was a live performance, describe the setting and the reaction of the audience.
Setting
Reaction
Discuss your thoughts about the music.
Music - Merit Badge Workbook Page. 3 of 7
Music Scout's Name: ________________________
b. Interview an adult member of your family about music.
Person interviewed: _______________________________________________________________________
Find out what the most popular music was when he or she was your age.
Find out what his or her favorite music is now, and listen to three of your relative’s favorite tunes with him or her.
His or her favorite tunes:
1.
2.
3.
How do those favorites sound to you?
Had you ever heard any of them?
Play three of your favorite songs for your relative, and explain why you like these songs.
1.
Music - Merit Badge Workbook Page. 4 of 7
Music Scout's Name: ________________________
2.
3.
Ask what he or she thinks of your favorite music.
c. Serve for six months as a member of a school band, drum and bugle corps, choir, or other organized musical
group, or perform as a soloist in public six times.
d.List five people who are important in the history of American music and explain to your counselor why they continue
to be influential. Include at least one composer, one performer, one innovator, and one person born more than
100 years ago.
1.
2.
Music - Merit Badge Workbook Page. 5 of 7
Music Scout's Name: ________________________
3.
4.
5.
4. Do ONE of the following:
a. Teach three songs to a group of people. Lead them in singing the songs, using proper hand motions.
1.
2.
3.
b. Compose and write the score for a piece of music of 12 measures or more, and play this music on an
instrument. (A sheet of blank music staves can be found at the end of this workbook.)
c. Make a traditional instrument and learn to play it.
5. Define for your counselor intellectual property (IP). Explain how to properly obtain and share recorded music.
When working on merit badges, Scouts and Scouters should be aware of some vital information in the current edition of
the Guide to Advancement (BSA publication 33088). Important excerpts from that publication can be downloaded from
http://usscouts.org/advance/docs/GTA-Excerpts-meritbadges.pdf.
You can download a complete copy of the Guide to Advancement from http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/33088.pdf.
Music - Merit Badge Workbook Page. 6 of 7
Music Scout's Name: ________________________
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Music - Merit Badge Workbook Page. 7 of 7
