This lesson was created using Aila, Oak’s AI lesson assistant.
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Songwriting
Subject
Music (e.g.
• Key Science)
stage 3
Created using Aila, Oak’s AI lesson assistant
Outcome
I can write lyrics and create a melody using text setting
and rhyming structures.
Keywords
Lyrics Words of a song written as verses and chorus to
convey a theme or story.
Melody A sequence of notes in a particular order creating
the main part of a song.
Text setting The alignment of syllables in speech to melody; can
be syllabic or melismatic.
Generating The process of creating words for a song based on
lyrics a theme or idea.
Rhyming Patterns of rhymes within lyrics that create a flow
structures and rhythm in the song.
Lesson outline
Songwriting
Identify examples of syllabic and melismatic text setting
Generate lyrics using a theme and rhyming structures
Compose a melody for lyrics using chords and text setting
Understanding Text Setting
Explanation
Text setting aligns syllables to melody;
syllabic is one note per syllable,
melismatic uses several notes.
syllabic vs melismatic text setting
examples
Check for understanding
Check
1. What is text setting in music?
a Aligning words with melody
b Creating melodies
c Writing verses
d
Check for understanding
Check
2. Which song part often uses melismatic text setting?
a Bridge
b Chorus
c Verse
d
Task A Understanding Text Setting
Practice
Find examples of syllabic and melismatic text setting in the song
'Imagine' by John Lennon. Note how syllables are matched to notes and
create a diagram illustrating this.
Task A Understanding Text Setting
Feedback
Model answer: 'Imagine' uses syllabic setting for 'I-ma-gine' with one note per
syllable, and melismatic for 'ha' with one syllable stretched over multiple notes.
Lesson outline
Songwriting
Identify examples of syllabic and melismatic text setting
Generate lyrics using a theme and rhyming structures
Compose a melody for lyrics using chords and text setting
Generating and Structuring Lyrics
Explanation
Generate lyrics using a theme, connected
words, and rhyming structures like AABB.
lyric generation process chart
Check for understanding
Check
1. What is the first step in generating lyrics?
a Choose a music genre
b Define a song theme or title
c Select a rhyming pattern
d
Check for understanding
Check
2. Which structure has the same rhyme for lines 1, 2, and 4?
a AABA
b AABB
c ABBA
d
Task B Generating and Structuring Lyrics
Practice
Write a set of lyrics using the theme of 'change'. Develop two verses and a
chorus, employing at least one rhyming structure such as AABB or ABBA.
Task B Generating and Structuring Lyrics
Feedback
Success criteria: Your lyrics should consist of two verses and a chorus, following a
coherent rhyming structure such as AABB.
Lesson outline
Songwriting
Identify examples of syllabic and melismatic text setting
Generate lyrics using a theme and rhyming structures
Compose a melody for lyrics using chords and text setting
Composing a Melody for Lyrics
Explanation
Compose a melody using chords, tonality,
and text setting. Use your lyrics as a
foundation.
melody composition using chords
Check for understanding
Check
1. Which tonality would create a joyful mood?
a Atonal
b Major
c Minor
d
Check for understanding
Check
2. What is a syllabic melody setting?
a Multiple syllables per note
b No syllables per note
c One syllable per note
d
Task C Composing a Melody for Lyrics
Practice
Create a melody for one verse of your lyrics using chords C and G.
Consider syllabic text setting and a stepwise melody.
Task C Composing a Melody for Lyrics
Feedback
Worked example: If using C and G chords, a syllabic melody for 'Take away my
voice' would start with the notes matching each syllable.
© Oak National Academy 2024.
Created using Aila, Oak’s AI lesson assistant. All content should be
reviewed before use in lessons.
Licensed on the Open Government Licence v3.0, except where
otherwise stated. See Oak terms and conditions.
