Does My Song Need a Bridge?
Objectives:
Vocabulary:
Introduction:
In popular music, the bridge serves several functions. It can break up the monotony from repeating sections in a song, taking listeners on an enjoyable detour. Musically speaking, it can act as a tool for expanding vocal melodies, changing repetitive rhythms, and adding new chords to humdrum harmonic progressions. While the bridge isn’t always necessary, it is often used as additional space to develop lyrical content. Lastly, some bridges were crafted with so much effort that they became smaller musical masterpieces within the larger composition.
Activities:
- Students will listen closely to the form of several musical selections in order to locate the bridge.
- Students will determine if their original song needs a bridge.
- Students will use compose a bridge and place it in their original songs.
- What factors in a song determine if a bridge is necessary
- Is the function of a bridge to reinforce old lyrics or introduce new ones?
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.5
- Analyze how an author's choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.
- Take’Em to the Bridge Worksheet
- Building a Bridge Worksheet
- Internet Access for Youtube or recordings of songs
- Device for Playing Songs
- Pencils
- If time permits these timed freewrites can start each class, and create a rhythm to the beginning of each session, along with developing the craft of journaling as an integral process of generating, fostering, and capturing inspired thoughts and ideas.
- Prompt: Consult the “Ecology Facts and Journal Prompts” handout to chose a topic for this class.
Vocabulary:
- Bridge: Contrasting section in the middle of a western pop song that prepares for the return of original musical material.
- Harmonic progression: A specific order of chords that constitute the underlying harmony in a musical composition.
- Middle Eight: A short section in the middle of a popular song (typically eight bars), generally of a different character from the other parts of the song and resembling a bridge.
Introduction:
In popular music, the bridge serves several functions. It can break up the monotony from repeating sections in a song, taking listeners on an enjoyable detour. Musically speaking, it can act as a tool for expanding vocal melodies, changing repetitive rhythms, and adding new chords to humdrum harmonic progressions. While the bridge isn’t always necessary, it is often used as additional space to develop lyrical content. Lastly, some bridges were crafted with so much effort that they became smaller musical masterpieces within the larger composition.
Activities:
- Teacher determines if the activity will be completed as a class, in small groups, or individually based on resources. Teacher will distribute the Take ‘Em to the Bridge Worksheet. Students will listen to a series of songs and match the bridge lyrics to the correct title/artist. Students will then complete the extension question.
- Students will analyze their original lyrics from the Rhyming Worksheet to determine if there are any incomplete ideas they would like to make into a bridge. Students should also look to see if their original song needs a bridge to break up repetition.
- Students will compose their bridge on the Building a Bridge Worksheet and decide where it belongs in the song. If students determine their song is better without a bridge, have them explain on the worksheet why they have omitted one.