Write Your Own Music (WYOM)

Music is about creativity, imagination and self-expression.

Schools should be places where students find learning fun and enjoyable. There should be freedom of expression and an atmosphere of exchange of ideas and debate.

Experience the joy of creating music:
Rhythm MP would like to encourage you to give your students an opportunity to write or compose their own songs in any manner they like. Let them be free to express themselves. Do not worry if it doesn't look, feel or sound the way you think it should be. Just let them process what they have learned while they are composing. Teachers can guide and help but try to let your students put in as much of their own creativity as possible.

For example, if you have taught them CDE, then let them use the CDE to write their own tunes.

Click here for CDE song sheet with audio in PDF
Composed by Dr. Geraldine Law-Lee

Acrobat Reader is required to open this PDF, and it can be down-loaded free of charge at www.adobe.com/reader

I just found a secret
One that I can share
It's the joy of Music
I enjoy each day

It can make you happy
Share your music now
It's a gift for all the world
Let me show you how

You can write your own song
And your rhythm too
It's a joy for you friend
Yes it's something new

I can play my tune now
I can sing it too
Do Re Do Re Mi Mi Mi
Re Do Mi Re Do

(repeat ending 3x and slow down last time)

Exploring and discovering chords to be used with the melody:
Primary chords: I, IV & V7
Secondary chords: IIm, IIIm, VIm & VIIdim

Chord: I & V7
This is the simplest chord progression to use. Chord I to V7 and V7 to I (Perfect Cadence) will suit any song composed using the notes C to G.

Chord: I, IV & V7
These form the primary chords that are diatonic to all major scales. Adding Chord IV will add more harmony to the tune.

Chord: I, IIm & V7
The use of IIm (minor) introduces the sound of a minor chord. The tonality of a minor chord offers a different soundscape from the major and dominant 7th sounds above. From here on, the harmony starts to get more interesting by exploring sounds from other chords.


Chord: I, IIm, IIIm & V7
Chord IIIm is introduced here. This chord has its limitations and may not sound that good in certain circumstances.

Chord: I, IIm, IIIm, IV, V7 & Vim
Having more chords to use allows more exploration of chords. A mix of primary and secondary chords allows interesting harmony to be created for a melody. The samples below are just some ideas that are possible. Explore the given chords and create a chord progression that you like.



Of course, there are other chords possible but diatonic chords to the scale are the safest to use especially in a situation like the WYOM project, where you have to add chords to the 8-bar compositions that your students have created to perform them.


Click on Iliana Zerbou (6) to play MP3 Audio File, student of Elena Ntzoufra (Greece)

Click on Niki Kanellopoulou (8) and Alexis Karnavas (9) to play MP3 Audio File, students of Jenny Theofanopoulou (Greece)

Click on Valia Katsi (11), Doranthi Charalambidi (9) and Eleftheria Damanaki (11) to play MP3 Audio File, students of Christiana Kalogeropoulou (Greece)