This half term in Computing, Year 2 have been exploring the unit ‘Creating Media – Digital Music’ where we have been learning how computers can be used to create music and sounds.
Over the past few weeks, we have listened carefully to different pieces of music and discussed how music can make us think and feel. We listened to pieces from Gustav Holst’s famous suite: The Planets and explored how each piece was named after a different planet. We listened to ‘Mars’, which sounded loud, powerful and dramatic and made us think about battles and danger. We also listened to ‘Jupiter’, which sounded joyful, exciting and energetic, and ‘Venus’, which was much calmer, peaceful and relaxing. We compared the different moods, sounds and tempos in the music and used descriptive vocabulary to explain what we liked and disliked about each piece.
We have also explored rhythm and patterns by creating our own rhythm sequences and performing them using untuned percussion instruments before recreating rhythms using the computers. We discussed how music can be created both digitally and non-digitally and practised following rhythm patterns carefully.
This week, we focused on how music can be used to trigger our imagination. We listened to ‘Neptune’ from The Planets and discussed how the music sounded mysterious, magical and even a little spooky. We then explored how different shapes and lines could represent changes in sound and pitch. By drawing different patterns, zig-zags and curves, we were able to think carefully about how music can change from high to low, fast to slow and loud to quiet. Using the computers, we experimented with pitch and created our own short musical pieces to match our ideas and drawings. Some of us linked our music to animals, movements and different imaginative scenes whilst explaining how the sounds matched our thinking.
Throughout the unit so far, Year 2 have demonstrated fantastic creativity, listening skills and teamwork whilst confidently experimenting with music and technology. They have really enjoyed becoming young digital composers and are excited to continue creating their own music over the coming weeks!
