Creating Your Own Songs!
You can! It's really not that hard ...
First - you need some words. This is the purpose for your song, the words that you want to teach to your students. Remember these points:
Second - you need a tune. This is the part that some people think is difficult - but it's really not!
Here are three easy ways to come up with a tune;
1. Use a tune from a traditional song or nursery rhyme such as:
Or
2. Use the Playground Tune.
You know the one. It's the one children use when they are showing off to each other.
Still don't know it? You know the song:
It's raining, it's pouring,
The old man is snoring
He went to bed, and bumped his head,
And couldn't get up in the morning.
That's the playground tune, and it's completely flexible with regards to syllables and line length.
You can listen to it here if you are not sure how it goes ...
First - you need some words. This is the purpose for your song, the words that you want to teach to your students. Remember these points:
- Repetition is fine. In fact it is desirable.
- Lines should be short.
- At least some of your lines should rhyme.
Second - you need a tune. This is the part that some people think is difficult - but it's really not!
Here are three easy ways to come up with a tune;
1. Use a tune from a traditional song or nursery rhyme such as:
- London Bridge
- Twinkle Twinkle
- Ir you're happy and you know it
- Clementine
Or
2. Use the Playground Tune.
You know the one. It's the one children use when they are showing off to each other.
Still don't know it? You know the song:
It's raining, it's pouring,
The old man is snoring
He went to bed, and bumped his head,
And couldn't get up in the morning.
That's the playground tune, and it's completely flexible with regards to syllables and line length.
You can listen to it here if you are not sure how it goes ...
"It's raining, it's pouring" (the playground tune)
Or
3. Use a Guitar Chord Pattern
If you have been following along and trying to play some of the songs on this website on a guitar, then you probably would have noticed that songs - especially the 3-chord songs - tend to follow one of several distinct patterns.
For example, playing in the key of G:
G / / / / G / / / (the first line uses the main chord)
C / / / / C / / / (the second line is almost the same tune, played a little higher or lower)
G / / / / G / / / (the third line is the same as the first one)
D7 / / / / G / / / (the last line goes off a little bit and comes back to the main chord)
That's putting it very simply and non-musically! Strum your guitar and try gently singing your words ... keep it simple and repetitive.
3. Use a Guitar Chord Pattern
If you have been following along and trying to play some of the songs on this website on a guitar, then you probably would have noticed that songs - especially the 3-chord songs - tend to follow one of several distinct patterns.
For example, playing in the key of G:
G / / / / G / / / (the first line uses the main chord)
C / / / / C / / / (the second line is almost the same tune, played a little higher or lower)
G / / / / G / / / (the third line is the same as the first one)
D7 / / / / G / / / (the last line goes off a little bit and comes back to the main chord)
That's putting it very simply and non-musically! Strum your guitar and try gently singing your words ... keep it simple and repetitive.
