Registration
- Make creative and musically expressive choices by:
- applying given registration directions, experimenting with appropriate alternatives, and making some autonomous decisions
- making use of dual voices, simple voice effects, and changing the voice within a performance for expressive effect
- using the volume control for creative dynamic effect
Help learners to set up registration effectively and quickly, following written instructions. Experiment with alternatives, including voice effects, discussing suitability.
Voice effects could include chorus, auto-harmony and reverb. Devise aural tests to establish whether learners can detect whether dual voices are engaged.
Ask learners to play a piece and repeat with a dual voice engaged, noting the musical difference.
Ask learners to contrast two or more voices within a piece for structural effect. Compare with auto-accompaniment variations.
When learners can change voices fluently, they can experiment using different voices for alternate phrases to create a conversational effect.
Encourage learners to explore the use of one-touch settings where available, and demonstrate the advantages.
Show learners how to use the transpose function for structural effect and musical purpose when arranging pieces. Ask them to use this function in a selected piece.
This is a useful function when playing with friends who use transposing instruments, e.g. clarinet players.
Show learners how to use the volume control to fade in and out the auto-accompaniment as an alternative to using pre-set intros and endings.
This activity can also be introduced during an earlier programme. Here it provides a good introduction to the use of the volume control for dynamic effect. The use of the volume control is important in an ensemble context, where players must listen sensitively and adjust their own volume in relation to others, e.g. to bring out the solo part.
Ask learners to compose a piece using only the black keys and a variety of articulations. Encourage them to use the volume controls as a means to fade in/out of the overall mix. Discuss how this influences the texture and the overall effectiveness of the composition.
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