Introduction to Disco Music with Composition Activities for Music Students Instrumentation Key Artists Labels Tracks Nightclubbing Legacy

1. SESSION STYLES
DISCO& ACTIVITIES
M U S I C S T U D E N T I N F O. C O M
C H R I S TO P H E R B A K E R

2. IN THIS LESSON…
• You will become familiar with Disco music by exploring its
context and key features
• You will be able to describe and identify:
- The music's pulse/beat
- A Hook or Riff
- The Disco drumbeat

3. CONTEXT
• Disco was the dance music of the 1970s
• It was first introduced in nightclubs in the USA
• Had its roots in soul, jazz and funk
• Lighting technology improved
• People danced on their own

4. CLUBS BEFORE THE
1970’S

5. CLUBS IN THE 1970’S

6. FEATURE 1: PULSE
• What is a pulse in music?
• Describe the pulse of this song

7. FEATURE 2: A HOOK
• What is a hook?
• Part of a song that catches the ear of the listener. In other words
it's a lyrical line, melodic phrase or rhythm that makes the song
memorable.

8. FEATURE 3: INSTRUMENTS
• What instruments can you hear in the music?
• What/how are they playing?

9. FEATURE 3: DRUMBEAT
•
Bass Drum Plays on every beat: 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 (4 to the floor)
Snare plays on beats 2 and 4: 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 (Backbeat)
Hi-hats play offbeat quavers: 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and

10. D.I.S.C.O!!!
• In what decade did Disco music start up?
• Name 2 things you would expect to see in a Disco venue
• Why does disco music need a steady pulse?
• What is a hook?
• Can you name a famous hook?
• Can you describe the disco drumbeat?
- What drums does it use?
-What does each drum play?
• How do people dance to disco? (Hint: Think about the John
Travolta video!)

11. CHALLENGE!!
• We are going to by create our own performances of a popular
Disco track!

12. IN THIS LESSON YOU WILL…
• Aurally identify the key characteristics of Disco, such as a hook
• Develop your performance/ ensemble skills by learning to
perform a part of a famous disco song from simple notation

13. LISTENING TASK
Whilst you are listening, think about..
• What instruments can you hear?
• What are the instruments doing?
• What key features of Disco can you identify?
• What is the tempo of the song?

14. BASS LINE
C C C C C C C C

15. KEYBOARDS

16. DRUMBEAT
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
X X
X X X X
X X X X

17. AVAILABLE PARTS
• Bass line
• Vocals
• Drumbeat
• Hook

18. IN THIS LESSON I WILL
• Show an awareness of disco music's context and key features by:
- revising what we discussed last lesson
- Putting what we learnt into practice by performing an
arrangement of ‘Funky Town’
• Show that I can play in time with others and/or a backing track

19. DISCO MUSIC’S STRUCTURE
• Introduction
• Verse 1
• Chorus
• Verse 2
• Chorus
• Middle 8
• Chorus
• Outro

20. TECHNOLOGY
• Extra sounds are often added by drum machines
• Backing loops are made using sequencers
• Loops are played repeatedly throughout the song
• Microphone used to sing vocals
• Reverberation/reverb added to vocals
• Amplified instruments
• Multi-track recording

21. PERFORMANCE TASK:
INDIVIDUAL WORK
• Play the hook in time to a backing track
• Play the bass line in time to a backing track
• Play the Melody in time to a backing track
• EXT: Play two parts at the same time

22. PERFORMANCE TASK:
PAIR WORK
• Play the bass line/hook/melody/chords in time with each
other/backing track
• EXT: Play two different parts together, in time with each
other/backing track

23. PERFORMANCE TASK:
GROUP WORK
• Make your own arrangement of ‘Funky Town’
• Must be in time to a backing track
• Could include:
- Vocals
- Bass line
- Hook
- Melody
-Chords (in the chorus)

24. IMPORTANT POINTS
• You MUST play in time to a backing track
• Groups must include instruments, can’t be all vocals
• Aim for at least 1 verse and 1 chorus
• Be creative: This is your arrangement!

25. PARTS AVAILABLE:
• Lyrics
• Keyboard Hook
• Bass line
• Guitar/keyboard chords (for the chorus)

26. IN THIS LESSON I WILL:
• Demonstrate my knowledge and understanding of Disco music
by composing a disco track that uses some key features
discussed in class

27. DISCO COMPOSITION
• What features do you think your disco composition should
have?

28. DISCO COMPOSITION
Your compositions must have:
• A Hook
• A bass line
• A drum beat
• A simple melody with lyrics
• Aim for an introduction, verse and chorus

29. LYRICS
• “Gotta make a move to a Town that's right for me Town to keep
me moving’ 'Keep me grooving' with some energy Well, I talk
about it Talk about it Talk about it Talk about it”
• “Dance boogie wonderland Dance boogie wonderland”
• “Burn Baby Burn, Disco inferno”
• “You make me feel mighty real”
• “Ah ah ah ah Staying Alive”

30. SELF REFLECTION
• To assess your progress this unit using a self assessment sheet
• To demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of disco
through completing a short quiz