Unrivaled Duplication - Complimentary Learning Material

In the digital age, platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok have given rise to a new wave of cover versions of popular songs. This trend has also found its way into classrooms, where students are now performing their own versions of songs as part of their music education.

One such initiative is the Midnight Music Membership Community, an online hub for tech-focused professional development for music teachers. The community aims to boost classroom outcomes, engage students, and inspire a lifelong love of music.

Katie Argyle, an Australian music technology trainer and consultant, leads the Midnight Music Membership Community. The community is designed for teachers of all skill levels and offers step-by-step training, world-class online courses, and creative lesson ideas.

One of the lessons in the community is focused on comparing and contrasting cover versions of songs. The lesson is suitable for students of most ages, with younger students working as a class group and older students working in small groups or independently.

The lesson asks students to compare and contrast two versions of the same song: the original and a cover version. They will consider tempo, instruments and voices, mood/feel, style, texture, and other musical elements.

To adapt this lesson, teachers can choose any two versions of a song, ideally that differ in style or arrangement to highlight contrasts. They can play both versions for the class, or have students listen independently or in groups.

Providing a worksheet with targeted questions prompts students to note changes in tempo, differences in instrumental and vocal styles, variations in mood or emotional feel, changes in musical style, and differences in texture. Engaging students in sharing observations, either individually, in small groups, or as a full class discussion, follows.

Teachers can extend learning by encouraging students to hypothesize why changes were made and how these affect the listener’s experience. Optionally, a creative component can be included where students arrange or perform their own cover versions based on what they have learned.

This lesson structure is highly adaptable for different ages and class formats—from whole-class bellringer activities to more in-depth projects for older students. For example, an activity might involve comparing a patriotic Broadway tune and its later cover, encouraging students to look at historical context, instrumentation changes, and stylistic adaptations. Alternatively, teachers might use popular contemporary songs and their innovative YouTube or TikTok covers.

This approach helps students develop critical listening skills by focusing on measurable elements like tempo and instrumentation while appreciating broader artistic choices in style and mood.

For those interested in exploring more resources, The Ultimate Free Music Tech Resources Guide 2024-2025, organised into 30 categories, is available for download from Midnight Music. The guide offers a wealth of information on various aspects of music technology and education.

[1] The lesson "Better Than The Original" at Midnight Music provides a free, adaptable lesson framework for this activity. [3] The Library of Congress example shows how to guide student inquiry and discussion comparing versions, considering historical and stylistic context. [5] A free listening worksheet is available for download with the lesson.

In the digital age, music education has expanded beyond traditional methods, incorporating cover versions of popular songs in classrooms.
The Midnight Music Membership Community is an online platform catering to tech-focused professional development for music teachers.
The community, led by Katie Argyle, offers step-by-step training, world-class online courses, and creative lesson ideas for teachers of all skill levels.
One lesson in the community centers around analyzing and contrasting different versions of songs, promoting critical listening skills among students.
Younger students work together as a class to compare an original song with its cover version, while older students may work in small groups or independently.
Teachers adapt this lesson by selecting diverse versions of songs, focusing on musical elements like tempo, instruments, and mood.
Worksheets with targeted questions help students identify changes in tempo, style, and texture, fostering collaborative observations and discussions.
By hypothesizing why changes were made in the cover versions, students gain insights into how artistic choices impact a listener's experience.
The adaptable lesson structure can cater to various age groups and class formats, from whole-class activities to more complex projects for older students.
Resources such as the "Better Than The Original" lesson, a free listening worksheet, and The Ultimate Free Music Tech Resources Guide 2024-2025, offer additional guidance and tools for music educators.
Historical and stylistic context, instrumentation changes, and artistic choices in music can be explored through comparing patriotic Broadway tunes, contemporary songs, or innovative YouTube covers.