Compose with Puzzles - Horsehair Music

Here is an activity for beginners to encourage their creativity. And learn to compose with puzzles.. This is the second activity for beginners for teaching composition. I’ve been thinking a lot about how to make improvising and creating less scary for violin students. It seems to me that if we include structured activities for improvising or composing, that students will be more likely to try it at any level of playing. Most beginners are willing to try anything. Since everything is new. And they are like little sponges absorbing information and sounds. I’ve also been looking for ways to do the same bow patterns and finger patterns packaged differently. It helps get more repetitions logged into their brains.

In the first activity I had them choose one twinkle pattern and they could play choose open A or open E. You can see and read about that worksheet here. For this activity, The can choose open A or open E, AND they choose different rhythm patterns to play on each open string.

Download the Compose with Puzzles Worksheet Here

Group Class Activity

First Week

Here is a larger version of the puzzle pieces. I printed these out on card stock so that they would hold up a little better class. There’s a little bit of prep work in cutting them out before class. First I demonstrated to the class. I choose 3 puzzle pieces with letters and put them in the order I wanted. Next, I chose 3 rhythm patterns and put them with the letters I wanted. Then I played my piece. We discussed what name I could give my piece and they had plenty of suggestions.

After that demonstration, I went around the circle and asked a child to pick a letter and a pattern. Then the next child in the circle picked a letter and a pattern. I had 7 kids in the class that day, so we did the first song with 3 kids and the second song with 4 kids. After we had chosen our 3 letters and patterns, we clapped the patterns. I then pointed out through which letter to play. (I know this is obvious, but give the kids a chance to absorb all the information coming at them. Some of the kids will get this immediately and some will need to think it through. To help everyone be successful, take the 2 minutes to verbally walk them through the letter and pattern.) I had those 3 kids stand up and play their song. We also talked about what they could title their piece, which ended up being a combination of all the words the 3 of them said. Things like, “Rocketship Pie” or “Butterfly Dance.”

Then I passed out their a print out of smaller puzzle pieces. Explaining that they could cut them out at home like my puzzle pieces. Then they could put together a piece every day! For group class next week they could choose their favorite combination to compose with puzzles. And they will share their composition with us as a solo. Don’t forget to have the think of a title for their composition.

Second Week

I love these activities because it helps me get to know their personalities. It’s also a way of building in solo playing from the beginning. I allow them to choose if they will play a solo. If not, it’s not a big deal. Maybe they aren’t feeling good. Maybe it’s just been a bad day. For some kids they need to see what the experience of solo playing looks like before they feel comfortable trying it out. But the goal is to get everyone to perform a solo in class. (Since playing solos is an important part of learning!) I let them sit with mom or dad and then we go around the circle. They stand next to mom or dad so that they can help or point however needed. The child tells us the title of their song and then they play for us. At the end of each song. Everyone claps and cheers after each song!