Song Ideas: riffs, rhythms, melodies, chords, accompaniments

We hope this site will be a resource for people who would like to be able to write their own material on the spur of the moment or respond to their students' ideas with confidence. Please contribute anything you have written, even if it is unfinished - someone else may add to it.

BACKING TRACKS:
Cameron Harris, Ashley Bell, UCC.

descending bassline in Em, rock feel - 2 minutes of backing for people to improvise to, work out riffs, practice rhythms etc.
mp3
2 chord riff (backing to Vamos a Caminar (see songs with spanish words page)
mp3

Can you brush your teeth? - John Keys, Charlotte Radcliffe, Ruth Price.

Simple song with easy and fun responses, written during Eden Valley Singing Squad session. Works well in a round with actions.
mp3 score

Come And Sing With Me Now - Mary Keith

Repeating riff with harmonies, lovely feel.
(Mary is a Vocal Force Facilitator who writes regularly for the theatre and other projects)
KEY STAGE 2 & 3 & adult
score

Evening Time - Mary Keith

Vocal groove in two parts. It grew out of 'Evening Time', a traditional Jamaican song (see traditional songs page), but works really well on its own too.
score

Harry Potter

Words by Harry Potter Puppet Pals to rhythm patterns for 4 voices KEY STAGE 1, 2, 3
score

Hear the Heartbeat - Mary Keith

Piece exploring different time values in a musical and evocative way. Very accessible.
KEY STAGE 2 upwards
score

I Don't Want To Go To School Today - Beaconside Primary, Yr 4

Words made up to help learn a samba call and response break pattern. They have been enjoyed by students and teachers throughout Cumbria.
score | mp3

Joho - arr. Jilly Jarman

Arrangement of extract of a gospel song learnt from Scott Stroman. (His arrangements are available on sibeliusmusic.com) Written for North Lakes School Choir, Penrith, it uses repeated phrases to explore rhythm and texture.
notes | score

Kinetic Energy - Sharon Durant & Jilly Jarman

Riff-based piece, useful as a starting point for composition ideas and improvisation. Written during the first vocal union training weekend in Allerdale, 2006
score

Fire! - Ems Featherstone, Alison Scott, Penrith Singing Squad

A great song to sing with energy with three interlocking parts
KEY STAGE 2 & 3 mp3 | score

Little Riff in 5 & 7 - Mary Keith

Just 3 bars of melody mixing the 2 time signatures. Evocative.
score

I like ice cream - Jilly Jarman

Very simple harmonised riff to help people sing on the 2 and 4 - very useful for reggae and calypso songs among others. Sung here with Marieke
mp3

Summertime Riffs - Penrith Singing Squad

Ideas for extending Summertime and moving it from a lullaby into an upbeat groovy piece.
score

Mama Don't Allow - Penrith Sing Up training session for teachers Feb 2011

4 groups had 10 minutes to work on Mama Don't Allow looking at: spoken word riffs; story (instruments); harmonies and percussion. This is what they came up with. Session led by Jilly Jarman. See version of Mama on traditional songs page.
mp3

Sun Shine on Me - Hannah Reid, Shelley Stewart, James Ramage, Helen Rimmer

Song with 3 interlocking melodies that work together very well - could be used as a round or for bringing parts in and out over a riff.
mp3 | score

Yoo hoo! Where are you? - Vocal Union training day

Warm-up song - suitable for any age
mp3


Sing Up



Sing Up, the Music Manifesto National Singing Programme, produced by Youth Music with AMV-BBDO, Faber Music and The Sage Gateshead supported by Government.
Vocal Union is part-funded through Sing Up and is part of its national singing programme.