Signs and Symbols: Recording and Composing

‘Signs and Symbols’ is one of a series of 5 books which focus on developing music across the primary/elementary curriculum. Ideas are designed for the generalist music teacher. However, a special feature is that of suggesting ways in which visiting musicians can support and liaise with schools to enhance the music curriculum.

The focus of these materials is to develop simple ways of representing sound (including rhythm and melody), from pictorial, through signs and simple invented symbolic representation, leading to children’s own graphic compositions. The terms ‘signs’ and ‘symbol’ are used to differentiate the children’s invented representations of sound from a common perception of notations, which has associations with traditional western notations (e.g. crotchets, quavers, etc.). The materials offer suggestions for sound exploration activities, useful as preparatory and on-going experience.