Sample Mp3

For 19 years I have taught my steel band classes (6 in total) on Sunday's, so it was inevitable I would eventually write a tune called "Sunday Soca". It was composed for my beginning level student band, many of whom have little to no musical experience.

Pedagogical Points/Performance Notes-

The first 4 measures are a great way to introduce rolling to your students. Discussion can include hand speed (faster for higher pans, slower for lower), evenness of sound, and how to keep the underlying pulse while your hands are moving at a different tempo.

Sections A & B are a treasure trove of musical concepts found in most Soca and Calypso songs. Melody pans have a simple, pattern oriented melodic line (harmonized at letter B). Supporting pans have typical strum patterns, as well as a call & response with the melody. Example- measure 13 the Leads have the "call" and in measure 15 the supporting pans "respond".

Letter C will teach your band about stop time with all players hitting the dotted quarter, eighth pattern in unison. Then easy arpeggios follow the stop time.

Letter F is an optional unison Jam. It employs a rhythm found throughout steel band music and is a great way to ingrain this rhythm through the power and safety of unison playing. Clapping and counting the rhythm before adding the notes is always a good thing. I taught this section by rote so my students could experience that aspect of steel band pedagogy, then later gave them the written parts.

I often add jam sections to songs when we are approaching a concert but there isn't enough time to add an entirely new song. If you prefer to skip this optional jam, take the D.S. before letter F.

I hope your students enjoy "Sunday Soca".-MB

Difficulty: Easy (great for beginning junior high, high school and college steel bands)

Instrumentation: tenor/double tenor(can be played on 2nds)/double seconds/guitar-cello/bass/drum set/engine room

ITEM ID : SDMB-009