The decision tree: how a song takes shape
Third Year of Middle School · Composition Workshop with DAWs · Three 45-Minute Sessions
A song does not grow from just one right idea: every decision opens up possibilities. We start with a message, imagine several paths, listen to two alternatives and choose one, explaining why. The branches can meet again: you can go back, change a choice and create a different version.
Download the signed PDF worksheetThe task
Work in a group to create an original 45–60-second song with short lyrics, rhythm, chords and melody, plus a second 15–20-second version that changes just one choice. Keep your decision tree, including the branches you did not choose.
Before you begin
- DAW stands for Digital Audio Workstation: a workspace for recording, arranging tracks, using virtual instruments and editing sounds. Use the DAW already approved by your school; you do not need to buy a program.
- Options: GarageBand on school iPads; LMMS on computers for virtual instruments and sequences; an online workspace such as BandLab only if approved and with school-managed accounts. In LMMS, vocals must be recorded using another tool and imported as an audio file.
- Work in groups of 3–4, with members responsible for rhythm, melody/chords, lyrics and the final listening check. Rotate roles. Anyone who does not want to record their voice can play, write, program or handle the editing.
- Suggested starting setup: 4/4, 100 BPM, an eighth-note grid, and the metronome on during recording. One bar lasts 2.4 seconds: 20–24 bars last about 48–58 seconds. Keep the volume moderate.
1. The message: what do we want to say?
- Welcoming others: ‘There is room for you too’
- The environment: ‘A small action changes tomorrow’
- Digital citizenship: ‘Before sharing, I stop to think’
Write a title and four original lines. Create two possible choruses; choose one because its message is clear and respectful, not because it rhymes at all costs.
2. The rhythm: steady or syncopated?
- A: a steady pulse; kick drum on 1 and 3, snare drum on 2 and 4
- B: the same speed, with a kick drum also on the offbeat after 2
Listen to the two rhythm examples while counting 1-and-2-and-3-and-4-and. Program two bars, duplicate them and change just one drum hit in the second version. Syncopation shifts an accent to a weak part of the beat: it does not mean going faster.
Rhythm A · steady
Four bars, 4/4, 100 BPM: kick drum on 1 and 3; snare drum on 2 and 4; hi-hat playing eighth notes.
Rhythm B · offbeat accent
The same sounds and the same speed; the added kick drum after 2 changes the rhythmic feel.
3. The harmony: two possible colours
- A: Do–Sol–La minor–Fa (C–G–Am–F), one chord per bar
- B: La minor–Fa–Do–Sol (Am–F–C–G), one chord per bar
The two progressions use the same chords, but have different starting points and directions. Enter the triads in the piano roll: Do = do-mi-sol; Sol = sol-si-re; La minor = la-do-mi; Fa = fa-la-do. There is no rule that says ‘major is happy, minor is sad’: compare your impressions.
Harmony A · C–G–Am–F
Four bars, one chord per bar: Do, Sol, La minor, Fa. A synthesized keyboard timbre.
Harmony B · Am–F–C–G
The same chords and timbre, but in a different order: La minor, Fa, Do, Sol.
4. The melody: repetition or response?
- A: a short idea returns almost unchanged
- B: the first phrase receives a varied response
Over C–G–Am–F, try do-re-mi-sol | sol-mi-re-do | la-do-mi-do | fa-mi-re-do. In the variation, change the ending, the duration or the direction of two notes. Sing in a comfortable range; you can transpose or use a virtual instrument. Passing notes do not all have to belong to the chord.
Melody A · repeated idea
The do-re-mi-sol motif repeats over the C–G–Am–F progression.
Melody B · question and answer
The same accompaniment; the melodic phrases change: do-re-mi-sol | sol-mi-re-do | la-do-mi-do | fa-mi-re-do.
5. Form and timbres: how does the piece develop?
- Intro 2 bars + verse 8 + chorus 8 + ending 2 = 20 bars
- Chorus 8 + verse 8 + chorus 8 = 24 bars
- Voice and keyboard, or voice, bass and percussion; alternatively, an instrumental melody with the lyrics read separately
Choose a form and draw it using colours. Bring a track in or take it out to distinguish the sections. In a second version, change one timbre without changing the notes or rhythm.
6. Editing: what do we keep, and what do we revise?
- Vocals in the foreground and instruments at a lower volume
- A clear-cut ending or a short fade-out
- Second version: change only the rhythm, harmony, melody or timbre
Listen through speakers too: can you understand the words? Avoid levels in the red and distortion. Save the project, export as WAV or MP3 if available, and compare the two versions at a similar volume. Keep your attempts: a rejected branch is not a mistake.
The six examples are original educational clips lasting about 10 seconds, with percussion and synthesised instruments, not commercial excerpts or sung vocals. Compare A and B at a similar volume and describe what you hear.
Made with ♥ by Maristella Povellato
Three 45-minute sessions
Session 1 · Opening up the branches
- 5 min: what makes a song recognizable? Listen to the A/B pairs.
- 10 min: choose a message, write two choruses and draw at least two branches each for rhythm, harmony and melody.
- 10 min: audience/class activity: one group keeps the pulse by tapping their legs, another taps beats 2 and 4, and a third tries the offbeat after 2. Swap roles; following along with silent gestures is also an option.
- 15 min: set up the DAW and create two four-bar rhythmic alternatives.
- 5 min: save and note down the first decision: ‘We chose… because…; the alternative would be…’.
Session 2 · Building the song
- 5 min: listen to your attempts again and assign new roles.
- 10 min: enter chords and try two melodic ideas; change just one variable for comparison.
- 10 min: write or refine the lyrics, checking word stresses and the clarity of the message.
- 15 min: record voice or an instrument, arrange the sections and balance the volumes.
- 5 min: save version A and note the branches you chose and those you left open.
Session 3 · Comparing and sharing
- 10 min: create a 15–20-second version B with just one choice changed.
- 10 min: finish editing, export and complete the credits for the materials used.
- 15 min: listen to the groups' work; classmates identify one choice they recognized, one effect they noticed and one question, without popularity rankings.
- 5 min: discuss inclusion, rights and privacy before any possible sharing.
- 5 min: hand in the tree, project, two audio files, lyrics and self-assessment.
Cross-curricular links
- Italian
- Writing original lyrics: imagery, rhymes, stresses and the relationship between syllables and rhythm. Rewrite the same message as a storytelling verse or a chorus slogan and compare the effects.
- Mathematics
- Rhythmic fractions and duration: at 100 BPM, one beat lasts 60/100 = 0.6 seconds; in 4/4, one bar lasts 2.4 seconds. Calculate the length and the possible combinations: two rhythms × two harmonies × two melodies = eight paths, before choosing timbres.
- Technology and science
- Sound waves, pitch, intensity, recording and non-destructive editing. Compare an isolated track with the mix; distinguish volume from pitch. Save separate versions and organize files with clear names.
- Art and visual communication
- Draw the tree using consistent colours for rhythm, harmony and melody; design an original cover that represents the message, without using classmates' photos without permission.
- English
- Prepare a short glossary: track = a recorded part, loop = a repeated cycle, beat = the pulse, mute = silence the sound, export = save the output as a file. Write a short bilingual chorus if the group wishes.
- History and music
- Connect repetition and response with blues and jazz, and editing with electronic music: a DAW does not replace listening; it makes choices visible and editable.
Citizenship education: an agreement for creating together
- Article 3 of the Constitution: make participation possible for everyone. Provide written instructions, readable text, visual rhythm cues and different roles; do not require anyone to sing or publish their voice.
- Article 21: express an idea responsibly. The chorus can address peace, respect, the environment or tackling cyberbullying, without insults or stereotypes. Criticizing a musical choice does not mean judging the person.
- Copyright: use original melodies and lyrics or materials with a compatible licence. ‘Free of charge’ does not mean ‘free of copyright restrictions’: check the licence and attribution requirements, noting the creator, source and licence of each loop. Do not download samples from commercial songs just for convenience.
- Privacy and digital citizenship: the assignment stays within the school environment. Record and share voices or images only in line with the school's permissions; do not include surnames or personal data in the files. Any publication requires a teacher's review.
- Shared decisions: every member proposes at least one branch; explain the choice and listen to disagreement. If two ideas are valid, keep both in A and B. Finish with three concrete group commitments.
Worksheet and self-assessment
In the PDF, you will find space to note down your message, A/B alternatives, reasons, form, timbres, credits and a solution for making the work accessible.
- I explored at least two alternatives and can explain a choice using musical terms.
- I can recognize the pulse, chords, melody and sections in our piece.
- I can explain what changes between A and B and what stays the same.
- I listened to my classmates, respected different roles, and checked sources and permissions.
For each item, indicate: still to try / with help / independently, giving a concrete example. How popular the song becomes is not assessed.
Download the complete workshop as a PDFThe PDF contains the plan, instructions and a link to this page to listen to the examples again; the audio clips are not embedded in the PDF.
Sources and tools
Made with ♥ by Maristella Povellato