Composition & Music Theory Responding Unit—Advanced Level

NAfME Teaching with Primary Sources Curriculum Units for the 2014 Music Standards

Music is a vital part of any film soundtrack and is often used to support and enhance the emotional experience of each scene. Early films lacked audio and depended on a local musician to perform or improvise a supporting music soundtrack. The Library of Congress collections include several early films from this era. In this unit, students will explore film soundtracks and analyze how music soundtracks may enhance and support video. Students will use their knowledge of music theory to create an original soundtrack for an early silent film.