(upbeat music)
Mr. B: Well hi, I'm Mr. B.
I'm a musician, artist, and teacher
based in Seattle Washington.
Maybe you've seen me at an assembly
or your school library.
I get to collaborate with some of the finest
musicians in the Pacific Northwest and now you.
♪ Are you ready to go ♪
♪ Yeah ♪
♪ You're a duo or a trio or you're writing solo ♪
♪ Writing solo ♪
♪ Go on get in with it ♪
♪ Clap your hands, clap clap ♪
(upbeat music)
-: For today's lesson you'll need a piece of paper
or a notebook and a pen or pencil.
Any way to capture your ideas.
Hey there, and welcome to Making Music With Mr. B.
I'm Mr. B.
Today, we will be writing a song
inspired by the word strength.
I have two very special guests with me today.
A longtime friend, Mr. Blake Lewis,
and a really wonderful piano player, Christopher Jordan.
Without any further ado, let's get right into it.
For this first activity you're gonna be
mentally and physically active.
Try and keep up with Mr. B as he claps and slaps a rhythm.
Slappy, clappy, copy.
Slappers. (hand slapping)
Clappers. (clapping)
Copiers.
Let's kick it off.
Ben-ben, Momo, cats, boots.
Cats, boots, and cats, and boots, and cats, and boots
and cats, and boots, and cats.
(drum playing)
Let's get started.
Ready, here we go.
(hand slapping) (clapping)
(hand slap) (clap)
Pump up the tempo.
(hand slap) (clapping)
(hand slapping) (clapping)
(hand slapping) (clap)
(hand slap) (clap)
(finger snapping)
Stop! (brakes screeching)
Level two.
Ready, here we go.
(hand slapping) (clapping)
Bing!
(hand slap) (clapping)
(finger snapping) Bing!
(hand slap) (clapping)
(finger snapping) Bing!
(hand slapping) (clapping)
Pump up the tempo.
(clapping) (hand slap)
(finger snapping) (clap)
(hand slapping)
(finger snapping) (clap)
(hand slapping)
(finger snapping) (clapping)
Stop!
Level three.
Ready, here we go.
(hand slapping) (clapping)
Pump up the tempo.
(hand slapping) (clapping)
Pump up the tempo.
(hand slapping) (clapping)
Bing!
(hand slapping) (clapping)
Bing!
(hand slapping) (clapping)
-: This is, high.
(piano playing)
And low.
(piano playing)
High.
(piano playing)
And low.
(piano playing)
(upbeat music)
Mr. B: Today's song is inspired by the word strength.
Whenever I'm writing a song I think of
words or phrases that jump out at me
that are connected to the topic I'm writing about.
On the top of your page write the word strength.
As you listen to our guests say what words and phrases
come to their mind, write down any
that stand out to you or any that you connect
with the word strength.
So again, we're writing down words and phrases
that connect to the word strength.
-: Perseverance.
-: Believing.
-: Can sometimes hide.
-: Being mighty.
-: Sturdy.
-: Hearing words and phrases like, "You can do it!"
-: Conviction.
-: Personality.
-: Can look differently than you think it's going to.
-: You are able.
-: Strength in numbers.
-: Your mind.
-: Maybe fierce and being a leader.
-: Stability.
Mr. B: Oh man, I wish I could see what was on your page.
I bet you have something really good.
Save those words and phrases for later.
For now, let's move on to the instrumental we created.
(whoosh)
-: This is what a keyboard sounds like.
(piano playing)
(whoosh)
Mr. B: Today's track is inspired by the word strength.
Our guest instrumentalist is Christopher Jordan.
-: Hi, my name is Chris and I play keyboards and piano.
Mr. B: Thanks Chris.
Chris came up with four chords inspired
by the word strength.
Here's what he came up with.
(piano playing)
Mr. B: For today's track I stayed home
and collected some sounds to add a little personal flavor.
Music is all around us.
You just have to stop and listen.
As always, I put the sounds into my sampler, the MPC live,
and made them my own.
Here's what I got.
(fluttering)
(salt shaking)
(tapping)
Mr. B: Once I had all the sounds
I chopped them up and put them into the MPC.
I really like the way the sticks and spoons
sounded together like this,
(light banging)
and came up with this rhythm
(upbeat music)
which I changed to this for the chorus.
(whoosh)
Time for the free write.
Write down words or phrases you think of
when you hear the word strength.
Try to think of ideas that connect to you
and your own life.
Remember, there's no right or wrong answers
so anything you come up with is perfect.
I'll give you just a minute to write some things down.
Take your time now, don't give up.
Okay, about 20 seconds left.
Why don't you go ahead and wrap it up now.
Get ready, 'cause here comes the song.
-: Hey guys, Blake Lewis here.
♪ Mmm ♪
♪ Believe in yourself ♪
♪ Become the mighty warrior, yeah ♪
♪ Use all the strength you have ♪
♪ And be victorious ♪
♪ When I'm feeling down and gray ♪
♪ I turned to my friend strength ♪
♪ They tell me mighty, mighty ♪
♪ I am strong and mighty ♪
♪ I can do anything ♪
♪ Believe in yourself ♪
♪ Become the mighty warrior, yeah ♪
♪ Use all the strength you have ♪
♪ And be victorious ♪
(chuckle) (chimes ringing)
-: Thanks so much for joining us on this
musical journey today.
If you'd like to spend more time making music with Mr. B
you can find me at learningwithstyle.com.
That's learningwithstyle.com.
I host lessons every week.
I would love it if you could join me.
Thanks again.