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### Exploring Music Through Cover Songs: A Lesson Plan from Midnight Music Community

In the ever-evolving world of music education, the Midnight Music Community, led by Australian music technology trainer and consultant Katie Argyle, provides a wealth of creative lesson ideas for teachers of all skill levels. This inclusive platform caters to everyone, from self-proclaimed 'technophobes' to advanced tech users.

One such lesson, designed to boost classroom outcomes, engage students on a deeper level, and inspire a lifelong love of music, involves comparing and contrasting original songs with their cover versions. This approach has gained popularity due to platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, where cover songs have become a staple.

Here are several examples of songs with notable cover versions that lend themselves well to this type of music lesson:

| Original Song | Notable Cover Version(s) | Why It Works for Comparison | |------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------| | **"Hallelujah"**
(Leonard Cohen) | Jeff Buckley, Pentatonix, Rufus Wainwright, k.d. lang | Striking differences in tempo, vocal style, arrangement (acoustic vs. choral), mood (somber vs. uplifting) | | **"Respect"**
(Otis Redding) | Aretha Franklin | Tempo change, instrumentation (guitar-driven vs. soulful brass and vocals), mood (submissive vs. empowering) | | **"I Will Always Love You"**
(Dolly Parton) | Whitney Houston | Style (country vs. soul/pop), vocal technique, orchestration (minimal vs. lush), emotional delivery | | **"All Along the Watchtower"**
(Bob Dylan) | Jimi Hendrix | Instrumentation (acoustic folk vs. electric rock), tempo, texture, mood (understated vs. intense) | | **"Torn"**
(Ednaswap) | Natalie Imbruglia | Style (alternative rock vs. pop), instrumentation, vocal phrasing, mood (raw vs. polished) | | **"Blinded by the Light"**
(Bruce Springsteen) | Manfred Mann’s Earth Band | Tempo, instrumentation (rock vs. synth-driven prog), lyrical emphasis, texture | | **"Nothing Compares 2 U"**
(Prince) | Sinéad O’Connor | Arrangement (sparse vs. orchestrated), vocal delivery, mood (intimate vs. dramatic) |

The lesson structure is straightforward. Teachers are encouraged to select an original and a cover version that demonstrate clear contrasts in musical elements, have students listen attentively to both recordings, guide them in analyzing various aspects such as tempo, instruments, mood, style, and texture, and facilitate a class discussion comparing findings. The lesson also offers a creative extension, where students can create their own covers, applying what they’ve learned about arrangement and musical choices.

For younger students, the focus is on obvious differences, while older students delve into subtler nuances. Additional ideas include using recent YouTube or TikTok covers to engage students with current trends, letting students propose song pairs, and comparing across diverse genres.

The Midnight Music Community offers more than just lesson ideas. It features step-by-step training, world-class online courses, and bite-sized learning through digital badges. The Ultimate Free Music Tech Resources Guide 2024-2025 is available for free download from the Midnight Music Community, making it a go-to hub for tech-focussed professional development for music teachers. With Katie Argyle at the helm, the Midnight Music Community aims to help teachers integrate technology into their music teaching without stress.

Katie Argyle, a music technology trainer, leads the inclusive Midnight Music Community, offering lessons for educators of all skill levels in the quickly evolving field of music education.
A popular lesson plan from the Midnight Music Community involves comparing original songs with their cover versions, providing opportunities for students to analyze various musical elements and engage on a deeper level.
Cover songs have gained significance on platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, making this approach popular among teachers.
Examples of songs with notable cover versions include "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen, "Respect" by Otis Redding, and "I Will Always Love You" by Dolly Parton, each offering contrasts in aspects such as tempo, vocal style, arrangement, and mood.
The lesson plan structure involves teaching students to listen attentively to both original and cover versions and analyze aspects like tempo, instruments, mood, style, and texture, followed by a class discussion comparing findings.
Younger students focus on obvious differences, while older students delve into subtler nuances, and the plan offers a creative extension where students can create their own covers.
The Midnight Music Community extends beyond lessons, featuring step-by-step training, world-class online courses, and bite-sized digital badges for learning.
A free download of the Ultimate Free Music Tech Resources Guide 2024-2025 is available from the Midnight Music Community, making it a valuable resource for tech-focused professional development for music teachers.
With Katie Argyle leading the way, the Midnight Music Community aims to help teachers integrate technology into their music instruction with minimal stress.
The Midnight Music Community caters not only to music education but also extends to various topics such as online courses, education, professional development, audio, technology, music, lifestyle, fashion-and-beauty, food-and-drink, home-and-garden, relationships, pets, travel, cars, and shopping.
In addition to lesson plans, the Midnight Music Community serves as a hub for teachers, fostering an environment that encourages the exploration of music through various avenues and empowering individuals to teach, learn, and create.