Assessment OF Learning Tool John Malarczyk

AMC4M

The Assignment

You and a partner will select a brand, item, company, or service and compose a
Jingle to advertise your product! The product can be part of an existing brand, or it
can be something brand new that you and your partner create (i.e. the Nike Free
Runs, or something you dream up, like a Jetpack or a self-driving motorcycle,
etc.). You’ll be asked to create a radio jingle that is at least 16 bars long, that is
meant to advertise your selected product to listeners. The requirements for the
jingle itself are below:

Your jingle’s LYRICS should include:

- Your product’s name
- Key features and characteristics of your product (i.e. what it looks like, feels
like, what it’s used for, who might use it, why it’s a great product, etc.)
- What separates your product from other, similar brands?
- A concise, informative Slogan

The MUSIC for your jingle should include:

- *A Hook (a catchy melody that grabs the listener’s attention)
- An accompanying chord progression (see next sheet for examples)
- A variety of chords, pitches, and rhythms (i.e. not just one note accompanied
by one chord)
- Some variety in articulations and dynamics (i.e. mix it up! Have some fun with
different articulations and dynamics to spice up your jingle and make it POP)
- *** Your jingle MAY include sung lyrics, OR spoken words as a means of
advertising your product
Assessment OF Learning Tool John Malarczyk

Writing Your Jingle – Your Checklist for Success

Step 1) Select a Product
 Pick something you are interested in, something you would enjoy researching!

Step 2) Do some Research

 Get some information about why your product is awesome and why we should want to buy it

Step 3) Brainstorm
 Work with your partner and come up with some ideas of how you want your jingle to sound –
will it be fast, or slow? Loud, soft, or both? What instrument would you like to play the
accompaniment? Base your decisions on what you think a successful jingle sounds like.

Step 4) Complete the Jingle Foundations

 Record your product and select your key signature, time signature, tempo, and
accompaniment instrument(s).

Step 5) Select a Chord Progression

 Can be one of the progressions from the progression bank, OR it can be your own progression
– base your decision on what sounds the best to you! (I will be coming around to help transpose
your progressions to fit your selected key*) – Record your choice on your assignment sheet.

Step 6) Compose your Hook

 This stage is all about trial and error! Tinker a bit with the keyboard and see what sounds
good to you. Your melody should be approximately 2-4 measures long. Great hooks are usually
short, sweet and to the point (think of the McDonald’s hook or the Tim Horton’s hook) – Record
your melody using your smart phone, laptop, or some form of audio recording device.

Step 7) Notate your Melody

 Using your ears and musical notation, listen to the recording of your hook and transcribe it
onto manuscript paper (I will be circulating and providing lots of help for this stage – don’t
sweat it!)

Step 8) Add Words/Lyrics

 Create words to either be sung or spoken in your jingle. Be sure that your advertisement is
concise and easy to follow!

Step 9) Spice it up! Add Dynamics and Articulations

 Reflect on your melody and accompaniment – What sounded good? What could be better?
How might you change/add things to improve your jingle? Include some articulations and
dynamics (if you haven’t already) to invigorate your composition!

Step 10) Practice, Practice, Practice

 Get ready to perform your jingle for the class!
Assessment OF Learning Tool John Malarczyk

Banks

Time Signatures
4 3 6 2
4 4 8 2
Key Common Chords by Key
I ii IV V7 vi VI7 bVII

Bb (1b) Bb Cm Eb F7 Gm G7 Ab
F (2b) F Gm Bb C7 Dm D7 Eb
C (0) C Dm F G7 Am A7 Bb
G (1#) G Am C D7 Em E7 F
D (2#) D Em G A7 Bm B7 C

Sample Chord Progressions

I – vi – ii – V7
I – VI7 – ii – V7
I – V7 – vi – IV
I – IV – V(7) – I
I – bVII – IV – I
I – IV
I – vi – IV – I

Dynamics Articulations

Forte (Loud) f Slurs

Mezzo Forte (Medium Loud) mf
Piano (Soft) p
Mezzo Piano (Medium Soft) mp Accents
Crescendo (Getting Louder) <
Decrescendo (Getting Softer) >
Staccatos
Assessment OF Learning Tool John Malarczyk

[Exemplar]

Spoken Text (Softly, like a Lullaby)

Can’t seem to get comfortable at night?

Waking up through the night? Feeling exhausted in the morning?
Why not try the award-winning, #1 rated mattress brand in Canada?
Feel the difference of the Classic Casper mattress, featuring zoned support and
4 layers of supportive, soft foam to give you the best sleep you’ve ever experienced.
Sleeping Never Felt So Good. . . (Sung with last line of melody)
(Call Casper today for your free 100-night trial at 1-888-498-0003)
Assessment OF Learning Tool John Malarczyk

Evaluation Check-Bric
MuseScore Submission

1. The jingle has an appropriate and descriptive title

2. The score is at least 16 measures long
3. The melody contains a variety of pitches and rhythms
4. The score contains a chord progression that uses more than one chord, which
is displayed using chord symbols
5. The score contains a variety of dynamics
6. The score contains a variety of articulations

/ 12
Text/Lyrics

7. The accompanying text is descriptive of the product and provides the listener
with relevant information
8. The text includes important information like: a phone number, website,
operating hours, price, etc.
9. The text contains a short, memorable slogan for the product

/6
Jingle Performance

10. Group members perform the jingle as it is written on their submitted hard
copy with the correct pitches and rhythms
11. Group members performed with reasonably good tone and intonation
12. The performance included dynamics and articulations
13. Performers maintained a steady tempo throughout the performance
14. The performers perform with good blend – each group member plays an
appropriate dynamic for their part
15. The text of the jingle is clearly audible and understandable

/ 12

Total: ______/ 30
Assessment OF Learning Tool John Malarczyk

Jingle Self-Assessment
Name:

Group Members: Jingle Title

(1) Two contributions I made to my group’s jingle were:

1. ____________________________________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________________________________

(2) Two things that I really like about my group’s jingle are:
1. ____________________________________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________________________________

(3) One thing that my group could have improved in our jingle was:
______________________________________________________________________________

(4) If I had to assign an overall mark for my group’s jingle, it would be a: (circle one)

1- 1 1+ 2- 2 2+ 3- 3 3+ 4- 4 4+

… because