A. Dance / C. Music · Music and Dance

Music: Music in Today's Culture, and Drums Through Time

C3.1 C3.2 C2.1About 40 minutes

Learning goals

I can describe how music is used in film, advertising, games and other parts of popular culture.
I can explain how musical trends affect what young people listen to, and what fusion is.
I can describe how drums and other instruments are used in ceremonial and celebratory music in different traditions, from long ago to today.
I can talk about music from other cultures with respect and give a personal response.

Words to know

contemporary culture
The ideas, arts, technology and ways of living of people today.

soundtrack / film score
The music that goes with a movie, TV show or video game.

jingle
A short, catchy song used in an advertisement.

trend
Something that becomes popular for a while, like a song, a style or a dance.

fusion
Music that blends two or more styles or traditions into something new.

ceremonial music
Music used in important ceremonies, like spiritual gatherings, weddings, graduations or remembrance services.

celebratory music
Music used to celebrate, like at festivals, parties and holidays.

Remember from Grade 4

In Grade 4 you compared the role of music in communities then and now: work songs, griots, Inuit throat singing, taiko, and how recordings changed how people hear music.

This year you'll look at the big influence music has on the world around you today, and follow one very old instrument, the drum, through many cultures and times.

Music in film, TV and games

Composers write film scores to tell you how to feel:

In the movie Jaws (1975), composer John Williams used just two low notes a half step apart, played slowly and then faster and louder. Audiences feel danger getting closer, even before they see the shark.
Video game music often loops (repeats) while you play, and changes when something happens: faster when you are in danger, triumphant when you win a level.
A sad scene might use slow, soft strings in a minor key; an action scene might use loud brass and drums.

Try it: watch a short, exciting movie clip with the sound off. Then watch it with the sound on. The music changes everything!

How the Jaws music builds fear: the same two notes alternate, getting closer together (faster) and bigger (louder) as the shark gets nearer.

Music in advertising

Companies use music to make you remember their product and to make it feel a certain way.

Jingles are short and catchy, with simple melodies and lots of repetition, so they get stuck in your head.
Upbeat, fast music makes a product seem fun and energetic.
Gentle music can make a product seem safe, calm or caring.

When you hear music in an ad, ask: What does this music want me to feel? Why? Being a smart listener helps you notice how ads try to persuade you.

Trends and fusion

Trends: songs and styles become popular quickly through streaming, videos and social media. Young people often hear what their friends share, what is in a popular video challenge, or what streaming services suggest. Trends can change what you listen to, how you dress and even how you dance.

Fusion: musicians often blend styles to make something new. For example:

The Halluci Nation (formerly called A Tribe Called Red), a First Nations group that formed in Ottawa, blends powwow drumming and singing with electronic dance music.
Jeremy Dutcher, a Wolastoqiyik musician from Tobique First Nation in New Brunswick, combines old recordings of his ancestors' songs with his own classically trained voice and piano. His album won the Polaris Music Prize in 2018.
Bhangra music from Punjab mixes with hip hop and pop in many songs made in Canada and the United Kingdom.

Fusion shows that musical traditions are alive and keep growing.

Fusion = one style + another style = something new. These three examples from the lesson show musical traditions that are alive and still growing.

The drum: from early times to today

The drum is one of the oldest instruments in the world. People in many cultures have used drums for ceremonies, celebrations, communication and dance.

A djembe, a large taiko drum on a stand, a pair of tabla, a snare drum and a bass drum on a wooden floor. — Drums from many cultures, side by side: a djembe from West Africa, a taiko from Japan, tabla from India, and a modern snare and bass drum. Compare their shapes, sizes and drumheads. AI-generated image

Drum	Where	How it is used
Powwow drum (big drum)	First Nations communities across North America	A group of singers, also called the drum, sits around one large drum and plays and sings together. For many First Nations people, the drum is sacred and represents the heartbeat of Mother Earth. It leads the dancers at powwows.
Qilaut (frame drum)	Inuit communities	A large, flat frame drum. The drummer turns it and strikes the rim with a short stick, while dancing and singing at gatherings and celebrations.
Djembe	West Africa (for example, Mali and Guinea)	A goblet-shaped drum played with bare hands. It can make a deep bass sound in the centre and sharp slaps near the edge. It is played at celebrations, for dancing and in community gatherings.
Taiko	Japan	Big drums played with sticks in powerful, athletic group performances, at festivals and on stage.
Tabla	North India	A pair of small hand drums that can play many different sounds and very fast, complex rhythms. Used in classical music, devotional music and film music.
Snare and bass drums	Military and marching bands (Europe, then around the world)	Long ago, drums helped soldiers march in step and passed signals. Today, marching bands use them in parades and ceremonies like Remembrance Day.

Drums from different traditions, past and present. All are still played today.

Listening with respect

Some drums and songs are sacred. At a powwow, listen to the announcer, follow posted rules about photos and recording, and never touch a drum without permission.
Learn about a tradition from people of that community, or from recordings and videos they share.
Remember that First Nations, Métis and Inuit music is living music, created and performed today.

Worked example

Example: Let's analyse music in an advertisement

Zara notices an ad for a family van. A child laughs, the family drives past snowy maple trees, and soft acoustic guitar plays a gentle melody that gets a little louder at the end. What is the music doing?

Describe: soft acoustic guitar, slow-to-medium tempo, gentle melody, a crescendo at the end.
Feeling: calm, safe and happy.
Purpose: the company wants families to feel the van is safe and caring, so they will want to buy it.
Compare: an ad for a sports drink would probably use fast, loud music with a strong beat to feel energetic.

The music is chosen to make viewers feel something (safe and happy) so they connect that feeling with the product. That's the influence of music in advertising.

Just for fun

Funny-but-true: a song that gets stuck in your head has a name. It's called an earworm! Ad jingles are written to be extra catchy, so they make great earworms. 🐛🎶

Worked example

Example: Let's compare the drum in two traditions

Compare the powwow drum and the snare drum in a marching band.

Powwow drum: a large drum played by a group of singers sitting around it. Used at ceremonial and celebratory gatherings. It is respected as sacred by many First Nations people and leads the dancers.
Snare drum: a smaller drum carried by one player, played with sticks. Used in parades and ceremonies. Long ago, it helped soldiers march in step.
Similar: both keep a steady beat that brings a group together and helps people move as one.
Different: the powwow drum has spiritual meaning and is played by a group together around one drum; the snare drum is played by one person and is mainly for keeping time and making signals.

Both drums unite people with a beat, but their meanings and ways of playing are different.

Hands-on activity

Music in my world survey

You need: a notebook, a pencil, and a grown-up to help choose shows and videos.

For one day, write down every time you hear music: in an ad, a show, a game, a store, at school, in the car.
For three of them, write: Where? What did the music sound like (tempo, dynamics, timbre)? What did it want you to feel or do?
Ask a grown-up: "What music was popular when you were my age? How did you hear it?" Compare it to how you hear music.
With a grown-up, listen to recordings of two drums from the table (look for videos shared by the performers or their communities). Write a short personal response to each.
Make a drum from a clean, empty container (like an oatmeal box or a coffee can with a plastic lid; ask a grown-up to check for sharp edges). Play a steady beat for your family to march or dance to.

Your turn

What is a jingle?

Why do companies use music in ads?

How did the music in Jaws create a feeling of danger?

What is fusion in music? Give an example.

For many First Nations people, what does the powwow drum represent?

How is the Inuit qilaut played?

Name two ways drums have been used through history.

More practice: warm-up

What is a soundtrack?

What is a trend?

Which drum is goblet-shaped and played with bare hands?

Which country does taiko come from?

Is the tabla one drum or a pair of drums?

More practice: on your own

Why does video game music often loop?

Choose music for an ad for a new snowboard. Describe the tempo, dynamics and timbre, and explain why.

How might a popular video challenge change what young people listen to?

Jeremy Dutcher combines old recordings of his ancestors' songs with piano and his own voice. Why is this a good example of fusion?

Write a personal response to a drum recording you heard (or imagine the djembe).

Challenge

Compare how people heard new music in the past (before radio) with how you hear it today. What has changed? What is the same?

Pick a celebration in your community (for example, Canada Day, Diwali, Lunar New Year, a powwow, Eid, a wedding). Describe how music and instruments are used and why.

Make a fusion plan: choose two styles you know and describe a short piece that blends them.

Check your understanding

Quiz

A short, catchy song used to sell a product is a ___.

Music that blends two or more styles is called ___.

In Jaws, the music shows danger coming closer by ___.

For many First Nations people, the powwow drum represents ___.

An ad uses soft, gentle music. It probably wants you to feel ___.

Long ago, military drums were used to ___.

For parents and teachers

Big idea: Students identify and describe key influences of music within contemporary culture, such as music in film and advertising, the effect of trends on young people's tastes, and fusion of styles (C3.1). They show awareness of how music and instruments, such as the drum, are used in various traditions from early times to today, in ceremonial and celebratory music (C3.2), and give personal responses (C2.1).

How to help at home:

Watch an ad together and ask, "What does the music want us to feel?" This builds media literacy.
Share the music that was popular when you were young and how you used to hear it.
Look for recordings and performances shared by communities themselves: powwow drum groups, taiko groups, djembe ensembles, tabla players, steel bands.
Attend a public powwow or festival if you can; many welcome visitors. Follow the announcer's guidance.

Safety: check homemade drums for sharp edges; metal cans should have smooth rims and a plastic lid.

Screen time: preview video clips and ads; some soundtracks and songs are not suitable for young children.

Common difficulties:

Thinking music in ads is "just background". Point out how it is chosen on purpose.
Speaking about Indigenous music only in the past. Use examples of living artists like The Halluci Nation and Jeremy Dutcher.
Calling unfamiliar music "weird". Model respectful words like "new to me".