Make Your Own Photographic Score

Musical Scores   Graphic Score   Classroom Activity   

The artist Wassily Kandinsky made pictures into scores using a chart that matched up different colours to different sounds. We're going to match up some sounds to three different shapes and create our own Photographic Score.

First, take a series of photographs that show 3 different shapes. The shapes you will look for are square, circle and triangle.

Using a digital camera, take 3 photographs in total. 1 of each shape, (square, circle, triangle) for example, a circular man-hole cover, square floor tiles, a triangle created in the space between tree branches. Look hard at your environment.

Now we're going to assign each of these shapes with a sound.

Divide your class into 3 groups.

Each group will decide on 3 different sounds that represent each of the 3 shapes. One group will make sound using musical instruments, one using found objects and one using their bodies.

Group 1 

We can make all sorts of sounds using our bodies, such as singing, clapping, whistling or popping our cheeks. 

Think of 1 of these sounds that you could match up to a circle shape, 1 that you could match up to a triangle shape and 1 that you could match up to a square shape.

Group 2 

Sometimes, you need to do something to a found object to make it heard, such as shutting a door, shaking a pen pot or drumming your fingers on a table, we call these active sounds. 

Think of 1 active sound that you could match up to a circle shape, 1 active sound that you could match up to a triangle shape and 1 active sound that you could match up to a square shape.

Group 3 

Of course, you can also make sound using good old-fashioned musical instruments! 

Can you play a musical instrument and make 1 sound to go with a triangle shape, 1 sound to go with a circle shape and 1 sound to go with a square shape?

In your group, make a table showing which sound matches which shape.

Now, play a digital slide show of your images using a projector, and assign 1 pupil to be the conductor.

With each photograph that appears on the screen, the conductor will point to one or more groups. The selected group/s will use the sounds they have assigned to each shape and play along to what they see before them on the screen.

Congratulations on making your first Photographic Score and Audio Portrait of shape.