Less than $5 6th Grade Music Composition Songs (by price, low to high)

In "Three's Company", introduce your kids to some great music from indigenous instruments from Africa! Using your classroom Djembe or Tubanos, learn the music by rote by taking it one rehearsal section at a time (with rehearsal markings [A], [B], [C], and so forth). This is terrific practice with your older students who want to work on alternating hands, especially in the selected meter of 3/4

The notation on the first space F is a bass (middle of the drum) and the notation on the third space C is a tone (four fingers near the rim of the drum, pitched a bit higher)

At the end, wrap it up and put on a show! Want to layer it?

• Have tambourines or shakers play on specified beats (try beat 1)
• Have shakers play eighth notes all the way throughout or in specific sections
• Have half the class play 1st and 3rd measures, the other half play 2nd and 4th measures
• Do it in a round! :)

Use this in class, a concert, a parent showcase, admin, faculty and staff, whatever you wish!

Have a terrific time with this one :)

In a stark departure from our popular music series, here's a simple bucket drumming arrangement for the theme song from the hit Disney/Disney XD animated series, Gravity Falls!

There are two all-color coded slides along with the form identifiers listed next to each phrase. Discuss form with the students and teach them (by rote) the rhythms on the powerpoint with the corresponding repeats (most are repeated 4 times). Then, apply it to drums!

All regular notation is to be played on the buckets (or drums, or ground, however you wish), and the X notation (with a down stem) are played as stick clicks above their head (or you could apply it to a tambourine or other auxiliary instrument)

Here's the link to the theme song on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6usKhzL8uI

______________________

Looking for more Bucket Drumming Resources? Check out the library below!

Celebration, Kool and the Gang - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Livin on a Prayer, Bon Jovi - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Don't Start Now, Dua Lipa - BUCKET DRUMMING!

I Gotta Feeling, Black Eyed Peas - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Dynamite, BTS - BUCKET DRUMMING!

BANG! (Clean version), AJR - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Friend Like Me (Will Smith), Aladdin - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Prince Ali (Will Smith), Aladdin - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!

YMCA, The Village People - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Stereo Hearts, Gym Class Heroes - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!

Africa, Toto - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Dance Monkey, Tones and I - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Stronger, Kelly Clarkson - BUCKET DRUMMING!

U Can't Touch This, MC Hammer - BUCKET DRUMMING!

You're Welcome, Dwayne Johnson (MOANA) - BUCKET DRUMMING!

I Love Rock 'n Roll, Joan Jett - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Don't Stop Believin', Journey - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Remember Me (Ernesto De La Cruz), Coco - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Theme from Superman, John Williams - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Hey Soul Sister, Train - BUCKET DRUMMING!

When Can I See You Again, Owl City (Wreck it Ralph) - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Pirates of the Caribbean (He's a Pirate) - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Try Everything, Shakira (Zootopia) - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Cantina Band, Star Wars - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Eye of the Tiger, Survivor (Rocky III) - BUCKET DRUMMING!

William Tell Overture, Rossini - SUPER ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!

The Imperial March, Star Wars - BUCKET DRUMMING!

We're all in this Together, High School Musical - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Billie Jean, Michael Jackson - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Stars and Stripes Forever, Sousa - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Stitches, Shawn Mendes - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Beautiful People, Ed Sheeran - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Brave, Sara Bareilles - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Roar, Katy Perry - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Kids in an Adult World, Hello Sister - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Best Day of My Life, American Authors - BUCKET DRUMMING!

I Want You Back, Jackson Five - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Centuries, Fall Out Boy - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Wizards in Winter, Trans Siberian Orchestra - BUCKET DRUMMING!

ME, Taylor Swift - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Good Time, Owl City ft. Carly Rae Jepsen - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!

Firework, Katy Perry - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!

If I Can't Have You, Shawn Mendes (CLEAN) - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Never Really Over, Katy Perry - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Sucker, Jonas Brothers - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!

Girls Like You, Maroon 5 (CLEAN) - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Havana, Camilla Cabello (CLEAN) - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Happy, Pharrell Williams - BUCKET DRUMMING!

This is Me, The Greatest Showman - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!

Party in the USA, Miley Cyrus - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Bad Romance, Lady Gaga - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Treasure, Bruno Mars - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!

Gangnam Style, PSY - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Life is a Highway (2018), ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!

Grenade, Bruno Mars - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!

I Knew You Were Trouble, Taylor Swift - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!

How Far I'll Go, Moana - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Natural, Imagine Dragons - BUCKET DRUMMING!

High Hopes, Panic! at the Disco - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!

Smooth Criminal, Michael Jackson - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Bad Blood, Taylor Swift - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!

Animals, Maroon 5 - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!

Radioactive, Imagine Dragons - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!

Dynamite, Taio Cruz - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Shake it Off, Taylor Swift - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!

Grenade, Bruno Mars - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!

Fight Song, Rachel Platten - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!

ABC, Jackson Five - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!

Feel it Still, Portugal. The Man - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!

Thunder, Imagine Dragons - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Can't Stop the Feeling, Justin Timberlake - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Believer, Imagine Dragons - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Uptown Funk (CLEAN), Mark Ronson - BUCKET DRUMMING!

Included are some pretty hefty Orff arrangements for your advanced groups! On the powerpoint, all arrangements are color coded and marked with letters for easy rote teaching. The first arrangement is a piece called "The Zoo" which is 8 measures long and is intended to be repeated. The bass has a bordoun in the beginning and splits into a bass line in the second part. The alto provides chords and the soprano the melody The second arrangement, Untitled, has a lovely assortment of indepenent parts and a haunting E minor intro section. The next section gets more rhythmic in the sopranos as the alto takes over the melody along with the bass Enjoy these advanced arrangements!

More on the hit list with your bucket drumming kids, we present Camilla Cabello's hit song from 2018, "Havana" (CLEAN VERSION)!

There are two all-color coded slides along with the form identifiers isted next to each phrase. Discuss form with the students and teach them (by rote) the rhythms on the powerpoint with the corresponding repeats (most are repeated 3 or 4 times). Then, apply it to drums!

• This version specifically targeted and tailored for beginning bucket drummers can be used for younger students who may not have the coordination for alternating hands and who just want to step right into the drumming circuit with a bit more ease! All notation in this arrangement are quarter notes, eighth notes, and quarter rests

All regular notation is to be played on the buckets (or drums, or ground, however you wish), and the X notation (with a down stem) are played as stick clicks above their head (or you could apply it to a tambourine or other auxiliary instrument)

There's a KIDZ BOP version on YouTube (which this is arranged for) so your kids can play until their hearts content -- no profanity, all clean

Here's the track so you can play along...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OXf3ufjOsM

In "Walk it Out, introduce your kids to some great music from indigenous instruments from Africa! Using your classroom Djembe or Tubanos, learn the music by rote by taking it one rehearsal section at a time (with rehearsal markings [A], [B], [C],). This is terrific practice with your older students who want to work on alternating hands with some syncopated rhythms

The notation on the first space F is a bass (middle of the drum) and the notation on the third space C is a tone (four fingers near the rim of the drum, pitched a bit higher). There are a few measures with a clap that's indicated on a top line F

At the end, wrap it up and put on a show! Want to layer it?

• Have tambourines or shakers play on specified beats (try 2 and 4)
• Have shakers play 16th notes all the way throughout or in specific sections
• Have half the class play 1st and 3rd measures, the other half play 2nd and 4th measures
• Do it in a round! :)

Use this in class, a concert, a parent showcase, admin, faculty and staff, whatever you wish!

(Remember the repeat in the beginning :D)

Have a terrific time with this one :)

In "DRUMITY", introduce your kids to some great music from indigenous instruments from Africa! Using your classroom Djembe or Tubanos, learn the music by rote by taking it one rehearsal section at a time (with rehearsal markings [A], [B], [C], and so forth). This is terrific practice with your older students who want to work on alternating hands and triplets

The notation on the first space F is a bass (middle of the drum) and the notation on the third space C is a tone (four fingers near the rim of the drum, pitched a bit higher)

At the end, wrap it up and put on a show! Want to layer it?

• Have shakers play 16th notes all the way throughout or in specific sections
• Have half the class play 1st and 3rd measures, the other half play 2nd and 4th measures
• Do it in a round! :)

Use this in class, a concert, a parent showcase, admin, faculty and staff, whatever you wish!

Have a terrific time with this one :)

In "The Early Bird", introduce your kids to some great music from indigenous instruments from Africa! Using your classroom Djembe or Tubanos, learn the music by rote by taking it one rehearsal section at a time (with rehearsal markings [A], [B], [C], and so forth). This is terrific practice with your older students who want to work on alternating hands, especially with trickier syncopations!

The notation on the first space F is a bass (middle of the drum) and the notation on the third space C is a tone (four fingers near the rim of the drum, pitched a bit higher)

At the end, wrap it up and put on a show! Want to layer it?

• Have tambourines or shakers play on specified beats (try 2 and 4)
• Have shakers play 16th notes all the way throughout or in specific sections
• Have half the class play 1st and 3rd measures, the other half play 2nd and 4th measures
• Do it in a round! :)

Use this in class, a concert, a parent showcase, admin, faculty and staff, whatever you wish!

Have a terrific time with this one :)

Need to connect with your kids with their pop music through VIDEO GAME MUSIC? Involve them in bucket drumming with the theme that everyone and their brother and/or sister know, The Casino Night Zone Theme from "Sonic the Hedgehog 2"!

There are four all-color coded slides along with the form identifiers listed next to each phrase. Discuss form with the students and teach them (by rote) the rhythms on the powerpoint with the corresponding repeats (most are repeated multiple times). Then, apply it to drums!

All regular notation is to be played on the buckets (or drums, or ground, however you wish), and the X notation that is stacked with quarter notes are played as shots (think like a marching band snare drum -- playing the drum and stick simultaneously as a rimshot or on top of each other -- whatever will you get you the best accent!)

Here's the track so you can play along...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3JZKyaucK4

Lots of variations in this one as A theme and intro are repeated throughout but gets a bit more technical at the end -- lots of eighth and sixteenth note groupings -- work on those alternating hands!

Terms of Use:

All images/photos/clip art in this resource were created by me.

_________________________________

*** Looking for more BUCKET DRUMMING resources? *** Find them here!

RHYTHM BASKETBALL is in with a tune that's sure to get your kids bouncing right along! Fresh off the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris is a BRAND NEW Trap Remix version of John Williams' Iconic Theme "Bugler's Dream", the Olympic Fanfare!

There are two all-color coded slides along with the form identifiers listed next to each phrase. Discuss form with the students and teach them (by rote) the rhythms on the powerpoint with the corresponding repeats (most are repeated 4 times).

• For this, your students will each have a basketball (can be regulation size or smaller) and bounce their ball on the ground each time they see a basketball icon. Each basketball icon is denoted as a quarter note. The rests are in between each ball for the students to hold the ball.

• The two smaller basketballs are played as pairs of eighth notes

• There's also a "pat" icon with a hand below the basketball icon itself, so you will have the student hold the basketball in one hand and pat the ball on the beat

The track is included with this and you can play right along. Have fun with this and let us know how it goes!

______________________

Looking for even MORE Rhythm Basketball pieces? Find 'em here!

In "Drum Partry", introduce your kids to some great music from indigenous instruments from Africa! Using your classroom Djembe or Tubanos, learn the music by rote by taking it one rehearsal section at a time (with rehearsal markings [A], [B], [C], ). This is terrific practice with your older students who want to work on alternating hands and syncopation!

The notation on the first space F is a bass (middle of the drum) and the notation on the third space C is a tone (four fingers near the rim of the drum, pitched a bit higher)

At the end, wrap it up and put on a show! Want to layer it?

• Have tambourines or shakers play on specified beats (try 2 and 4)
• Have shakers play 16th notes all the way throughout or in specific sections
• Have half the class play 1st and 3rd measures, the other half play 2nd and 4th measures
• Do it in a round! :)

Use this in class, a concert, a parent showcase, admin, faculty and staff, whatever you wish!

Have a terrific time with this one :)

In "Three of Life", introduce your kids to some great music from indigenous instruments from Africa! Using your classroom Djembe or Tubanos, learn the music by rote by taking it one rehearsal section at a time (with rehearsal markings [A], [B], [C], and so forth). This is terrific practice with your older students who want to work on alternating hands, especially in the selected meter of 3/4 (hence the "3" of life)

The notation on the first space F is a bass (middle of the drum) and the notation on the third space C is a tone (four fingers near the rim of the drum, pitched a bit higher)

At the end, wrap it up and put on a show! Want to layer it?

• Have tambourines or shakers play on specified beats (try 1 or maybe 1 and 3?)
• Have shakers play 16th notes all the way throughout or in specific sections
• Have half the class play 1st and 3rd measures, the other half play 2nd and 4th measures
• Do it in a round! :)

Use this in class, a concert, a parent showcase, admin, faculty and staff, whatever you wish!

Have a terrific time with this one :)

In "Take it to Mali", introduce your kids to some great music from indigenous instruments from Africa! Using your classroom Djembe or Tubanos, learn the music by rote by taking it one rehearsal section at a time (with rehearsal markings [A], [B], [C], and so forth). This is terrific practice with your older students who want to work on alternating hands

The notation on the first space F is a bass (middle of the drum) and the x notation on the third space C is a tone (four fingers near the rim of the drum, pitched a bit higher)

At the end, wrap it up and put on a show! Want to layer it?

• Have tambourines or shakers play on specified beats (try 2 and 4)
• Have shakers play 16th notes all the way throughout or in specific sections
• Have half the class play 1st and 3rd measures, the other half play 2nd and 4th measures
• Do it in a round! :)

Have a terrific time with this one... and take it to Mali!

In Electro, introduce your kids to some great music from indigenous instruments from Africa! Using your classroom Djembe or Tubanos, learn the music by rote by taking it one rehearsal section at a time (with rehearsal markings [A], [B], [C], and so forth). This is terrific practice with your older students who want to work on alternating hands!

The notation on the first space F is a bass (middle of the drum) and the notation on the 3rd line B is a tone (four fingers near the rim of the drum, pitched a bit higher) At the end, wrap it up and put on a show!

Want to layer it?

• Have shakers play on specified beats (try 2 and 4)
• Have shakers play 16th notes all the way throughout or in specific sections
• Have half the class play 1st and 3rd measures, the other half play 2nd and 4th measures
• Do it in a round! )
• Use this in class, a concert, a parent showcase, admin, faculty and staff, whatever you wish!

If you've ever played Poison Pattern/Poison Rhythm or similar, you already know how it goes. Give the students a set of rhythms to play but one of them is the poison rhythm, which the students should NOT play. If they are, they're either out, lose points, or the teacher gains points (if you're playing against the class)

In this new twist, it's the same premise as students will play back each set of rhythms one-by-one as given by the teacher. However, there will be one rhythm that has a rest on a specific beat (beat 1, 3, 5, whichever the slide specifies)

AVOID THAT RHYTHM AT ALL COSTS!

So for instance, the students may play any rhythm, but avoid the rhythm that has a rest on Beat Number 2

Advance the slide and your students will see various rhythms composed of quarter notes and eighth notes _with the quarter rest landing on different beats.

_...just avoid playing the rhythm on BEAT NUMBER 2!

There are five different levels of rhythms all composed of the quarters and paired eighth sets with the rests switching back and forth between beats. All you need to do is give the students a four beat prep, then they'll read it back (either vocally, with rhythm sticks, classroom instruments, etc)

Wanna make it harder?

• Up the tempo and transition time in between slides
• Choose a pop or instrumental song at a higher BPM to distract them
• Alternate teams or have 1v1 and award points to the winners!

Have a great time with the new version of a classic game!

Level 2, sixteenth note patterns and eighth note rests coming soon!

In "7EVERANCE", introduce your kids to some great music from indigenous instruments from Africa! Using your classroom Djembe or Tubanos, learn the music by rote by taking it one rehearsal section at a time (with rehearsal markings [A], [B], [C], and so forth). This is terrific practice with your older students who want to work on alternating hands, especially with trickier syncopations, emphasizing the meter of 7/8!

The notation on the first space F is a bass (middle of the drum) and the notation on the third space C is a tone (four fingers near the rim of the drum, pitched a bit higher)

At the end, wrap it up and put on a show! Want to layer it?

• Have tambourines or shakers play on specified beats (try to align with accents)
• Have shakers play 8th notes all the way throughout or in specific sections
• Have half the class play 1st and 3rd measures, the other half play 2nd and 4th measures
• Do it in a round! :)

Use this in class, a concert, a parent showcase, admin, faculty and staff, whatever you wish!

Have a terrific time with this one :)

Wanna get your Orff Ensemble moving and grooving but don't know where to start? Get percussive with an original composition named "Birds of a Feather" for Soprano, Alto, and Bass Xylophone/Metallophones!

This Orff Ensemble orchestration provides parts for Soprano, Alto, and Bass Xylophone/Metallophone All parts work together and you can perform the arrangement with all or just some of the parts.

You are free to dissect melodies and harmonies to what you wish, or play right from the beginning to the end. There are 3 four-measure sections to teach your kids (by rote), and you can arrange and label these sections ("A" at measure 1, "B" at measure 5, and "C" and measure 9) in any form you want. ABACA. ABABCAB. AABBCC, etc!

Included are:

• Part for Soprano

• Part for Alto

• Part for Bass

What's it sound like? Check out the preview and see if it's a good fit!

In "Photo Finish", introduce your kids to some great music from indigenous instruments from Africa! Using your classroom Djembe or Tubanos (along with tambourines), learn the music by rote by taking it one rehearsal section at a time (with rehearsal markings [A], [B], [C], and so forth). This is terrific practice with your older students who want to work on alternating hands and adding different timbres in with the tambourine

Included is the key for tubano and tambourine notation

At the end, wrap it up and put on a show! Want to layer it?

• Have shakers play 16th notes all the way throughout or in specific sections
• Have half the class play 1st and 3rd measures, the other half play 2nd and 4th measures
• Do it in a round! :)

Use this in class, a concert, a parent showcase, admin, faculty and staff, whatever you wish!

Have a terrific time with this one :)

In "Rawhide Rally", introduce your kids to some great music from indigenous instruments from Africa! Using your classroom Djembe or Tubanos, learn the music by rote by taking it one rehearsal section at a time (with rehearsal markings [A], [B], [C], and so forth). This is terrific practice with your older students who want to work on alternating hands!

The notation on the first space F is a bass (middle of the drum) and the notation on the third space C is a tone (four fingers near the rim of the drum, pitched a bit higher)

At the end, wrap it up and put on a show! Want to layer it?

• Have tambourines or shakers play on specified beats (try 2 and 4)
• Have shakers play 16th notes all the way throughout or in specific sections
• Have half the class play 1st and 3rd measures, the other half play 2nd and 4th measures
• Do it in a round! :)

Use this in class, a concert, a parent showcase, admin, faculty and staff, whatever you wish!

Have a terrific time with this one :)

Fresh off the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris is a BRAND NEW Trap Remix version for BUCKET DRUMMING of John Williams' Iconic Theme "Bugler's Dream", the Olympic Fanfare!

There are two all-color coded slides along with the form identifiers listed next to each phrase. Discuss form with the students and teach them (by rote) the rhythms on the powerpoint with the corresponding repeats (most are repeated 4 times). Then, apply it to drums!

All regular notation is to be played on the buckets (or drums, or ground, however you wish), and the X notation (with a down stem) are played as stick clicks above their head (or you could apply it to a tambourine or other auxiliary instrument)

• The mp3 file is including in this resources so you can play right along

Have fun with this and let us know how it goes!

Terms of Use:

All images/photos/clip art in this resource were created by me.

__________________________________

*** Looking for more BUCKET DRUMMING resources? *** Find them here!

RHYTHM BASKETBALL is in with a tune that's sure to get your bouncing right along -- a trap remix of the theme from MINECRAFT!

There are two all-color coded slides along with the form identifiers listed next to each phrase. Discuss form with the students and teach them (by rote) the rhythms on the powerpoint with the corresponding repeats

• For this, your students will each have a basketball (can be regulation size or smaller) and bounce their ball on the ground each time they see a basketball icon. Each basketball icon is denoted as a quarter note. The rests are in between each ball for the students to hold the ball.

• There's also a "pat" icon with a hand below the basketball icon itself, so you will have the student hold the basketball in one hand and pat the ball on the beat

Here's the track so you can play along...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nL4i9FKuiEA

Have fun with this and let us know how it goes!