This years student collaboration is SAM’s arrangement of José Feliciano’s Feliz Navidad! – backing tracks and notation found below.
This is for those at an intermediate level who can play full phrases, as we wish to use the video for promotional material. The parts to be played are the ones provided in the resources, as written in the score arrangements.
We require students to send in their recordings by emailing the submissions to lessons@sammusicservice.com via https://wetransfer.com/ . The 3 / 4 lessons leading up to this are to prepare for the recorded performance, similar to how you would for a grade entry, except it’s a Christmas song!
Please notify the parents if you think the student is suitable to take part so they are on board and will look out for your request to submit the recording, please make sure you mention it to them when the time comes also – the more communication with the parent the better!
If you or the parent are uncertain of what the Christmas projects are, you can show / link them to our Christmas playlist on YouTube – linked here . Please note, we are aiming for a version usable for promotion this year, where fewer students will be on screen for much longer.
Important notes:
- Must be confident enough to smile and face the camera, wearing festive clothing / decorated setup.
- Student submission only (not taken from Zoom recordings) – Must be filmed landscape on phone / tablet or iPad for example.
- Only offering the recording option to students who are able to play at least a phrase of the piece (ideally the whole song) so they are on screen for longer, you can feel free to teach the song to all your students but only mention the collaboration project for those who can play confidently, with a smiile on their face!)
- Student must use headphones (no backing track audible)
- Different students must learn different parts of the song (please split this between the intro, verse, chorus etc)
Special attention: Only vocals are singing the melody, the other instruments are playing the accompaniment exactly the same as the original track
** All resources are linked here ** (Backing tracks / tabs and scores)
This included backing tracks and solo instruments so you can hear the exact parts required. Drums have parts with and without click tracks.
Please create a folder and add the relevant files to your students practice folders
Guitar: Chords – simple progression that can be developed as you feel appropriate for your students (D7 end of chorus for example). Can be played open, barred etc.
Lead – Verse and chorus lead parts, please make sure the students you are selecting can play whole verses, not just 1 bar.
Please get your more advanced students to submit an improvised solo over a phrase / the track that I can use in the edit to spice the song up a bit please!
Piano: Left-hand practice time! Piano is mirroring the bass guitar for this piece.
Please get your more advanced students to submit an improvised solo over a phrase / the track that I can use in the edit to spice the song up a bit please!
Drums: Download images for sharing in folder plus hyperlinks (also added below)
Timings pulled from this YouTube video
Vocals: Lyrics as provided, keeping original key – Feel free to get students to learn the whole song as there is only 2 parts I will be mulit-tracking some of them.
Please also get your students to include the “ha ha” featured in the song for fun 🙂
We are hoping to use this for promotion this year and therefore need to be strict with some conditions for the entries.
Video requirements (if any of these requirements aren’t met, unfortunately, the video won’t be accepted):
- Deadline for student submissions: Sunday 30th November (3 / 4 lessons to work on the song)
- Must be the backing tracks / version provided (not another version you have found that may be a different tempo, key or arrangement)
- Filmed landscape (not portrait)
- Please include what phrase / verse / chorus etc they are performing
- Instrument and face in shot (if playing piano, not just the top of their head!)
- Camera stationary / still (not hand-held or moving)
- Student must use headphones (no backing track audible)
- Must be smiling / happy – it’s Christmas! This is a good opportunity to focus on stage presence and performance. It is important that this is covered in the lead-up to the recording and performance preparation.
- Wearing something festive! (This can be an Xmas jumper or even a tinsel hat!)
Template for Lesson Reports (feel free to amend but still include the bulletpoints and the mentioning of consent) when the student is ready to submit their recording (I’d give yourself a spare week incase there’s something wrong with the recording and I need to request a re-submission). Please also speak to the parent and don’t rely just on what you put in the lesson report.
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Well done <STUDENT NAME> for a great lesson today. They are now ready to submit the recording for the SAM collaboration Christmas project of Feliz Navidad. As discussed, please record them performing the parts we have been working on and submit the recording to SAM. Simply upload the file to https://wetransfer.com/ and use the email address lessons@sammusicservice.com by Sunday 30th November.
Here are some important points essential for the recording:
- Must smile! Please wear something festive! (This can be an Xmas jumper or even a tinsel hat!)
- Must be filmed landscape on phone / tablet or iPad for example.
- Instrument and face in shot (if playing piano, not just the top of their head please!)
- Camera stationary / still (not hand-held or moving)
- Must use the backing tracks provided, not a version from YouTube (added to your practice folder)
- Student must use headphones (if no headphones, most important that there’s no backing track audible)
- Have fun with it – Ideally in the Christmas spirit! This is a good opportunity to focus on stage presence and performance.
- Please note – by submitting this recording you are giving consent for SAM to use the footage for promotion, no names will be included in the video!
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Any questions please contact SAM and we will be happy to help!