Mr. Mbagwu needs YOUR honest feedback about music class. This survey is 100% ANONYMOUS – I cannot see who submitted which response. Your answers help me teach better. Be honest.
When finished, sit quietly or review your lyrics for the next activity.
I can prepare to record my social commentary lyrics by practicing vocal delivery techniques – projection, pacing, emphasis, and emotion.
1. PROJECT – Breathe from your belly, not your chest. Stand or sit straight. Your voice carries from breath, not volume.
2. PACE – Slow down slightly. Fast delivery muddies words. Let pauses land naturally.
3. ENUNCIATE – Over-pronounce consonants (P, T, K, D). If they can’t understand you, your message is lost.
4. EMOTION – Deliver like you’re telling a friend something REAL. Anger = sharper. Reflection = slower.
5. BREATHE – Take breaths at line breaks, NOT mid-phrase. Mark your breathing spots NOW.
RAP: Lock to the beat. Tap your foot to find the pocket. Hit HARD on the downbeat when something important lands.
SPOKEN WORD: No beat needed. Let your voice rise and fall naturally. Pause for effect. Silence is powerful.
SPEAK-SING: Say your lyric dramatically like an actor. The natural pitch rises and falls in your speech BECOME your melody.
You do NOT need to be a singer. You need to be HONEST.
Which delivery style fits YOUR lyrics best – rap, spoken word, or speak-sing? Why?
• Mic distance: 6–8 inches from your mouth
• Use headphones to hear yourself in real time
• Test your levels FIRST – meter should hit yellow, not red
• Close all other tabs – they create noise
• Do 3–5 FULL takes – don’t stop mid-line
• One good take beats 20 spliced takes
• Record in the QUIETEST spot you can find
• First take = warm up. Best take is usually #3 or #4.
Name 2 things you need to check BEFORE you hit record.
Read your lyrics OUT LOUD to yourself. No beat. Just voice. Feel the rhythm. Mark where you’ll BREATHE with a / mark.
Read again – this time with FEELING. Where do you get louder? Where do you whisper? Where do you pause? Mark it.
Read your lyrics TO your partner. Eye contact. Full volume. Own your words. Partner gives ONE word to describe how it felt.
One more time – full speed, full emotion. This is your dress rehearsal before recording day.
After your partner heard your delivery – did your words hit? If not, what do you need to change – the WORDS or the DELIVERY?
3 volunteers: Stand up and DELIVER your hook line to the class. Full voice. Full emotion.
Class responds with ONE WORD to describe how it made them feel.
For the volunteer: What delivery style did you choose and WHY does it fit your message?
What delivery style will you use for recording (rap, spoken word, or speak-sing)? Give ONE specific reason why this style fits YOUR social commentary lyrics.
1 pt = Names delivery style • 1 pt = Specific reason connected to lyrics
Read your lyrics silently one more time. Name ONE line that will be the HARDEST to deliver with emotion. WHY is it hard? What will you do to make it land?
1 pt = Names specific line • 1 pt = Explains why it’s hard • 1 pt = Describes strategy