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Shake It Off for Boomwhackers

The link below will open the Song Wizard in a separate tab suitable for full screen viewing

Full Window View

Shake It Off – recorded in  2014 by Taylor Swift – is the second full length song created for the Song Wizard. 

The Boomwhacker melody of this song is entirely in the F Major Pentatonic Scale. Pentatonic scales only use 5 pitches.
The name comes from the Greek word for five (penta) and the Latin word for tone or sound (tonus) – Hence 5 sounds.

Check out teaching tips in the drop down menu below for suggestions of how to play this song. 

Teaching Tips

Shake it Off is presented at its original performance tempo of 150 BPM.
THIS IS VERY FAST! I would suggest slowing it down to at least 90 BPM when first starting out.

Gradually increase the speed.

 

There are many instances where the same note is played consecutively and it takes practice to play fast enough.

If students are struggling with repeating notes, simply get them to try playing the first and/or last notes in the sequence.

 

This song will not use all the tubes in a standard One-Octave set of Boomwhackers. The E and the B are omitted.

 

Like nearly all songs, some pitches are played significantly more often than others. This is particularly true of F because the key of this song is F major.

 

There is no perfect way to mix up the pitches to ensure that everyone gets an equal amount of notes to play.

Probably the easiest way to start is to divide the tubes up pairs as follows:

  • C & G
  • D & A
  • F & HiC

 

Try other combinations – maybe even without pairing specific intervals – to see what works best with the flow of the music and the student’s abilities.

 

During the ‘spoken’ section in the middle of the song, only the low C is playing. But you could get all the players to tap along and say the words for fun.

 

Leave your suggestions and comments in the field at the bottom of the page!

 

Song Lyrics
Verse 1
I stay out too late
Got nothing in my brain
That’s what people say, mm, mm
That’s what people say, mm, mm
 
I go on too many dates
But I can’t make ’em stay
At least that’s what people say, mm, mm
That’s what people say, mm, mm
 
Pre-Chorus
But I keep cruising
Can’t stop, won’t stop moving
It’s like I got this music in my mind
Saying it’s gonna be alright
 
Chorus
‘Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play
And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate
Baby, I’m just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake
I shake it off, I shake it off (Whoo-hoo-hoo)
 
Heartbreakers gonna break, break, break, break, break
And the fakers gonna fake, fake, fake, fake, fake
Baby, I’m just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake
I shake it off, I shake it off (Whoo-hoo-hoo)
 
Verse 2
I never miss a beat
I’m lightning on my feet
And that’s what they don’t see, mm, mm
That’s what they don’t see, mm, mm
 
I’m dancing on my own (Dancing on my own)
I make the moves up as I go (Moves up as I go)
And that’s what they don’t know, mm, mm
That’s what they don’t know, mm, mm
 
 
Pre-Chorus
But I keep cruising
Can’t stop, won’t stop moving
It’s like I got this music in my mind
Saying it’s gonna be alright
 
Chorus
‘Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play
And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate
Baby, I’m just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake
I shake it off, I shake it off (Whoo-hoo-hoo)
 
Heartbreakers gonna break, break, break, break, break
And the fakers gonna fake, fake, fake, fake, fake
Baby, I’m just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake
I shake it off, I shake it off (Whoo-hoo-hoo)
 
 
Shake it off, I shake it off
I, I, I shake it off, I shake it off
I, I, I shake it off, I shake it off
I, I, I shake it off, I shake it off (Whoo-hoo-hoo)
 
Spoken Interlude
Hey, hey, hey
Just think while you’ve been gettin’ down and out about the liars
And the dirty, dirty cheats of the world
You could’ve been gettin’ down
To this sick beat
(in rhythm)
My ex man brought his new girlfriend
She’s like, “Oh my God!”
I’m just gonna shake
And to the fella over there with the hella good hair
Won’t you come on over baby?
We can shake, shake, shake (Yeah)
 
Chorus
 
Yeah, oh
‘Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play
And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate (Haters gonna hate)
Baby, I’m just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake
I shake it off, I shake it off (Whoo-hoo-hoo)
 
Heartbreakers gonna break, break, break, break, break
And the fakers gonna fake, fake, fake, fake, fake (And fake, and fake, and fake)
Baby, I’m just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake
I shake it off, I shake it off (Whoo-hoo-hoo)
Shake it off, I shake it off
 
 
I, I, I shake it off, I shake it off
I, I, I shake it off, I shake it off
I, I, I shake it off, I shake it off (Whoo-hoo-hoo)
Shake it off, I shake it off
I, I, I shake it off, I shake it off (You got to)
I, I, I shake it off, I shake it off
I, I, I shake it off, I shake it off

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Curricular Connections

The following tables outline the curricular connections that are addressed by principles presented in this tutorial.
In particular, it lists which Specific Learner Expectations (Concepts and Skills) are covered according to the
Alberta Curriculum for Elementary Music.

Those expectations that are addressed partially or indirectly rather than explicitly are displayed in italics.

To get the most from these tables, please visit the page explaining Whacky Wizards Curricular Connections.

Concepts

RhythmMelodyHarmonyFormExpression

5. Melodies are based on scales: major, minor and pentatonic (5-tone).


1. Music can be organized into sections––alike or different.

11. Melodies may be based on the “G” and “F” major scales, and their related minors.

2. A section may be repeated (verse, chorus).

3. Music is organized into phrases.

4. A whole piece of music may be comprised of a number of sections.

5. Sections may be identified by letters; e.g., AB, ABA, ABAB.

6. There may be an introduction, an interlude and an ending (coda).

Skills

Listening

Moving

Singing

Playing Instruments

Reading & Writing

Creating

10. Identify “like” and “unlike” patterns in music.


11. Respond to phrases in music.

23. Identify introductions, interludes and codas in music.

Downloadable Resources

Find diagrams, notation, PDFs and other content from this tutorial
Click on the preview image to open in new tab, or the arrow to download directly.

Content

Preview

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Boomwhacker Array

Boomwhackers-drawn-side-page

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Can’t tell a quarter note from a treble clef? Are sharp and flat just words you would use to describe a knife? You’re not alone.

In fact, Whacky Wizards was created to be used by people just like you. The program was researched and designed specifically for teachers who had been asked to teach music but who often:

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  • Had no prior knowledge of musical theory
  • Were not comfortable singing or playing an instrument


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The best part is that even if you don’t need musical knowledge to use the program, there are plenty of opportunities to learn. The site features an amazing 5-part tutorial series called “How Music Works” which teaches the most essential elements of music in a way that is approachable and pragmatic. These ‘go-at-your-own-pace’ video lessons offer instruction on how to learn and apply these concepts while using the program.

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What is Whacky Wizards?

Whacky Wizards is a program dedicated to help groups of all descriptions easily make music in a fun, interactive, and highly engaging way using Boomwhackers™ percussion tubes. The program has special features for educators, but can be used by any group wanting to have a great time making music. 

The site revolves around three custom apps which focus on different aspects of music making – The Song Wizard, The Rhythm Tutor, and The Whacky Looper.

The content of the site is presented in modules which feature different songs (using The Song Wizard) or rhythmic patterns (Using The Rhythm Tutor and The Whacky Looper). Each module contains tips and instructions for playing it’s featured music with your group, as well as instructional resources for teachers and those wanting to expand their musical knowledge.

Check out the Program In Action!

What is Whacky Wizards?

Whacky Wizards is a program dedicated to help groups of all descriptions easily make music in a fun, interactive, and highly engaging way using Boomwhackers™ percussion tubes. The program has special features for educators, but can be used by any group wanting to have a great time making music. 

The site revolves around three custom apps which focus on different aspects of music making – The Song Wizard, The Rhythm Tutor, and The Whacky Looper.

The content of the site is presented in modules which feature different songs (using The Song Wizard) or rhythmic patterns (Using The Rhythm Tutor and The Whacky Looper). Each module contains tips and instructions for playing it’s featured music with your group, as well as instructional resources for teachers and those wanting to expand their musical knowledge.

Try demo versions of the apps for Free!
Sign up for a Free 7 day trial!

Check out the Program In Action!

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