- Definition
To "arrange" a song means to change it so it can be played by different singers or instruments than it was originally written for.
Taking a pop song originally sung by one person with a band and arranging it for a choir to sing without any instruments is an a cappella arrangement.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: Arranging music is like taking a song you know and dressing it up in a different outfit, like changing it from a rock song to a quiet piano song.
Ask your child: How would this pop song sound if a school choir sang it?
Common mix-up: Kids might think arranging means writing a new song. Arranging is actually taking an existing song and changing which instruments or voices perform it.
Examples
- Playing a classical violin piece on an electric guitar.
- A movie might arrange a famous rock song to be played by an orchestra to make it sound more epic.
arrange is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
