100 AI Prompt Ideas for Music Teachers

Organized by NAfME’s application areas: Create, Perform, Respond, Assess, and Productivity. Use these prompts as starters; edit for your grade level, ensemble type, and learning goals. Encourage students to credit AI assistance and preserve originality.

Create (20)

1. Create a 16-bar melody in [key] for [instrument/voice] in [style: jazz waltz / folk / lo-fi] with an AABA form. Include chord symbols.
2. Suggest three contrasting motivic ideas based on the interval [e.g., m3] that could start a band piece for middle school.
3. Generate four reharmonization options for this progression: [C–Am–F–G], and explain the function of each chord.
4. Write a simple pentatonic melody for Orff xylophones in C major, 8 bars, suitable for grade 3.
5. Propose two bassline patterns and two drum grooves to support a funk chart at 96 BPM.
6. Draft a call-and-response section for choir (SAB), 8 measures, with text about [theme].
7. Offer three melodic variations using sequence and inversion on this theme: [paste motif].
8. Compose a 12-bar blues head in F with one notable rhythmic hook that repeats every two bars.
9. Suggest string quartet voicings for a pop ballad chorus in [key] with sustained pads and one countermelody.
10. Write a short modal vamp (D Dorian) and a melody that avoids leading tones; 8 bars total.
11. Create three contrasting intros for a big band chart: rubato brass chorale, drum fill pickup, and bass ostinato.
12. Provide four lyric couplets on [topic] that scan in 8 syllables per line, suitable for a refrain.
13. Generate a simple flute duet (canon at the 5th) in G major, 12 bars, beginner level.
14. Offer two ostinati and a body-percussion pattern for a grade 5 classroom arrangement in 4/4 at 108 BPM.
15. Outline a film cue palette for a “hopeful” scene: mode, tempo, instrumentation, and two recurring motifs.
16. Compose an 8-bar melody that features a double-neighbor tone figure in measures 2 and 6.
17. Suggest three reharm ideas using borrowed chords (mode mixture) for a chorus in C major.
18. Draft a melodic line for alto sax over a ii–V–I in B♭, demonstrating enclosure around the 3rd of each chord.
19. Give two contrasting endings (button vs. fade-out) for a pep band arrangement of [song].
20. Design a soundscape for a programmatic piece about [place/nature] using found sounds and vocal effects—list steps and layering ideas.

Perform (20)

1. Create a week-long practice plan for [instrument] focusing on tone and breath support, 20 minutes per day, beginner level.
2. Design a lip slur progression for brass (concert B♭ major) that increases range across five days.
3. Provide a daily warm-up for choir (mixed) targeting vowels, resonance, and blend in D major.
4. Write five rhythm echo patterns in 6/8 (levels: easy→moderate) for call-and-response practice.
5. Suggest three strategies to fix sharp intonation in upper clarinet register during soft dynamics.
6. Create a tuning sequence for full band starting with concert B♭, adding sections one by one with drones.
7. Draft a set of articulation drills for strings (martelé, spiccato, legato) at two tempi: 72 and 108 BPM.
8. Provide a conductor’s checklist for cueing a ritardando into a fermata and re-establishing tempo.
9. Generate five ear-training call patterns (sol-fa) emphasizing minor tonic and lowered 7th.
10. Propose a breathing gym routine (5 minutes) for wind players before rehearsal.
11. Offer three rehearsal strategies for balancing melody vs. countermelody in a march.
12. Write a percussion battery warm-up (snare/tenors/bass) focusing on diddles and timing at 120 BPM.
13. Create a chorale exercise for band in E♭ major highlighting voice leading between inner parts.
14. Suggest sectional goals and checkpoints for a 45-minute rehearsal (strings) on [piece].
15. Produce five intonation checkpoints for choir on close harmony in A major.
16. Design a vibrato control exercise for advanced flutes at pp and mf, 60–72 BPM.
17. Offer a checklist for memorizing a solo piece: chunking, mental rehearsal, and performance run-through.
18. Write a comping pattern guide for jazz guitar over rhythm changes, two-chorus plan.
19. Create three phrasing plans for a lyrical band piece: breath marks, dynamic arcs, and release points.
20. Draft a pre-concert focus routine (5 minutes) for ensemble mindfulness and stage presence.

Respond (20)

1. Provide a critique template for comparing two performances of [work] focusing on tempo, tone, and phrasing.
2. Create three discussion questions about emotional intent in [style] and how performers convey it.
3. Summarize key features of [composer/era] and provide two listening examples with guiding questions.
4. Generate a rubric for evaluating student reflections on rehearsal recordings (clarity, specificity, growth goals).
5. Offer prompts to identify bias in AI-generated composer bios and how to verify claims.
6. Propose three ways to describe timbre using metaphors students can relate to (food, colors, textures).
7. Create a listening map for grade 4 featuring form labels (A/B/bridge) and cue words.
8. Write five think-pair-share prompts about audience, venue, and acoustics shaping interpretation.
9. Develop a short guide to recognizing cadences (authentic, deceptive, plagal) with two audio cues each.
10. Provide a checklist for evaluating ensemble balance vs. blend in a live recording.
11. Draft journal prompts for students after a concert: moments of success, surprises, and goals.
12. Propose three ways to describe groove/feel differences between swing and straight 8ths.
13. Create a peer-feedback sentence starter list for constructive comments in chamber music.
14. Suggest prompts to compare human vs. AI-generated performances—what sounds “alive” and why?
15. Outline a short debate on “authorship” in an AI-assisted composition project—roles and ethics.
16. Draft criteria for evaluating diction and text stress in choral performance.
17. Provide three reflection prompts on cultural context for a piece from [tradition].
18. Write listening prompts to trace motif transformation across movements in [symphony].
19. Create a fill-in graphic organizer for form analysis (Sections, Keys, Themes, Transitions).
20. Suggest gallery-walk questions for student posters analyzing different recordings of the same piece.

Assess (20)

1. Create a single-point rubric for solo performance focusing on tone, accuracy, and musicality.
2. Draft leveled sight-reading exercises (easy→moderate) for [instrument] in [key].
3. Provide exit ticket questions for a rehearsal: one skill strength, one next step, one question.
4. Design an adaptive ear-training drill: if correct, increase interval size; if incorrect, give hint and retry.
5. Generate a 10-item quiz on rhythm values and beaming in compound meter.
6. Create a checklist for ensemble playing: attacks, releases, balance, and articulation consistency.
7. Draft an assessment for improvisation: guideposts (target tones, space, motif development).
8. Write formative feedback stems teachers can paste into LMS comments (specific/encouraging/actionable).
9. Produce a self-assessment log template for practice sessions (goal, method, outcome, adjustment).
10. Create parallel assessments for accommodations (extended time, alternate response modes).
11. Develop a quick-check for understanding secondary dominants with two short examples to analyze.
12. Draft a rubric for composition projects emphasizing process: planning, revision, reflection.
13. Provide a checklist for audio submission quality (gain staging, clipping, mic distance).
14. Generate matching items for identifying cadence types from short audio clips.
15. Create an “error hunt” score excerpt with five intentional mistakes to find and correct.
16. Write two mini-projects to demonstrate mode mixture in a pop reharm context.
17. Develop criteria for ensemble leadership: preparation, listening, cueing, collaboration.
18. Offer reflection prompts tied to assessment data: “What changed between take 1 and take 3?”
19. Draft a standards-aligned summative task for [course] with performance + written reflection.
20. Create a student-led conference script using recordings, goals, and next-step plans.

Productivity (20)

1. Draft a unit overview for [topic] with essential question, objectives, materials, and assessment plan.
2. Create a weekly rehearsal schedule with time stamps, goals, and checkpoints.
3. Generate concert program notes for [piece] at two reading levels (HS and community audience).
4. Write a parent communication about practice expectations and how to help at home.
5. Draft sub plans for two days: warm-ups, listening, written tasks, and video instructions.
6. Create a grant proposal outline for new instruments or technology, including student impact.
7. Generate a press release for your upcoming concert with quotes and a short ensemble bio.
8. Write a social media content calendar for concert week (posts + captions + calls to action).
9. Draft a rehearsal reflection form for student leaders/section leaders to submit weekly.
10. Create a checklist for festival day logistics: transportation, folders, tuning, warm-up order.
11. Generate differentiated lesson materials (on-level and scaffolded) for a theory topic.
12. Write a practice contract template with SMART goals and parent acknowledgment.
13. Draft a simple MOU for a guest clinician visit (schedule, scope, compensation).
14. Create a semester communication plan: monthly newsletters and key dates.
15. Generate LMS page copy for unit introductions with outcomes and success criteria.
16. Write rehearsal reminders for students as short push-style messages (respectful, concise).
17. Draft a performance reflection Google Form (checkboxes + short responses).
18. Create a balanced seating chart suggestion based on current instrumentation.
19. Generate a volunteer sign-up description for chaperones and equipment helpers.
20. Write a simple equipment checkout policy and tracking sheet description.

Usage tip: When posting prompts for students, include a short note on transparency (e.g., “If you used AI to brainstorm, briefly describe what you kept or changed and why.”) This preserves academic integrity and centers student authorship.