Ain't It Fun: Score
Words and music by Hayley Williams and Taylor York [Paramore] / arr. Bob Cerulli
Grade: 3
Item: 00-PR-0005139
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Description
This arrangement will challenge your ensemble and build technique with the syncopated rhythms that are so typical of pop music. Rock it out with the addition of drums and electric bass for great effect! (3:45)
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Ain't It Fun: Score comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
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Additional Details
Series:
Pop Concert String Orchestra
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
128
SKU:
00-PR-0005139
More about this title
About the Composer: Hayley Williams
Hayley Williams is the lead vocalist and primary songwriter for Paramore, a rock band that emerged in the mid-2000s and became known for energetic, emotionally direct pop-rock music. Her songwriting combines accessible melodic hooks with substantive lyrical content, making her work recognizable across multiple genres and arrangements.
Why we love this
Bob Cerulli's arrangement captures the infectious energy of the original without simplifying the rhythmic complexity that makes the piece educational. String orchestras rarely get pop material this engaging and this well-written for the ensemble; this one respects both the style and your students' growing technical abilities.
What to expect
Propulsive and modern, with the driving urgency of the original Paramore recording translated into string color and articulation. The syncopated rhythms create forward momentum even in exposed passages, and the optional rhythm section transforms the sound into something that feels genuinely current and performance-ready.
Who it's for
Grade 3 string orchestras ready to tackle contemporary pop-rock material with real rhythmic sophistication. This works for groups that have solid foundational technique and want to build confidence with syncopation, style, and energy in a cultural context students recognize.
How to get the most out of it
- Lock in the syncopated rhythmic figures by rehearsing without the drums and electric bass first. Once the strings own the pulse independently, add the rhythm section to feel how it sits against and around the string lines.
- Shape phrases across the syncopations rather than pointing to every offbeat. Paramore's music moves forward despite the rhythmic complexity; your conducting should guide that forward momentum.
- Balance the divisi passages carefully so inner lines don't disappear. The arrangement likely uses multiple voice divisions to create texture and rhythmic interest, and each strand needs clarity.
How to use it
Program this on a pops concert or a spring concert that mixes traditional and contemporary repertoire. It pairs well alongside other well-crafted pop arrangements and standard string repertoire, giving audiences and students alike a clear sense that string orchestras inhabit the full contemporary musical landscape.
Skills your students will build
- Reading and performing syncopated rhythms across multiple voices
- Maintaining ensemble rhythmic clarity without a strong downbeat
- Style and articulation appropriate to rock and pop idioms
- Balance and voice independence within divided string sections
- Coordination with rhythm section (drums and electric bass)