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Rhythm: Landscaping

Goal: To set up the class to experience rhythm patterns.

Out of Tempo

Beginning

  1. Teacher assembles rhythm patterns one note at a time: clapping, ta-ing, letter names, numbers, or solfege.
  2. Student imitates sounds made by teacher.

Intermediate

  1. Teacher assembles rhythm patterns one note at a time mixing sounds: clapping, ta-ing, letter names, numbers, or solfege.
  2. Student imitates sounds made by teacher.

Advanced

  1. Teacher creates two different patterns, using the same sounds in each pattern, then different sounds in each pattern.
  2. Student imitates sounds made by teacher.

In Tempo

Beginning

  1. Teacher sets up quarter note claps.
  2. Teacher prompts student to clap dotted half note or quarter note on top of quarter note pulses.
  3. Student claps dotted half note or quarter note on top of teacher’s quarter note claps.
  4. This process continues with teacher clapping all eighth notes, then all sixteenth note clapping.
  5. Students superimpose a different rhythm on top of each of the pulses the teacher presents.

Intermediate

  1. Teacher starts a pulse of quarter notes, then switches to a dotted half note, quarter note rhythm, then back to the pulse of quarter notes.
  2. Students repeat.
  3. This process continues with the teacher presenting pulse and then turning it in to a rhythm pattern, then back to the original pulse.
  4. The student continues to repeat what the teacher presents.

Advanced

  1. Teacher claps quarter note pulses.
  2. Students superimpose different rhythm combinations on top of teacher’s quarter notes.
  3. The process continues with teacher clapping eighths or sixteenths.
  4. Students super impose rhythm combinations on top of teacher’s pulses.

More Advanced

  1. Teacher claps quarter note pulses.
  2. Students superimpose rhythm combinations.
  3. Teacher switches pulses while students add new combinations.
  4. Then students can repeat the process: a student claps a pulse on to which other students add rhythm combinations, then switch the pulses under the rhythm combinations performed by other students.