Skip to main content

Dynamics: Arithmetic

Goal: To improve pacing of getting softer or louder using "counting" (speaking, counting out loud, singing, playing).

Out of Tempo

Addition

Beginning

  1. Teacher prompts, “Hold a ‘ta’ and get louder/softer while I count '1, 2.'”
  2. Students do so.

Intermediate

  1. Teacher prompts, “Hold a ‘ta’ and get louder/softer while I count '1, 2, 3.'”
  2. Students do so.

Advanced

  1. Teacher prompts, “Hold a ‘ta’ and get louder/softer while I count '1, 2, 3, 4.'”
  2. Students do so.

Subtraction

Beginning

  1. Teacher prompts, “Hold a ‘ta’ and get louder/softer while I count '1, 2, 3, 4.'”
  2. Students do so.

Intermediate

  1. Teacher prompts, “Hold a ‘ta’ and get louder/softer while I count '1, 2, 3.'”
  2. Students do so.

Advanced

  1. Teacher prompts, “Hold a ‘ta’ and get louder/softer while I count '1, 2.'”
  2. Students do so.

Multiplication

Beginning

  1. Teacher prompts, “Hold a ‘ta’ and get louder or softer while I count '1, 1 2, 1 2 3, 1 2 3 4.'”
  2. Students do so.

Intermediate

  1. Teacher prompts, “Hold a ‘ta’ and get louder or softer while I count '1 2 3 4, 1 2 3, 1 2, 1.'”
  2. Students do so.

Advanced

  1. Teacher prompts, “Hold a ‘ta’ while and get louder, then softer, then louder, then softer while I count '1, 1 2, 1 2 3, 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3, 1 2, 1.'”
  2. Students do so.

Division

Beginning

  1. Teacher prompts, “Hold a ‘ta’ and get louder or softer while I count '1, 2, 3, 4.'”
  2. Students do so.

Intermediate

  1. Teacher prompts, “Hold a ‘ta’ and get louder then softer on '1, 2' and then softer then louder on '3, 4.'”
  2. Students do so.

Advanced

  1. Teacher prompts, “Hold a ‘ta’ and get softer then louder on '1, 2' and louder then softer on '3, 4.'”
  2. Students do so.

In Tempo

Teacher sets up a tempo, time signature, tonality, one note per measure at first, then basic beat divisions and subdivisions, repeating one solfege per measure.

Singing, playing.

Addition

Beginning

  1. Teacher sets up as above and prompts, “Sing a note and get louder/softer while I play two beats.”

Intermediate

  1. Teacher sets up as above and prompts, “Sing a note and get louder/softer while I play two then three beats.”

Advanced

  1. Teacher sets up as above and prompts, “Sing a note and get louder/softer while I play two, then three, then four beats.”

Subtraction

Beginning

  1. Teacher sets up as above and prompts, “Sing a note and get louder or softer while I play four beats.”
  2. Students do so.

Intermediate

  1. Teacher sets up as above and prompts, “Sing a note and get louder or softer while I play four, then three beats.”
  2. Students do so.

Advanced

  1. Teacher sets up as above and prompts, “Sing a note and get louder/softer while I play four, then three, then two beats.”
  2. Students do so.

Multiplication

Beginning

  1. Teacher sets up as above and prompts, “Sing a note and get louder or softer while I play '1, 1 2, 1 2 3, 1 2 3 4.'”
  2. Students do so.

Intermediate (accelerando over more than one measure)

  1. Teacher sets up as above and prompts, “Sing a note and get louder or softer while I play '1 2 3 4, 1 2 3, 1 2, 1.'”
  2. Students do so.

Advanced

  1. Teacher sets up as above and prompts, “Sing a note and get louder then softer or softer then louder while I play '1, 1 2, 1 2 3, 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3, 1 2, 1.”
  2. Students do so.

Division

Accelerando/Ritardando within one measure.

Beginning

  1. Teacher prompts, “Sing a note and get louder or softer while I count '1, 2, 3, 4.'”
  2. Students do so.

Intermediate

  1. Teacher prompts, “Sing a note and get louder on '1, 2' and softer on '3, 4.'”
  2. Students do so.

Advanced

  1. Teacher prompts, “Sing a note and get softer on '1, 2' and louder on '3, 4.'”
  2. Students do so.