Meter: Change
Goal: To hear, sing, and play compound meters better by changing meters and patterns within meters.
Out of Tempo
Speaking, singing, playing.
Beginning
- Teacher speaks, “1 2, or 1 2 3, or 1 2 3 4.”
- Teacher prompts, “Begin with one of the above and when I say change, switch to a different count.”
- Students do so.
Intermediate
- Teacher speaks, “1 2 3, 2 2 3, or 1 2 3, 2 2 3, 3 2 3, or 1 2 3, 2 2 3, 3 2 3, 4 2 3.”
- Teacher prompts, “Begin with one of the above and when I say change switch to a different count.”
Advanced
Two students at a time.
- Teacher prompts, “Student A, you speak '1, 2' (dotted quarter notes) and student B, you speak '1 2 3, 2 2 3' together. When I say change, switch to the three-time version (nine-eight) of the same.”
- Students do so.
- Process continues in four time (twelve-eight) compound meter.
In Tempo
Teacher sets a tempo, six-eight, nine-eight, or twelve-eight in a tonality and with one of the compound meter rhythm patterns. Start with dotted quarter notes.
Speaking, singing, playing.
Beginning
- Teacher sets up as above, and prompts, “Sing in solfege, one pitch per measure, a scale in dotted quarter notes. When I say change switch to eighth notes.”
- Students do so.
Intermediate
- Teacher sets up as above and prompts, “Sing in solfege, one pitch per measure, three eighth notes per beat. When I say change, switch to dotted quarter notes.”
- Students do so.
Advanced
Two students at a time
- Teacher sets up as above and prompts, “Student A, you sing in dotted half notes and student B, you singing in eighth notes. When I say change, switch to eighth notes and dotted eighth notes in tempo.”
- Students do so.
More Advanced
Same as above with one student singing below and the other singing above in thirds in a major or minor key.