Lesson video

Hi there, everybody, and welcome to our lesson on "Following a Conductor When Singing Rounds".

This is from our "Singing for Performance Unit: Holding a Second Part in Rounds and Partner Songs".

Now, I'm really excited about today's lesson because you are all going to become conductors, and hopefully that will keep us all in time when we're singing our rounds.

Here we go.

By the end of today's lesson, you'll be able to say that you can follow a conductor when singing rounds to know when it's your turn to sing.

Let's begin by looking at our key words.

We'll start with round.

A round is a singing structure in which the melody is sung in groups, with each group starting at regular intervals, and this creates texture.

Our next word is pulse: the regular, steady heartbeat of the music.

A conductor.

The conductor is a person who directs musicians or singers.

And tempo: how fast or how slow the music's played.

And lastly, texture.

That's the combination of different layers of sounds.

We know how important it is to warm up before each music lesson.

We want to warm up our bodies, our voices, and our minds so that we're ready to move and sing.

We want to be able to stand correctly.

We want to feel comfortable.

We want our singing to be safe.

And so I would like you to join in with these warmups.

Here they come.

Ready, steady, off we go.

(hands thudding) (instructor clapping) (hands thudding) (fingers snapping) (group clapping) (hands thudding) (fingers snapping) (instructor clapping) (hands thudding) (hands thudding) (group clapping) (hands thudding) Now we are going to warm up our faces by chewing a toffee.

Find yours.

Mine's in my pocket right here.

And it's this big.

And when we put it in our mouth, we're going to begin to chew.

Let's all do it together.

Quite tough.

Hmm.

It's getting a bit softer.

Do some really good chewing.

Oh no, it stuck to my teeth at the back.

I have to use my tongue.

And the other bit.

Mm.

Really big chewing now.

And now we're going to do something horrible and chew with our mouth open.

Don't tell the folks at home.

Mm, delicious.

We'll begin by breathing.

We'll breathe in for four, hold for one, and out for five.

Watch first.

(instructor inhales) (instructor exhales) You'll notice we breathe in through our nose and out through our mouth.

Let's now join in altogether.

(instructor inhales) (instructor exhales) Well done.

We're going to do that two more times.

Here we go.

Make sure we're feeling nice and relaxed, and.

(instructor inhales) (instructor exhales) (instructor inhales) (instructor exhales) That's great.

We should be feeling quite relaxed and the air should be flowing quite calmly.

This time, we're going to breathe in for four, hold for one, and we're going to breathe out for six, imagining we're blowing out through a straw.

Watch first.

(instructor inhales) (instructor exhales) Okay, let's all do that together.

Feeling relaxed, shoulders relaxed, off we go.

(instructor inhales) (instructor exhales) Let's do that two more times.

(instructor inhales) (instructor exhales) And one more.

(instructor inhales) (instructor exhales) Well done.

(bright music) ♪ Elevator, won't you take me, 1, 3, 5 ♪ ♪ Elevator, won't you take me, 5, 3, 1 ♪ ♪ Elevator, won't you take me, 1, 3, 5 ♪ ♪ Elevator, won't you take me, 5, 3, 1 ♪ ♪ Elevator, won't you take me, 1, 3, 5 ♪ ♪ Elevator, won't you take me, 5, 3, 1 ♪ ♪ Elevator, won't you take me, 1, 3, 5 ♪ ♪ Elevator, won't you take me, 5, 3, 1 ♪ (bright music) ♪ Elevator, won't you take me, 1, 2, 4, 5 ♪ ♪ Elevator, won't you take me, 5, 4, 2, 1 ♪ ♪ Elevator, won't you take me, 1, 2, 4, 5 ♪ ♪ Elevator, won't you take me, 5, 4, 2, 1 ♪ ♪ Elevator, won't you take me, 1, 2, 4, 5 ♪ ♪ Elevator, won't you take me, 5, 4, 2, 1 ♪ ♪ Elevator, won't you take me, 1, 2, 4, 5 ♪ ♪ Elevator, won't you take me, 5, 4, 2, 1 ♪ <v ->One bottle of pop.

</v> Be ready to join in.

And.

♪ One bottle of pop ♪ ♪ Two bottles of pop ♪ ♪ Three bottles of pop ♪ ♪ Four bottles of pop ♪ ♪ Five bottles of pop ♪ ♪ Six bottles of pop ♪ ♪ Seven bottles of pop, pop ♪ Super! Hope we're feeling a bit warmer in our bodies, in our minds, and in our voices.

Now there are three final warmup tasks for you to do.

The first one is "Fish and Chips and Vinegar".

When we sing this, I would like you to really clearly pronounce pepper, pepper, pepper, pot.

Really get our mouths working.

The second one is "Bella Mama", and I would like you to be listening to make sure you are all keeping in time.

And then we'll finish with "Don't Clap This One Back".

So pause here, use those audio tracks to help you, and make those as neat as you can where you are.

Off you go.

Wonderful! Are we now ready to sing? Hopefully your throat is warm, you've been feeling and noticing that pulse in the song, which helps us all sing together, and that we're concentrating and we're ready to learn.

So let's go.

There are two learning cycles in today's lesson.

The first one is following a conductor, and the second, singing a round in three parts.

So let's begin by learning how to follow a conductor.

When we sing round songs, and indeed any songs, keeping in time is really important.

We want to be able to feel and follow that steady pulse.

So to do that, we'll put it straight into our body.

There is some body percussion listed below.

It goes stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, clap, clap, clap, clap.

What you are going to do is pause the video and try this twice through.

What you're going to do as well is say and chant it together 'ready, steady, off we go'.

Now, here's a top tip.

If you say, "Ready, steady, off we go," you'll be stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, clap, clap, clap, clap.

It might be too quick at first.

If you say a more steady 'ready, steady, off we go, stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, clap, clap', it feels a bit more manageable, okay? You might want to have an experiment and try it at different tempo.

Pause the video here and practise that eight-beat body percussion where you are.

So how was that? How was that for you? Was it all perfect and seamless or did it need some attention? We're going to try a little experiment.

This time, I'd like you to choose a leader to bring you in.

They are going to be the one person who will set the tempo and to lead the body percussion actions.

So this person will be at the front, facing you, you are facing them, we're gonna call this leader our conductor, and I'd like them to give a 'ready, steady, off we go', and that's gonna set the tempo, and they will lead on those stomps and claps, and you will make it as neat as you can to see if you are all doing exactly the same thing at the same time.

If you are, you are feeling the steady pulse, okay? So pause the video, there is a track there to help you, which just has a steady beat on it, and I'll see you in a moment.

Well done.

How was it that time? Was it any better or was it the same? Was it useful having a person leading at the front? I'm gonna give you some top tips for following a conductor.

And they are, number one, look at them.

Look at them the whole time.

And secondly, by their clear actions, you should be able to feel a steady pulse.

So in that example, they might have really clearly clapped with a 1, 2, 3, 4, and hopefully you are feeling a steady pulse.

And my last top tip, keep looking at them.

It really gives a good point of focus so you can know what you are doing.

Secondly, the top tips for conductors.

If you are a conductor, it's really useful to use the 'ready, steady, off we go' 'cause that sets the tempo.

For example, if you went, "Ready, steady, off we go," might be a bit quick, especially when you're learning something the first time.

If you are a conductor, you make your actions really clear.

There's quite a difference between, "Oh, clap, clap, clap," or a real clear, "1, 2, 3, 4." It's nice and steady, it's clear, everyone can recognise it and understand.

And then my last top tip, if you are a conductor, only start when everyone is looking at you.

That way you have the whole room focused and that's really important to make a great sound.

Now we can have two conductors.

This is gonna challenge you to follow your group's conductor.

And those conductors are gonna set the tempo.

Here's what will happen.

In a moment, we'll pause the video.

You'll be in two groups and each group will have their own conductor, the person leading the body percussion at the front, okay? Now we have our body percussion pattern: stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, clap, clap, clap, clap.

Group one will begin, group two will begin four beats later.

So group one: stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp.

And as they start their claps, group two will start their stomp, stomp, stomp.

So group two will finish four beats afterwards.

Pause the video now and I'll see you in a moment.

Great stuff.

Really well done.

Now I asked Andeep and Laura for some top tips that they would give to their class for following a conductor.

And Andeep says, "Watch the conductor at all times." Brilliant advice.

The more we get used to doing that, then neater it will be.

And Laura says to try and keep in time with the conductor by feeling the steady pulse.

If we're all feeling that steady pulse, we're all staying in time together.

Super! So let's put that into action.

As a class, or in groups, don't mind, you're going to choose your own body percussion actions.

Just keep them simple for "Meet Me at the Garden Gate".

Then when you've got those simple body percussion actions, you choose a leader, they'll be at the front, leading you in those actions to help you remember them and to keep you in time.

This is your conductor.

Your conductor will start with a 'ready, steady, off we go,' and your job is to make sure your actions are on the beat.

So there's some suggestions below.

There are stomps.

(instructor stomping) ♪ You might have claps ♪ (instructor clapping) ♪ Maybe clicks, or taps ♪ (fingers snapping) ♪ Back to claps, up to you ♪ (instructor clapping) Okay? You can decide but keep it steady.

Now, you're gonna pause the video here, create that simple body percussion, have your leader at the front, and then your challenge: are you all keeping in time to the steady pulse? Pause now and try that where you are.

Ah, welcome back.

Very good stuff.

So, did your percussion land on the beat? Laura is singing the song there, and you can see those beat marks really clear.

♪ There are four on each line ♪ ♪ Meet me at the garden gate ♪ And so forth.

If it did, then you've done very well because you are, that's showing that you are feeling the steady pulse and probably being led by a good conductor, so well done.

We're now gonna listen to "Round and Round", and all you need to do is just feel the pulse and tap the pulse gently on your knees, okay? So be ready to tap.

Here comes the track.

♪ Ready, steady, off we go ♪ ♪ Round and round the earth is turning ♪ ♪ Turning always into morning ♪ ♪ And from morning into night ♪ <v ->Lovely.

</v> So now we can feel the steady pulse.

We're gonna choose a conductor and they're gonna add in some simple actions.

They could be shoulder taps, they might be claps, (instructor clapping) even arm rolls for each line of the song.

Well, that's quite round and round.

You might use that.

It's entirely up to you.

The conductor will choose an action for each line and all you need to do is copy and see if you are all doing it at the same time.

Are you feeling the steady pulse? That conductor will give us a 'ready, steady, off we go'.

Jacob is already thinking up some ideas that he might do as conductor.

So choose your conductor, you can use the track to play, and you are going to mark the pulse with those simple actions copying your conductor.

Pause now.

Off you go.

All right, good job.

Quick check then.

Did you have four repeated actions for each line? Four because there are four beats on each line.

And did they mark the steady pulse? Hopefully, they did, hopefully, we're doing them at the same time, and hopefully, your conductor was making very clear actions for you to copy.

You are now ready for your first task.

So step one, you will choose a conductor, and their job is to set the steady tempo with a 'ready, steady, off we go', and then they will lead the actions, okay? Your job, everybody who isn't the conductor, will sing along to "Round and Round" in unison, all together, as you do your actions, okay? And you'll follow the conductor.

That conductor is gonna really keep the steady pulse, and you must watch that conductor and keep absolutely in time with what they're doing, okay? So you are singing and moving at the same time, good luck, and I will see you in a bit.

Pause here.

So how was it? Maybe you had chance for more than one person to be the conductor.

Alex had a go being conductor.

He said, "Well, I chanted 'ready, steady, off we go' to a steady pulse, but it was too fast.

So I tried it a second time with a slower count, 'ready, steady', and that was better." So he's reflected on his tempo.

Brilliant! Jacob says, "Well, I watched the conductor really carefully, and I copied the actions, and because I was watching, that helped us all keep in time together," which is really good.

So when it came to you singing and moving as you follow your conductor, Laura says, "Well, the actions actually helped me remember the lyrics." Maybe she sings like round and round.

And also by doing the clear actions, even if it was just shoulder taps, it just really helps keep everybody in time.

Aisha says, "We always looked at the conductor so we knew when to start singing and what tempo to do the actions at." Which is really useful, so if you are watching, that conductor should be leading you successfully.

It's now time for our second learning cycle: singing a round in three parts.

Now when we think about a conductor, we sometimes think of that person dressed up all beautifully at the front of an orchestra.

But that is just one kind of conductor that you might see, directing people playing instruments.

Conductors are used across choirs and ensembles right across the arts.

So when we make music ourselves in any way, maybe in our school, a conductor can show us when to start and stop, they can show us how to keep in time with each other, and they can show us the tempo: how fast or slow are we going to be singing or playing.

Have a watch of this clip.

This is a conductor showing a clear gesture to start singing.

I'd like you to notice the conductor will sing the 'ready, steady, off we go', and they'll show with a really clear hand gesture when to start singing.

Here it comes.

♪ Ready, steady, off we go ♪ ♪ Jolting up and down in a little red waggon ♪ ♪ Jolting up and down in a little red waggon.

♪ So let's put that into practise.

Choose a conductor to practise starting singing together.

The track is there for "Jolting Up and Down in a Little Red Waggon".

Okay? You're gonna choose your conductor, they will hear the track, they will give at the right time the 'ready, steady, off we go.

Jolting up and down'.

Okay? So pause the video here.

You might have a chance for a couple of different people to be your conductor.

Off you go.

Very good! This next clip shows a clear gesture to stop singing.

And the conductor, I'd like you to notice, has closed fists at the end of the words "won't you be my partner", okay? Have a watch.

♪ Won't you be my partner ♪ Lovely.

Now choose a conductor that's going to help you finish singing.

So you'll sing the last part of "Jolting up and down in a little red waggon, won't you be my partner", okay? And with that conductor showing you how to stop.

Off you go.

This next one is really useful.

It looks to me a little bit like the conductor is pressing an imaginary button in front of them.

What they're actually doing is keeping a steady pulse.

Have a watch.

♪ 2, 4, 6, 8 ♪ ♪ Meet me at the garden gate ♪ Now I'd like one of you to be the conductor and set the tempo for the chant "2, 4, 6, 8, meet me at the garden gate" and you are going to keep the steady pulse and show it with your hand, okay? Again, there might be time for more than one person to try this and be the conductor where you are, so pause the video now and have a go.

Very good! Now I've just caught up with Jun, Laura, Alex, and Lucas to find out, when it comes to singing a round, how a conductor can help us perform that round well.

Now Jun says, "Well, without a conductor, sometimes I just start singing the other group's part." Makes sense.

And Lucas said, "A conductor can help us not to speed up just by keeping the steady pulse." And Laura says, "Following a conductor helps me remember the actions that we need." So sometimes there are actions that can be led by the conductor too.

And Alex says, "Following a conductor shows me when to start and stop." Super! "Round and Round" is a round song in three parts.

I'd like you to listen now and pop up the track on to when each new part enters.

Three groups singing at the same time starts to make the texture thicker.

So we've got one layer; then two groups, two layers; three groups, three layers.

Here comes the track.

♪ Ready, steady, off we go ♪ ♪ Round and round the earth is turning ♪ ♪ Turning always into morning ♪ ♪ And from morning into night ♪ ♪ Round and round the earth is turning ♪ (singers singing simultaneously) ♪ And from morning into night ♪ (gentle music) <v ->So before we learn it as a round,</v> we learn it in unison.

So what I'd like you to do is you can pause in a second and just sing it through all together.

Feeling that steady pulse will keep you in time together.

Pause now and sing "Round and Round" in unison where you are.

You are doing really well.

So we set the tempo and the pitch for "Round and Round" with our 'ready, steady, off we go' and our clear gesture for starting.

Watch the video to see what I mean.

♪ Ready, steady, off we go ♪ ♪ Round and round the earth ♪ So this time let's all be conductors, and I'd like you to practise singing the 'ready, steady, off we go' at the right tempo and the right pitch, and then make the start gesture.

So you should be able to, in your classroom, all together, go.

♪ Ready, steady, off we go ♪ Okay? To start the singing so we're feeling that.

♪ 1, 2, 3, 4, 1 ♪ For round.

♪ Ready, steady, off we go ♪ ♪ Round and round.

♪ Okay? Pause the video and practise that where you are.

Very well done.

This is our clear gesture for keeping the steady pulse.

Here it comes as a reminder.

And so now we'll all be conductors again and practise performing that as we sing.

So I'd like you to imagine.

With your hand, it should just be above your tummy button-ish.

Not too high up.

And we just are going to pounce the steady pulse.

Like imagining you've got a little button underneath that you are pressing, okay? So you've got "Round and round the earth is turning." Okay, ready to sing and keep that steady pulse.

Off you go.

Wow, well done.

We're making conductors out of all of you.

Really good stuff.

Now, we usually sing a round at least as many times as there are parts.

So what I mean by that is, if we take "Round and Round", that's got three parts: Round and round the earth is turning, turning always into morning, and from morning into night.

So there's three groups and we'll sing it through three times, okay? This time, you can either use the track or you can just give yourself a really clear 'ready, steady, off we go' to set the tempo.

And I would like you to use the start gesture so you know when each part comes in.

So we get start.

♪ Ready, steady, off we go ♪ ♪ Round and round the earth is ♪ Next part.

♪ Turning always ♪ Then the third part.

♪ And from morning ♪ Okay? Because when we do it, each group will start from the beginning.

So I'd like you to know when those entries are, when do they come in.

And if you are all making the start gesture at the same time, you will be feeling confident to come in at the right time.

So pause here, either use this track or give yourself the 'ready, steady, off you go', and come in with your start gestures each time a new group begins.

Off you go.

This is great! You are feeling the steady pulse, you are concentrating a known when we come in, so now you are ready for the last task of the lesson.

You are gonna choose a conductor.

Okay? That's the first thing.

And in three groups, you are gonna sing "Round and Round" as a three part round.

This is how you're gonna be successful.

You follow that conductor, they will give you the gesture to start, and you keep watching that conductor who will keep the steady pulse.

Each time a new, like group two and then group three is due to sing, the conductor will bring you in with that start gesture, okay? It'll take a couple of times to practise, and that's fine.

Remember, you will sing the round three times through.

You can try this with different conductors.

Let's see where you are who is giving really clear conducting gestures.

So pause the video, this might take a little bit of time to practise, once you've got it, you'll be sounding marvellous because you are all feeling the steady pulse.

Off you go.

Wow, there you go, singing in a three part round.

That's three groups in your class all singing the same thing but at different times, and hopefully it sounded marvellous.

I'm sure it did.

So a quick feedback then.

Did the conductor help you feel confident and know when to start singing? Hopefully, that's quite reassuring to you 'cause you are all coming in together.

Izzy says, "We came in at the right time because we were watching the conductor." And then the second question, did the conductor's clear gestures help you feel the steady pulse? And Aisha says, "Well, I was the conductor and I remembered that I had to show that steady pulse." And hopefully, that kept everyone in time.

That's almost it for today's lesson.

Let's have a little recap on our learning.

A conductor uses clear hand signals to keep us in time.

And it's important to listen and feel the pulse too so that our part in the round stays in time.

We can thicken the texture of a round by dividing it into more parts.

That time there were three parts, so it was three layers of sound thick.

And we usually sing a round at least the same number of times that there are parts.

So a three part round, we sang three times.

Really well done for today.

Some beautiful singing, some great conducting, and I look forward to seeing you next time.

Bye-bye.