Lesson video

Welcome back, musicians, to another music lesson.

I'm Mrs. Steele, and I'm really excited we're going to be learning together today.

Today we're going to be learning about building a thicker texture with a sung ostinato.

By the end of today's lesson you'll be able to keep a sung ostinato going under a song.

Here are our important keywords for today.

Beat, the playing or showing of the steady pulse, like the ticking of a clock.

Texture, the layering of different musical sounds.

Accompaniment, a musical part that supports the main melody or chant.

Melody, a combination of notes to make a memorable tune.

And ostinato, a repeating musical pattern.

But first, we know how important it is to warm up our voices and our bodies before every music lesson to make sure that we can sing safely.

Join in with these warmups where you are.

(bright piano music) (bright piano music continues) <v ->Let's warm up our faces.

</v> Copy me.

Big face.

Little face.

Big face.

(piano music continues) Little face.

Big face.

Little face.

<v ->Now let's do some breathing exercises.

</v> We're gonna pretend that we've got a birthday cake in front of us, and we're gonna breathe in deeply and then blow out the candles.

For this first one, we're gonna pretend we're four years old, and when we breathe in, we're gonna breathe in for four counts, and then we're gonna blow out four times, for each of the four candles.

Bit like this.

In 2, 3, 4, and (exhales).

Let's give it a try.

Ready and breathe in, 2, 3, 4.

And blow.

(exhales) Great.

Now, let's pretend that you're a year older.

You're five now.

We're gonna breathe in for five and then blow out five candles.

Here we go.

Ready? And in 2, 3, 4, 5.

And (exhales).

Very good.

One more.

This time, it's a year later.

And you're six.

Here we go.

Ready? And in 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

And (exhales).

Well done.

Now let's start warming up our voices.

We're gonna pretend that we're at a fireworks display.

We're gonna imagine seeing an amazing firework, and then we're gonna say, "Ooh." Ready.

Here it comes.

Ooh.

(fireworks cracking) Now this next one's really impressive.

We're gonna go, "Ah!" Ready.

Here it comes.

(fireworks cracking) Ah.

Great.

Finally, this one's amazing.

I want you to do a "Wow!" Ready? Here we go.

Here comes the firework.

(firework cracking) Wow.

<v ->These chants and songs will help us to warm up further</v> as they help us to use our bodies and our voices in lots of different ways.

Let's start off by joining in with "Slowly, slowly." Here's the video, <v ->Ready, steady.

</v> Off we go.

Slowly, slowly, very slowly, creeps the garden snail.

Slowly, slowly, very slowly, up the garden rail.

Quickly, quickly, very quickly, runs the little mouse.

Quickly, quickly, very quickly, all about the house.

<v ->Now, here's the video for "Dr.

Knickerbocker."</v> You might want to join in with this one, or after the video, press pause and try it where you are on your own.

Using the audio button to support.

(bright music) ♪ Doctor Knickerbocker, Knickerbocker, number nine ♪ ♪ He likes to dance and to keep in time ♪ ♪ Now I've got the rhythm in my hands ♪ (hands clapping) ♪ Now I've got the rhythm in my hands ♪ (hands clapping) ♪ Now I've got the rhythm of the number nine ♪ ♪ One, two, three, four, five ♪ ♪ Six, seven, eight, nine ♪ ♪ Doctor Knickerbocker, Knickerbocker, number nine ♪ ♪ He likes to dance and to keep in time ♪ ♪ Now I've got the rhythm in my feet ♪ ♪ Now I've got the rhythm in my feet ♪ ♪ Now I've got the rhythm of the number nine ♪ ♪ One, two, three, four, five ♪ ♪ Six, seven, eight, nine ♪ ♪ Doctor Knickerbocker, Knickerbocker, number nine ♪ ♪ He likes to dance and to keep in time ♪ ♪ Now I've got the rhythm in my hips ♪ ♪ Now I've got the rhythm in my hips ♪ ♪ Now I've got the rhythm of the number nine ♪ ♪ One, two, three, four, five ♪ ♪ Six, seven, eight, nine ♪ <v ->Now listen to "My Journey Song"</v> and join in when you're ready.

(upbeat music) ♪ I'm driving in my car ♪ ♪ Engine purring it isn't far ♪ ♪ Oh yeah, driving in my car ♪ ♪ Oh yeah, driving in my car ♪ ♪ Driving, flying, sailing by ♪ ♪ On the sea or in the sky ♪ ♪ Oh yeah ♪ ♪ Journey won't be long ♪ ♪ Driving, flying, sailing by ♪ ♪ On the sea, or in the sky ♪ ♪ Oh yeah ♪ ♪ Here's my journey song ♪ ♪ I'm riding down the rails ♪ ♪ Steam train chuffing, it never fails ♪ ♪ Oh yeah, riding on a train ♪ ♪ Oh yeah, riding on a train ♪ ♪ Driving, flying, sailing by ♪ ♪ On the sea or in the sky ♪ ♪ Oh yeah ♪ ♪ Journey won't be long ♪ ♪ Driving, flying, sailing by ♪ ♪ On the sea or in the sky ♪ ♪ Oh yeah ♪ ♪ It's my journey song ♪ ♪ I'm sailing on a boat ♪ ♪ Bobbing, bouncing as I float ♪ ♪ Oh yeah ♪ ♪ Sailing on a boat ♪ ♪ Oh yeah ♪ ♪ Sailing on boat ♪ ♪ Driving, flying, sailing by ♪ ♪ On the sea or in the sky ♪ ♪ Oh yeah ♪ ♪ Journey won't be long ♪ ♪ Driving, flying, sailing by ♪ ♪ On the sea or in the sky ♪ ♪ Oh yeah, it's my journey song ♪ ♪ I'm flying in a plane ♪ ♪ Soaring over the clouds again ♪ ♪ Oh yeah ♪ ♪ Flying in a plane ♪ ♪ Oh yeah, flying in a plane ♪ ♪ Driving, flying, sailing by ♪ ♪ On the sea or in the sky ♪ ♪ Oh yeah ♪ ♪ Journey won't be long ♪ ♪ Driving, flying, sailing by ♪ ♪ On the sea or in the sky ♪ ♪ Oh yeah ♪ ♪ It's my journey song ♪ <v ->Are you warmed up and ready to sing?</v> Check that your muscles feel warm, your throat feels relaxed and that you feel alert and ready to focus.

I do.

So let's start.

Let's begin by learning about keeping the beat.

Let's sing "She'll be coming round the mountain" together.

This time add in the extra lyrics that you can see in purple.

Here's the music.

Join in.

(bright piano music) ♪ She'll be coming round the mountain when she comes ♪ ♪ She'll be coming round the mountain when she comes ♪ ♪ She'll be coming round the mountain ♪ ♪ She'll be coming round the mountain ♪ ♪ She'll be coming round the mountain when she comes ♪ ♪ Singing ay ay yipee yipee ay ♪ ♪ Singing ay ay yipee yipee ay ♪ ♪ Singing ay ay yipee ay ay yipee ♪ ♪ Ay ay yipee yipee ay ♪ <v ->We can turn "She'll be coming round the mountain"</v> into a fun circle game.

Form a circle with one chosen pupil outside of that circle.

In verse one, you're all going to sing whilst the chosen pupil skips around the outside of the circle.

And on each ♪ Toot toot ♪ the outside pupil taps two other pupils on the shoulder in time to the beat.

♪ Toot toot ♪ Then the six chosen pupils skip around on the inside of the circle in verse two and all the other pupils clap their hands and stomp one foot in time to the beat as they sing.

Press pause to try that challenge where you are.

Using the audio button to play.

Singing games like this one help us to keep the beat together.

If we can keep a steady beat, we'll be more successful when trying to play or sing more complicated music, especially when we're trying to put many different musical layers together.

So keeping to the beat is really important.

Let's listen to this new song together.

It's another one about a train, and it's called "When the Train Comes Along." Just like the song "Freedom Train" this one comes from the time in America when people were hoping for fairness, kindness and freedom for everyone.

So the train in this song isn't a real train, it's a way of talking about the journey to freedom.

Have a listen.

(gentle piano music) ♪ When the train comes along ♪ ♪ When the train comes along ♪ ♪ I'm gonna meet you at the station ♪ ♪ When the train comes along ♪ ♪ If my mother asks for me ♪ ♪ If my mother asks for me ♪ ♪ Tell her I'll meet her at the station ♪ ♪ If my mother asks for me ♪ <v ->Let's listen again to the song.

</v> How does it make you feel? As you listen, feel the pulse and find the steady beat.

And when you've found it, gently tap along on your knees.

Once you feel ready, join in singing the song, but sing with a gentle, quiet singing voice.

Here comes the music.

Try singing this time.

(gentle piano music) ♪ When the train comes along ♪ ♪ When the train comes along ♪ ♪ I'm gonna meet you at the station ♪ ♪ When the train comes along ♪ ♪ If my mother asks for me ♪ ♪ If my mother asks for me ♪ ♪ Tell her I'll meet her at the station ♪ ♪ If my mother asks for me ♪ <v ->It's time for a check-in with our learning.

</v> Why is it important to learn to keep a steady beat in music? Is it A, so we can control how loud or quiet we sing.

B, so we can control how high or low we sing.

Or C, so we can play and sing together successfully.

Which one do you think is the answer? Press pause to choose.

Here comes the answer.

It's C, well done if you've got that right.

It's really important to learn to keep a steady beat in music so that we can play and sing together successfully, just like we're doing now.

We can show a good sense of pulse and hold a steady beat when performing another song we know "To Stop the Train." Sing the song, and follow along with the actions.

As we sing and move in unison, we are feeling the steady pulse.

Watch the video and join in.

♪ Ready, steady off we go ♪ ♪ To stop the train ♪ ♪ In cases of emergency, pull down the chain ♪ ♪ Pull down the chain ♪ ♪ Penalty for improper use, five pounds ♪ ♪ To stop the train ♪ ♪ In cases of emergency, pull down the chain ♪ ♪ Pull down the chain ♪ ♪ Penalty for improper use, five pounds ♪ <v ->The song "To Stop the Train" is in four time.

</v> As a class, choose a four beat body percussion pattern that starts with a strong beat.

Then practice this alongside the recording until you can all get it right together.

You're going to want to do this at your own pace where you are.

So press pause to choose your four beat body percussion pattern together.

Then practice it with the recording as many times as you need to.

Good luck.

Okay, musicians, here's our final challenge for today.

Divide into two groups.

Group one, you're going to sing the song and perform the actions.

And group two, you're going to sing as well, but you're going to perform the four beat body percussion pattern that you've decided on.

There's an example on the screen here.

Perhaps yours is similar or maybe it's a little different.

Again, you're going to want to do this at your own pace where you are.

So press pause to divide into two groups and practice that using the audio button when you're ready.

How did you get on with that tricky challenge? Something like that takes a lot of practicing.

You will have been successful if you all sang the song together in time, in unison.

If your actions were accurate, showing that you have a good feel of the pulse, and if your body percussion actions had a strong beat one.

Could you perform the body percussion actions on the beat repeating over and over and still staying in time? Well done if you did that.

Sounds like it was really successful.

Now let's move on to adding a sung ostinato.

Having a good sense of pulse and being able to play a steady beat helps us when we want to sing songs with two or more parts.

Listen to this new version of "Freedom Train." How many layers of sound can you hear? Here comes the music.

(upbeat piano music) ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ chck-a-chck, chck-a-chck ♪ ♪ Is such a long time coming ♪ ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ Ain't nobody can't afford it ♪ ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ So you'd better get on board it ♪ ♪ Gimme that freedom ♪ ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ Gimme that freedom ♪ ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ Gimme that freedom ♪ ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ chck-a-chck, chck-a-chck ♪ <v ->This version of the song</v> has a much thicker texture, doesn't it? There are actually four layers of sound here.

We've got the main melody, which is sung.

♪ This old freedom train is such a long time coming ♪ Then we've got the piano accompaniment, the rhythmic chant ostinato ♪ chck-a-chck, chck-a-chck ♪ And the sung ostinato.

♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ This old freedom train ♪ Four layers together to create a much thicker texture.

Remember, an ostinato is a repeating musical pattern.

We're going to listen twice more.

This first time focus on identifying the ♪ chck-a-chck, chck-a-chck ♪ chanted rhythmic ostinato.

Here comes the music.

Can you spot that? (upbeat music) ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ chck-a-chck, chck-a-chck ♪ ♪ Is such a long time coming ♪ ♪ chck-a-chck, chck-a-chck ♪ ♪ Ain't nobody can't afford it ♪ ♪ chck-a-chck, chck-a-chck ♪ ♪ So you'd better jump on board it ♪ ♪ Gimme that freedom ♪ ♪ chck-a-chck, chck-a-chck ♪ ♪ Gimme that freedom ♪ ♪ chck-a-chck, chck-a-chck ♪ ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ chck-a-chck, chck-a-chck ♪ ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ chck-a-chck, chck-a-chck ♪ <v ->As we listen again,</v> can you identify the sung ostinato now? ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ This old freedom train ♪ Sung all on one note.

Here comes the music again.

Can you spot the song ostinato? (upbeat music) ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ Is such a long time coming ♪ ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ Ain't nobody can't afford it ♪ ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ So you'd better ♪ ♪ Get on board it ♪ ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ Gimme that freedom ♪ ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ Gimme that freedom ♪ ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ Gimme that freedom ♪ ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ This old freedom train ♪ <v ->It's our turn to try all of that now.

</v> Let's start by joining in singing the main melody.

Here's the music.

(upbeat music) ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ chck-a-chck, chck-a-chck ♪ ♪ Is such a long time coming ♪ ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ Ain't nobody can't afford it ♪ ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ So you'd better ♪ ♪ Get aboard it ♪ ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ Gimme that freedom ♪ ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ Gimme that freedom ♪ ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ Gimme that freedom ♪ ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ Chck-a-chck, chck-a-chck ♪ <v ->Now join in with the rhythmic chant ostinato.

</v> The ostinato should be quiet like a train gently rumbling along the tracks, off on its journey.

♪ Chck-a-chck, chck-a-chck, chck-a-chck ♪ Here comes the music.

Join in with the rhythmic chant ostinato.

(upbeat music) ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ Chck-a-chck, chck-a-chck ♪ ♪ Is such a long time coming ♪ ♪ Chck-a-chck, chck-a-chck ♪ ♪ Ain't nobody can't afford it ♪ ♪ Chck-a-chck, chck-a-chck ♪ ♪ So you'd better get aboard it ♪ ♪ Gimme that freedom ♪ ♪ Chck-a-chck, chck-a-chck ♪ ♪ Gimme that freedom ♪ ♪ Chck-a-chck, chck-a-chck ♪ ♪ Gimme that freedom ♪ ♪ Chck-a-chck, chck-a-chck ♪ ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ Chck-a-chck, chck-a-chck ♪ ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ Chck-a-chck, chck-a-chck ♪ <v ->Now join in with the sung ostinato.

</v> It stays on the same note the whole time, and this ostinato should be quiet too.

It's not the main event, it's an accompaniment, so it shouldn't take over the sound of the main melody, ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ This old freedom train ♪ Here comes the music.

Join in with that quiet sung ostinato.

(upbeat music) ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ Is such a long time coming ♪ ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ Ain't nobody can't afford it ♪ ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ So you'd better ♪ ♪ Get aboard it ♪ ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ Gimme that freedom ♪ ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ Gimme that freedom ♪ ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ Gimme that freedom ♪ ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ This old freedom train ♪ <v ->It's time to squeeze in another</v> quick check-in with our learning.

Why do we use a sung ostinato in music? Is it to make the music louder, to add texture, or to keep the song short? Which one of these is the correct answer? Press pause to decide.

Here comes the answer.

It's B, I expect you did remember that.

We can use a sung ostinato in music to add texture.

Let's try putting all of that together.

Using the original backing track can you add the two new accompaniments? To do that, divide into two groups to perform alongside the track.

Group one, you're going to do the rhythmic ostinato, ♪ Chck-a-chck, chck-a-chck ♪ And group two will perform the sung ostinato, ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ This old freedom train ♪ Remember to balance your sound.

Your ostinato should not be as loud as the main melody that you can hear on the track.

Remember to swap groups.

Press pause to try that now.

Get ready and then press play on the original backing track when you are ready.

Once you've mastered that, I've got a really fun extra challenge you might like to try.

Choose an ostinato, either the rhythmic or the sung ostinato, but keep it a secret.

Then play the track, walk around the room chanting or singing your chosen ostinato.

So you might walk around the room chanting, ♪ Chck-a-chck, chck-a-chck ♪ Or you might walk around the room singing ♪ This old freedom train ♪ ♪ This old freedom train ♪ When you hear someone else performing the same ostinato as you give them a high five and then move on.

And you can change your ostinato at any time.

This is a really fun game.

It's great for developing our listening skills too.

Press pause and try that musical challenge if you'd like to, use the backing track to help you.

How did it sound when we sang the two ostinato layers at the same time? What helped you to stay in time throughout, as it is tricky? And which part did you find easier? And I wonder why.

Press pause to share your ideas to answer these questions.

Or you could think about them in your thinking voice.

Hello again.

You might have shared some ideas like this.

Some of our Oak friends thought "It sounded full and busy, like a real train going past." One thing that helped them to stay in time was moving their feet to the beat and listening carefully to each other.

I hope that you did that too.

I'm sure you did.

And some of our Oak friends found the sung ostinato easier as it was the same as the beginning of the song.

I wonder if you thought the same, or perhaps you found the other ostinato easier.

We've come to the end of our lesson together today.

Before we go, let's take a moment to think about everything we've been learning.

We know that feeling the pulse and practicing playing the beat helps us to get ready for making harder music together.

And we know that body percussion can help us control the steady beat.

We know that a song can have more than one ostinato layered to create a thicker texture.

And we've done just that with "This Old Freedom Train." And we know that an ostinato can be chanted, sung, or played.

Thanks so much everyone, I've had a brilliant time and I'm already looking forward to the next lesson.

See you again soon everybody.

Bye-bye.