Lesson video

Hello, everyone.

It's me again, Mrs. Steele, and I'm ready to guide you through another music lesson today.

Today's music lesson is called "Creating Polyrhythms." By the end of today's lesson, you will be able to combine rhythms to create a polyrhythm that can accompany a song.

Here are the keywords that will be important in our learning today.

Ensemble: a group of people who perform together.

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

Accompaniment: a musical part that supports the main melody.

Rhythm: the pattern of sounds and silences that we play and sing.

And finally, polyrhythm: playing two or more conflicting rhythms at the same time.

But first, we know how important it is to warm up our voices, our minds, and our bodies before every single music lesson because we know that that helps us to develop our vocal strength, helps make sure we can sing safely and prevent injury, and it's a great opportunity to practice our other musical skills too.

Plus, it's fun.

Press pause to complete this unit's warmup cycle so that you are ready for music.

These songs and singing games will help us to warm up further.

They help develop our coordination, pulse, singing, and ensemble skills.

First up, join in with "Bate Bate Chocolate." Here it comes.

(upbeat percussive music) ♪ Uno dos tres ♪ ♪ CHO ♪ ♪ Uno dos tres ♪ ♪ CO ♪ ♪ Uno dos tres ♪ ♪ LA ♪ ♪ Uno dos tres ♪ ♪ TE ♪ ♪ Bate bate chocolate ♪ ♪ Uno dos tres ♪ ♪ CHO ♪ ♪ Uno dos tres ♪ ♪ CO ♪ ♪ Uno dos tres ♪ ♪ LA ♪ ♪ Uno dos tres ♪ ♪ TE ♪ ♪ Bate bate chocolate ♪ ♪ Uno dos tres ♪ ♪ CHO ♪ ♪ Uno dos tres ♪ ♪ CO ♪ ♪ Uno dos tres ♪ ♪ LA ♪ ♪ Uno dos tres ♪ ♪ TE ♪ ♪ Bate bate chocolate ♪ ♪ Uno dos tres ♪ ♪ CHO ♪ ♪ Uno dos tres ♪ ♪ CO ♪ ♪ Uno dos tres ♪ ♪ LA ♪ ♪ Uno dos tres ♪ ♪ TE ♪ ♪ Bate bate chocolate ♪ <v ->And now here's the music for "Grow Banana."</v> Join in.

♪ Ready, steady, off we go ♪ ♪ Grow bananas, grow, grow bananas ♪ ♪ Peel bananas, peel, peel bananas ♪ ♪ Slice bananas, slice, slice bananas ♪ ♪ Eat bananas, eat, eat bananas ♪ ♪ Go bananas, go, go bananas ♪ (upbeat percussive music) ♪ Sleep bananas, sleep, sleep bananas ♪ ♪ Shh ♪ <v ->And finally, try "Senwa De Dende"</v> with an ostinato accompaniment.

Here comes the music.

♪ Ready, steady, off we go ♪ ♪ Senwa dedende ♪ ♪ Senwa ♪ ♪ Senwa dedende ♪ ♪ Senwa ♪ ♪ Senwa dedende ♪ ♪ Senwa dedende ♪ ♪ Senwa dedende ♪ ♪ Senwa ♪ ♪ Senwa dedende ♪ ♪ Senwa ♪ ♪ Senwa dedende ♪ ♪ Senwa ♪ ♪ Senwa dedende ♪ ♪ Senwa dedende ♪ ♪ Senwa dedende ♪ ♪ Senwa ♪ ♪ Senwa dedende ♪ ♪ Senwa ♪ ♪ Senwa dedende ♪ ♪ Senwa ♪ ♪ Senwa dedende ♪ ♪ Senwa dedende ♪ ♪ Senwa dedende ♪ ♪ Senwa ♪ <v ->Just double-check that you are ready for music.

</v> Have you got a relaxed singing posture, and is your voice warm and ready to sing? Great.

Let's start.

We're going to begin by learning about being part of an ensemble.

This is an orchestra, which is a type of large ensemble.

To play successfully, the orchestra will practice their parts, follow the conductor, feel the pulse, and watch, listen, and respond to the musicians around them.

And this is the Kingdom Choir.

A choir is a type of ensemble, a group of singers performing together.

Just like the orchestra, the choir will rehearse together to develop their ensemble skills.

They might also move in time to the music to help them keep in time and to feel the emotion.

Singing games can help us to learn to be in an ensemble, too.

Singing and playing "Four White Horses" can help us develop our coordination, pulse, singing, and our ensemble skills, too.

It can also help us to learn how to work as part of a team and to solve problems together.

Let's sing and play "Four White Horses" in groups of four.

As you practice as an ensemble, you'll need to consider who counts you in, what tempo to play at, who will raise or lower their hands first so you don't get caught in a big jumble in the middle, and which direction you need to turn.

Watch the video to see how this all works, then press pause to try it in your groups of four.

Here comes the video.

♪ Ready, steady, off we go ♪ ♪ Four white horses on the river ♪ ♪ Hey, hey, hey, up tomorrow ♪ ♪ Up tomorrow is a rainy day ♪ ♪ Come on and join our shadow play ♪ ♪ Shadow play is a ripe banana ♪ ♪ Hey, hey, hey, up tomorrow ♪ ♪ Up tomorrow is a rainy day ♪ <v ->Our ensemble can combine singing, body percussion,</v> and instruments.

We can sing the melody, feel the pulse, and hold the beat by clapping on the offbeat, and we can play a rhythmic ostinato on unpitched percussion as an accompaniment, too.

Let's try that in "To Stop the Train." Decide how best to divide your ensemble, and some of you sing the melody and clap on the offbeat, and have a group performing the rhythmic ostinato as you sing.

Press pause to organize yourselves into your groups, then meet me back here, and I'll play the music.

You ready? Here comes the music for "To Stop the Train." (lively percussive music) ♪ 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 ->Let's discuss in your groups: what are the benefits,</v> the good things, of being part of an ensemble? Consider musical benefits and any other possible reasons you can think of.

Press pause to discuss that together with your group.

What ideas did you share? Here are some of our Oak friends' ideas.

You might want to press pause to look at these ideas together.

Were your ideas similar or different? Singing in a round is a great way to develop ensemble skills, and we know that "To Stop the Train" can be performed as a round.

Firstly, divide into two groups and sing in a two-part round.

You could use the audio button to do this, or you could watch the video and join in with that.

Press pause to perform "To Stop the Train" as a two-part round, choosing the video or the audio button.

Let's make it trickier and divide into four groups and sing it as a four-part round.

Now watch the video to see how that works, then press pause to try it where you are.

And when it's your turn to sing in a four-part round, you could press play on the video again to join in with that, or you could use the audio button.

Watch the video first, then press pause to perform it where you are as a four-part round.

♪ 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 ♪ ♪ To stop the train ♪ ♪ Pull down the chain ♪ ♪ In cases of emergency ♪ ♪ Pull down the chain ♪ ♪ In cases of emergency ♪ ♪ Pull down the chain ♪ ♪ Penalty for improper use ♪ ♪ Five pounds ♪ ♪ Penalty for improper use ♪ ♪ Five pounds ♪ <v ->I have another question for us to think about.

</v> What advice might you give to an ensemble that wants to sing a four-part round successfully? Press pause to share your ideas.

Hello again.

You might have suggested that they practice with a conductor and learn their signals.

Maybe you thought they should tap their foot gently and feel the pulse, or sing with a balanced sound so you can hear all parts working together.

Well done if you said that one; that's an important ensemble skill.

And maybe you suggested that they try to enjoy hearing all the parts and have open ears.

Don't block out the sound of the other groups.

Well done if you suggested any of those things, and perhaps you had some other great ideas too.

Let's move on to learn about polyrhythms accompanying a song.

Our developing ensemble skills will help us to perform "Ning Wendete" together.

We are going to have a lot of layers.

We're going to create quite a thick texture.

We'll have the song melody, the clave weak-beat rhythm, the djembe syncopated rhythm, and the shaker weak-beat rhythm all working together.

But you might wish to add even more layers, for example, body percussion on the beat.

We'll start off by reminding ourselves of the clave rhythm.

Listen carefully.

♪ One, two, one, two ♪ ♪ One, two, one, two ♪ (sticks tapping) ♪ One, two, one, two ♪ ♪ One, two, one, two ♪ ♪ One, two, one, two ♪ ♪ One, two, one, two ♪ ♪ One, two, one, two ♪ ♪ One, two, one, two ♪ ♪ One, two, one, two ♪ <v ->Now, using body percussion,</v> can you perform the clave rhythm whilst singing? A good body percussion for claves is to tap two fingers on the palm of your hand like this, but you could choose something else.

Here comes the music.

Join in with the clave rhythm.

(hands clapping) (light percussive music) ♪ Gwendete, dunyendete, niun duki ♪ ♪ Gwendete, dunyendete, niun duki ♪ ♪ Ning wendete, dunyendete, niun duki ♪ ♪ In gwendete ♪ ♪ Dunyendete, niun duki ♪ ♪ Akorodunyenda ♪ ♪ Niwega unjereh ♪ ♪ Akorodunyenda ♪ ♪ Niwega unjereh ♪ ♪ Gwendete, dunyendete, niun duki ♪ ♪ Gwendete, dunyendete, niun duki ♪ ♪ Ning wendete, dunyendete, niun duki ♪ ♪ In gwendete ♪ ♪ Dunyendete, niun duki ♪ ♪ Akorodunyenda ♪ ♪ Niwega unjereh ♪ ♪ Akorodunyenda ♪ ♪ Niwega unjereh ♪ <v ->Now, let's remind ourselves of that djembe rhythm.

</v> Here it is.

♪ One, two, one, two ♪ ♪ One, two, one, two ♪ (drum tapping) ♪ One, two, one, two ♪ ♪ One, two, one, two ♪ ♪ One, two, one, two ♪ ♪ One, two, one, two ♪ ♪ One, two, one, two ♪ ♪ One, two, one, two ♪ ♪ One, two, one, two ♪ <v ->Let's play that djembe rhythm now.

</v> Using body percussion, perform it whilst you sing.

Here comes the music.

Try the djembe rhythm.

(hands clapping) (light percussive music) ♪ Gwendete, dunyendete, niun duki ♪ ♪ Gwendete, dunyendete, niun duki ♪ ♪ Ning wendete, dunyendete, niun duki ♪ ♪ In gwendete ♪ ♪ Dunyendete, niun duki ♪ ♪ Akorodunyenda ♪ ♪ Niwega unjereh ♪ ♪ Akorodunyenda ♪ ♪ Niwega unjereh ♪ ♪ Gwendete, dunyendete, niun duki ♪ ♪ Gwendete, dunyendete, niun duki ♪ ♪ Ning wendete, dunyendete, niun duki ♪ ♪ In gwendete ♪ ♪ Dunyendete, niun duki ♪ ♪ Akorodunyenda ♪ ♪ Niwega unjereh ♪ ♪ Akorodunyenda ♪ ♪ Niwega unjereh ♪ <v ->And now let's remember the shaker rhythm.

</v> Here it comes.

♪ One, two, one, two ♪ ♪ One, two, one, two ♪ (shaker rattling) ♪ One, two, one, two ♪ ♪ One, two, one, two ♪ ♪ One, two, one, two ♪ ♪ One, two, one, two ♪ ♪ One, two, one, two ♪ ♪ One, two, one, two ♪ ♪ One, two, one, two ♪ <v ->Let's play the shaker rhythm whilst singing this time.

</v> Use body percussion.

Here comes the music again.

Play the shaker rhythm.

(hands clapping) (light percussive music) ♪ Gwendete, dunyendete, niun duki ♪ ♪ Gwendete, dunyendete, niun duki ♪ ♪ Ning wendete, dunyendete, niun duki ♪ ♪ In gwendete ♪ ♪ Dunyendete, niun duki ♪ ♪ Akorodunyenda ♪ ♪ Niwega unjereh ♪ ♪ Akorodunyenda ♪ ♪ Niwega unjereh ♪ ♪ Gwendete, dunyendete, niun duki ♪ ♪ Gwendete, dunyendete, niun duki ♪ ♪ Ning wendete, dunyendete, niun duki ♪ ♪ In gwendete ♪ ♪ Dunyendete, niun duki ♪ ♪ Akorodunyenda ♪ ♪ Niwega unjereh ♪ ♪ Akorodunyenda ♪ ♪ Niwega unjereh ♪ <v ->After you've rehearsed each layer,</v> decide how to divide your ensemble into groups.

I wonder which part you'd like to perform and why.

If there are any of the layers that you think could use a little more practice, now's the time to press pause and try them again together where you are.

Then meet me back here when you are ready to go on.

Great.

Now that you are ready, we are going to perform "Ning Wendete" with your polyrhythm, rhythmic ostinato accompaniment.

You might like to record or video your performance so that you can evaluate this and build on it for our next lesson.

I'll show you the slide that you'll need to complete this musical challenge.

Here it is.

Now press pause to perform "Ning Wendete" as a class ensemble in your different groups.

Use the audio track to help you.

Good luck! If you've recorded your performance, listen and watch it back.

Check that you are singing clearly, with articulation and a smooth final phrase.

Is there a balance of sound between the accompaniment and your singing? And is each rhythm performed accurately and clearly? And perhaps most importantly, does the performance have a clear sense of pulse? Press pause to watch or listen to your performance.

We've reached the end of our lesson together today, but before I go, let's take a moment to think about everything we've been learning.

We know that ensembles need to rehearse together to be able to perform together successfully, and we know that playing in an ensemble is an excellent way to develop our musical skills.

We know that polyrhythms can be used to accompany a song and that we need to balance our sound when performing in an ensemble.

Great work, musicians, fantastic singing and playing in an ensemble.

I'm looking forward to seeing you soon for another music lesson.

Bye, everyone!.