Lesson video

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Hello, everyone.

It's Mrs. Steele.

Today's lesson is called Introducing Polyrhythms. And there's lots to do, so let's get started together.

By the end of today's lesson, you will be able to play two contrasting rhythms as part of an ensemble to create a polyrhythm.

Here are our keywords for today, rhythm, the pattern of sounds and silences that we play and sing.

Syncopation, rhythms that emphasize the offbeat.

Polyrhythm, playing two or more conflicting rhythms at the same time.

And ensemble, a group of people that perform together.

But first up, we know how important it is to warm up our bodies, voices, and minds before every music lesson.

This helps make sure that we can sing safely and develops our vocal strength.

Warming up is also a great opportunity to develop many other musical skills too, like singing and playing as part of an ensemble.

Press pause to complete this unit's warm-up cycle so that you're ready for music.

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

They help us to develop our coordination, pulse, singing, and ensemble skills, all in one go.

Let's start with "Four White Horses." And you can choose here, you can listen to the audio or watch the video and join in with the game.

Press pause to decide and press the button that's right for you.

Now, join in with "Senwa Dedende." Here comes the music.

♪ Ready, steady, off we go ♪ (singer singing in foreign language) (singer singing in foreign language) (singer singing in foreign language) <v ->And finally, it's "Lost my Gold Ring."</v> Sing and play the game.

Press pause to get ready, then meet me back here and I'll play the music.

Ready? Here comes the audio.

(upbeat percussive music) ♪ Ready, steady, off we go ♪ ♪ Biddy, biddy, hold on ♪ ♪ Lost my gold ring ♪ ♪ One go to London, come back again ♪ ♪ Biddy, biddy, hold on ♪ ♪ Lost my gold ring ♪ ♪ One go to London, come back again ♪ (upbeat percussive music) ♪ Biddy, biddy, hold on ♪ ♪ Lost my gold ring ♪ ♪ One go to London, come back again ♪ ♪ Biddy, biddy, hold on ♪ ♪ Lost my gold ring ♪ ♪ One go to London, come back again ♪ (upbeat percussive music) <v ->Let's check that we're all ready for music.

</v> Make sure you've got a relaxed singing posture and your voice feels warm and ready to sing.

Let's start by learning "Ning Wendete." Listen to the Kenyan folk song "Ning Wendete." This song is in two-time, strong, weak, strong, weak.

As you listen, clap the offbeat.

That's the weak beat.

Here comes the audio.

(hands clapping) (upbeat percussive music) (singer singing in foreign language) (singer singing in foreign language) (upbeat percussive music) (singer singing in foreign language) (singer singing in foreign language) (upbeat percussive music) <v ->Echo singing is a really useful strategy</v> to help us to learn a song more accurately.

Listen carefully to the song again, this time, echoing each phrase.

Here's the music.

♪ Ready, steady, off we go ♪ (singer singing in foreign language) (singer singing in foreign language) (singer singing in foreign language) (singer singing in foreign language) (singer singing in foreign language) (singer singing in foreign language) (singer singing in foreign language) (singer singing in foreign language) <v ->The first four phrases of the song</v> make use of lots of repeated notes.

So we should articulate these phrases particularly clearly.

Echo each line again, making sure you sing clearly with slightly exaggerated articulation.

Here's the music again, echo.

</v> It has a smooth descending and ascending shape with longer vowel sounds.

Echo each line again.

This time, remember to create a smooth, open, lyrical sound for that final line.

Here comes the music.

♪ Ready, steady, off we go ♪ (singer singing in foreign language) (singer singing in foreign language) (singer singing in foreign language) (singer singing in foreign language) (singer singing in foreign language) (singer singing in foreign language) (singer singing in foreign language) (singer singing in foreign language) <v ->Now, let's sing "Ning Wendete"</v> alongside the performance track as a class ensemble.

Consider your articulation carefully to create a convincing and interesting performance.

And if you're up for a challenge, you can clap on the offbeat, the weak beat, as you sing.

Before I play the music, let's just check in with our singing posture for our performance.

So check that your feet are slightly apart or that your sat neutrally.

Are your hands loose by your sides? No hands behind your backs or clasped in front of you.

And do your shoulders stay down, even when you take a deep breath? And are you watching your conductor? Great, you're ready to sing.

Here comes the music.

Perform as a class ensemble.

(hands clapping) (upbeat percussive music) (singer singing in foreign language) (singer singing in foreign language) (upbeat percussive music) (singer singing in foreign language) (singer singing in foreign language) (upbeat percussive music) <v ->The next section of our lesson</v> is called Introducing polyrhythm.

Here we go.

We can add rhythmic accompaniments to "Ning Wendete" using unpitched percussion instruments like these ones here.

Listen carefully to the song again.

What instruments can you identify and can you identify their rhythms? Here comes the music.

Listen carefully.

(hands clapping) (upbeat percussive music) (singer singing in foreign language) (singer singing in foreign language) (upbeat percussive music) (singer singing in foreign language) (singer singing in foreign language) (upbeat percussive music) <v ->Did you spot the claves?</v> The clave rhythm sounds like this.

One, two, one, two.

(upbeat clave music) One, two, one, two.

One, two, one, two.

This rhythm is only played on the weak beats, giving it a syncopated feel.

This rhythm can also be notated using stick notation, like this.

It's time for a quick check-in with our learning so far.

Which rhythm grid shows this clave rhythm? Press pause to choose your answer together.

Did you spot it? It's C.

Well done if you got that right.

Great understanding.

Now, let's clap or play the clave rhythm, along to the performance track.

You could play it on claves or tap it with two fingers on the palm of your hand, like this.

Here comes the music.

Join in with the clave rhythm.

</v> One, two, one, two.

One, two, one, two.

(upbeat djembe music) One, two, one, two.

One, two, one, two.

This rhythm pattern highlights on beat, offbeat, on beat, creating a syncopated rhythm.

This djembe rhythm can also be notated as stick notation, like this.

Ta-di is separated and shared between the ta before and the ta after, and then the tie joins them together.

Ta-di can be separated like this.

When we join these together, we create a new note, a dotted ta.

A dotted ta is 1 1/2 beats.

So it can be easier to write the djembe rhythm like this instead.

We can't join di and ta here because it crosses the bar line.

It's time to squeeze in another check-in.

Which rhythm grid shows this djembe rhythm? Is it A, B, or C? Press pause to decide your answer together.

Did you spot it? It's B.

Well done if you worked it out.

Great understanding.

Clap or play the djembe rhythm, along to the performance track now.

Here comes the music.

(hands clapping) (upbeat percussive music) (singer singing in foreign language) (singer singing in foreign language) (upbeat percussive music) (singer singing in foreign language) (singer singing in foreign language) (upbeat percussive music) <v ->We can combine rhythms to create a thicker texture.

</v> As an ensemble, we can play different rhythms to create a polyrhythmic accompaniment in "Ning Wendete." And in the word polyrhythm, the poly comes from the Greek, meaning many.

Polyrhythms combine rhythms together that feel like they're from two different songs, creating an overlapped new and exciting rhythm.

Listen to these examples twice.

Each time, try to focus on the particular instrument.

Then, on the second listen, listen to the other instrument and see how the two rhythms work together and against each other.

Here's example 1.

(upbeat bass music) And here comes example 2.

Listen carefully.

(upbeat percussive music) Here, we combine a weak beat rhythm with an on-off-on beat syncopated rhythm, and we create our first polyrhythm.

And now, for a big musical challenge.

Divide into two groups and decide which group will perform each rhythm.

You could use unpitched percussion instruments, like claves or djembes, or you could use body percussion.

Then, play together as an ensemble alongside the performance track, following the steady pulse as you hold your rhythm.

Remember to swap groups.

As you play, try to have open ears and hear how each rhythm works together to create a polyrhythm, rather than blocking out the sound of the other group.

Press pause to try that musical challenge now, alongside the performance track.

I wonder what helped you perform the polyrhythm.

Press pause to have a look at some of these helpful ideas.

I wonder if you did any of them.

You might like to use some of these ideas to try the challenge again to make your performance even more successful.

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

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

We know that different rhythms can be layered and played at the same time, and that this creates polyrhythm.

We know that poly is Greek for many, so polyrhythms means many rhythms. And we know that combining on-beat and offbeat rhythm patterns creates an interesting polyrhythm, just as we did in our musical challenge.

And we know that one way to notate polyrhythms is on a rhythm grid.

Fantastic musical learning, everyone.

I can't wait to see you again soon for another music lesson.

Bye.

I've finished the video