Rhythm and beat
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Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can identify and play the beat or rhythm of a song.
Key learning points
- Sea shanties and working songs have a steady pulse and a rhythm.
- Rhythm is the pattern of notes that we play and sing. A steady beat can help us to play and sing rhythms in time.
- An ostinato is a repeated musical pattern that is played to a strong beat.
- Playing and listening to an ostinato can help us to play and sing in time together.
Keywords
Sea shanty - a traditional folk song sung by sailors to help them work together in time
Pulse - the regular, steady heartbeat of the music
Beat - the playing or showing of the steady pulse, like the ticking of a clock
Rhythm - the pattern of notes that we play and sing
Ostinato - a repeated musical pattern
Common misconception
The ostinato rhythm matches the syllabic rhythm of the words all the way through the song.
Ostinatos are short repeated musical patterns, and so the rhythmic ostinato (taken from a small part of the words) stays the same all the way through.
Teacher tip
When pupils are playing the rhythm (including an ostinato), whisper the words together as you play. Once pupils can play the rhythm accurately, they can try mouthing the words only, before eventually saying them only in their "thinking voices."
Equipment
Drums (enough for half the class to have one each or for a small team of 1-6 pupils), claves (enough for half the class to have one pair each)
Licence
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