Learning about beat
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Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can identify the beat in songs I sing.
Key learning points
- Having a steady sense of pulse is important when we sing and move together.
- When we show the pulse through actions, body percussion, or by playing instruments, we call it the beat.
- Playing the beat on a percussion instrument can help us keep in time as we sing together.
- Using hearts is one way to visualise the beat in a song.
Keywords
Singing voice - the voice we use to create musical sounds that can be a mixture of high sounds and low sounds
Pulse - the regular, steady heartbeat of the music
Beat - the playing or showing of the steady pulse, like the ticking of a clock
Percussion instrument - a device used to make a musical sound which is played by striking, scraping or shaking
Common misconception
The beat and the pulse are the same thing.
The pulse is something we can feel in the music, while the beat is the showing or sounding of the pulse.
Teacher tip
Performing actions on the beat helps pupils feel and internalise the pulse in a fun way. This can be applied to other songs/chants as you are teaching them.
Equipment
A drum, plus another type of percussion instrument such as shakers or guiro with enough for half the class.
Licence
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