Melodic ostinato accompaniments to songs
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can add to the texture of a song by playing a simple melodic ostinato.
Key learning points
- An ostinato can make a tune more memorable.
- A small number of notes can make an effective ostinato.
- Adding an ostinato layer to a piece makes the texture thicker.
- Feeling the steady pulse helps us play our ostinato at the right tempo, and sing and play together as an ensemble.
Keywords
Ostinato - a repeating musical pattern that can be rhythmic or melodic
Texture - the combination of different layers of sounds
Ensemble - a group of people who perform together
Pulse - the regular steady heartbeat of the music
Tempo - how fast or slow the music is played
Common misconception
An ostinato is a rhythm pattern only.
An ostinato can be melodic as well as rhythmic. In pop music they’re often called a ‘riff’ and in electronic music, a ‘loop’. A repeated pattern can add to the texture of a piece of music and help drive it forward.
Teacher tip
The accompaniments to the songs in this lesson are learnt by listening and through practising. Allow plenty of time for pupils to rehearse playing the ostinatos so that they feel confident finding the notes on their instruments.
Equipment
Tuned percussion instruments - one between two.
Licence
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
4 Questions
Q1.An ostinato is ...
Q2.When we show or play the pulse, we are showing or playing the ...
Q3.Adding an ostinato to our songs thickens the ...
Q4.Match these music words to their definitions.
a repeating musical pattern which can be rhythmic or melodic
a short repeated musical idea in pop music
the speed of the music - how fast or slow the music is played
how high or low a note is
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.A group of people who perform together is called an ...
Q2.True or false? An ostinato is a repeating rhythmic pattern.
Q3.Texture is ...
Q4.When we play as an ensemble, which of these things helps us play and sing successfully together?
To help you plan your 3 music lesson on: Melodic ostinato accompaniments to songs, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 3 music lesson on: Melodic ostinato accompaniments to songs, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 music lessons from the Playing together: building texture with melody, drone and ostinato unit, dive into the full primary music curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.