Creating and rehearsing a syncopated performance - building a tight ensemble
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can rehearse effectively to make sure the performance is tight, accurate, and well-prepared.
Key learning points
- Feeling the pulse helps us to play the syncopated rhythms accurately and precisely.
- We can prepare for a performance by thinking about how we will present our music to an audience and being organised.
- We can improve our ensemble skills by rehearsing together focusing accuracy, synchronisation and balance.
Keywords
Rehearsal - a practice session in which a performance is prepared
Pulse - the steady, regular heartbeat of the music
Kuku - a rhythm from Guinea, West Africa, that can be played on two or more drums
Scat singing - a vocal jazz technique where singers improvise melodies and rhythms using wordless syllables instead of lyrics
Common misconception
When preparing for a performance, we should just focus on playing our own part accurately.
When playing and singing in an ensemble, the overall sound is important, we need to make the ensemble as cohesive and synchronised as possible.
Teacher tip
Focus the rehearsal on developing the pupils' ensemble skills; encouraging them to listen carefully to each other to keep in time and balance their parts.
Equipment
Hand drums available to you, djembes, and/or classroom percussion available.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
4 Questions
Q1.Feeling the helps us to play the syncopated rhythms accurately and precisely.
Q2. singing is a vocal jazz technique where singers improvise melodies and rhythms using wordless syllables instead of lyrics.
Q3.Structure is ...
Q4.A group of people who perform together is called an .
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.Which of these are examples of a 'tight' ensemble?
Q2.We can improve our ensemble skills by together, focusing on accuracy, synchronisation and balance.
Q3.What do we mean by 'balancing the sound'?
Q4.What is an offbeat?
To help you plan your 5 music lesson on: Creating and rehearsing a syncopated performance - building a tight ensemble, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 5 music lesson on: Creating and rehearsing a syncopated performance - building a tight ensemble, 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 Singing for performance: syncopation in songs unit, dive into the full primary music curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.