- Year 8
Creating an EDM drum beat
I can create an EDM drum beat and understand what its component parts are.
Copyrighted materials: to view and download resources from this lesson, you’ll need to be in the UK and
- Year 8
Creating an EDM drum beat
I can create an EDM drum beat and understand what its component parts are.
Copyrighted materials: to view and download resources from this lesson, you’ll need to be in the UK and
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- EDM (electronic dance music) is a term used to describe a broad range of genres which all have similar musical features.
- EDM uses electronic instruments, has a strong beat, a fast tempo, 4 beats in a bar and uses repetitive musical ideas.
- Remixes, where a new version of a piece of music is created using music technology, are common in EDM.
- An EDM drum beat typically includes four-on-the-floor kick drum, off-beat hi-hats and snare/clap on the backbeat.
Keywords
EDM (electronic dance music) - EDM (electronic dance music) is a music genre with a strong danceable beat made using synthesisers and drum machines.
Remix - A remix is a new version of a piece of music, usually created using music technology.
Quaver rest - A quaver rest is half a beat of silence.
Off-beat quavers - Off-beat quavers are quavers that plays on the second quaver of each beat.
Four-on-the-floor - A four-on-the-floor drum beat plays the kick drum on each of the four crotchet beats.
Common misconception
The backbeat and off-beat are the same.
The backbeat is on beat 2 and 4 while the off-beat is on the second half of a beat (in between the beats).
To help you plan your year 8 music lesson on: Creating an EDM drum beat, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 8 music lesson on: Creating an EDM drum beat, 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.
Explore more key stage 3 music lessons from the EDM remixing unit, dive into the full secondary music curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Files needed for this lesson
- 8U6 New World Symphony template with melody.band 307.84 KB (ZIP)
- 8U6 melody synth lead 1 346.49 KB (MP3)
- 8U6 melody synth lead 2 332.07 KB (MP3)
- 8U6 melody synth lead 3 215.05 KB (MP3)
- 8U6 melody synth lead 4 384.94 KB (MP3)
- 8U6 melody synth lead 5 380.6 KB (MP3)
- 8U6 melody synth lead 6 270.12 KB (MP3)
Download these files to use in the lesson.
Equipment
A DAW or other suitable compositional tool or instrument
Licence
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