Myths about teaching can hold you back
- Year 11
- OCR
Other rhythmic concepts
I can identify key rhythmic concepts, including anacrusis, polyrhythm, cross rhythms and hemiolas.
Copyrighted materials: to view and download resources from this lesson, you’ll need to be in the UK and
- Year 11
- OCR
Other rhythmic concepts
I can identify key rhythmic concepts, including anacrusis, polyrhythm, cross rhythms and hemiolas.
Copyrighted materials: to view and download resources from this lesson, you’ll need to be in the UK and
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.
These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Many melodies use an anacrusis to start before beat one (the downbeat).
- Polyrhythms include multiple rhythms that aren’t closely related playing together, creating a complex rhythmic texture.
- Cross rhythms create the feeling of different pulses playing simultaneously.
- A hemiola is used to create a brief effect of the pulse changing (by playing three notes over two beats or vice versa).
- Diminution and augmentation develop rhythmic ideas by proportionally shortening or lengthening notes.
Keywords
Downbeat - the first beat of a bar, which is usually emphasised
Anacrusis - a melody that begins before the downbeat
Polyrhythm - multiple different rhythms playing at the same time
Cross rhythm - a polyrhythm in which two or more of the rhythms 'conflict' and feel like they have a different pulse
Hemiola - when three notes are played over the duration of two or vice versa, creating the feeling of tempo change
Common misconception
Polyrhythm and cross rhythm are the same thing.
They are related, but not the same. A polyrhythm doesn't necessarily have to create different senses of pulse - it can just have different rhythms playing together. A cross rhythm has to create different senses of pulse at the same time.
To help you plan your year 11 music lesson on: Other rhythmic concepts, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 11 music lesson on: Other rhythmic concepts, 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 4 music lessons from the Understanding metre, rhythm, dynamics and articulation unit, dive into the full secondary music curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
Licence
Sign in to continue
Our content remains 100% free, but to access certain copyrighted materials, you'll need to sign in. This ensures we’re both staying within the rules.
P.S. Signing in also gives you more ways to make the most of Oak like unit downloads!
