Rocking the Rhythm

Summary

In this lesson, students will explore the possibilities of body percussion and try different percussion instruments. They will improve their sense of rhythm and strengthen their knowledge of rhythm values by learning the rhythm section of a popular song. Students will build their ensemble playing skills and train their personal musical expression, performing the song on a chosen set of percussions.

⏰ Time: 45 min

🎓 Grades: 5-12

🎯 Objective(s): As a result of this lesson students will know and/or be able to...

• Understand different musical elements and building blocks;
• Play a rhythm line of a song on body percussion or simple percussion instruments;
• Play different rhythm lines of a song in a group;
• Reflect on the rhythm played in a song.

💡 Required Prior Knowledge and Skills:

• Basic notation;
• Basic rhythm.

💻 Materials:

• Solfeg.io app best used with Chrome browser
• Projector or computer and access to WIFI
• Simple percussion instruments

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Inspiration

🕐 5 min - Clap & tap!

• Choose one of the suggested songs together with the students.
• Tell a bit about the song and the artist. You can use the facts from the song description.
• Play the song of choice to the class.
• Get the students clapping their hands and tapping their feet right away.
• Divide the class in two groups: one half stomps the eighth notes and the other half claps the quarter notes.

Warm-Up

🕐 10 min - Body percussion

• Divide students in three groups.
• Assign different beat-boxing or body percussion sounds to the groups, for example, stomping feet, snapping fingers, clapping hands, patting thighs etc.
• Choose 2-4 measures in the song to focus on. Using the loop function, repeat a section, then teach and practice the rhythms.
• Remember that you can slow down the playing speed of the song by clicking the (-) symbol at the top of the player, if necessary.
• After students are able to produce the rhythms using sounds from the body, it’s time to move to percussion instruments.

Practice

🕐 15 min - Exercise 1 - Follow the rhythm lines!

• Divide the class into three or four groups - depending on the number of the rhythm lines in the song of choice. From the suggested songs, only 'Somebody That I Used To Know' has four rhythm lines, the other songs have three.
• Make sure to select 'Notation' under the menu 'Tools' - 'Visuals'.
• Each group should have a different set of percussion instruments and a computer to practice their part. If there is only one computer in the classroom learn all the parts together and then assign each of the rhythm lines to the groups.
• Give time for them to practice their rhythm line together focusing on rhythmic accuracy/pulse.
• Remember that the tempo/speed of songs can be adjusted by clicking the (-) symbol at the top of the player, if necessary.
• Now it's the time to start playing together! Layer the rhythm lines - invite one of the groups to start, then add another one and so on - until all the class plays together!
• Once all parts can play together, turn down all rhythm tracks under the menu 'Controls' - 'Volume' and play the song with the rest of the virtual band.

🕐 10 min - Exercise 2 - Perform your part!

• Divide the class in smaller groups with a few students playing each rhythm line - the one they practiced previously.
• Invite each group to select one part of the song, for example, Verse 1, Chorus 1, Verse 2, Chorus 2, Bridge etc.
• Play the entire song, this time each rhythm group only plays their selected part of the song while other students observe.

Reflection

🕐 5 min - Discussion

• Did you hear any differences between the song parts, for example, was the rhythm different in Verse 1 and Chorus 2?
• Why do you think there are rhythmical changes during the song?
• Which percussive sounds, in your opinion, fit the song best - which instrument or which kind of body percussion?
• Did you try a new percussion instrument or find a new body percussion sound today? What was it?

Beyond the Lesson

Challenge students to go beyond the lesson by…

• Trying to combine all three or four rhythm lines when playing alone.
• Learning the rhythm for a new song from the Song library. Don’t have instruments at home? You can always use beat-box, clapping, download a free drum app or make your own drums!

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