Key Stage 3 Music - African Music
Lesson 9 - Practical theory - rhythm and notation
Lesson Objectives
- To understand note values and notation in music
- Learn how note values are used to write rhythms
- To apply our understanding by learning a notated drumming piece.
Task 1
Throughout this unit, all students have been using a variety of musical devices to create exciting drumming pieces. However, at the centre of it all has been the key word - RHYTHM.
In African Drumming music, rhythms aren't written down and everything is learnt by ear. However, musicians aim to use traditional notation to write down rhythms and melodies to create and share their own pieces of music. We are going to be learning about note values first before getting the drums!
Task 2
Now you understand a little more about note values, lets try and create our very own rhythms that add up to 4 beats in a bar. Your teacher will notate them on the whiteboard for you. Once you have created 4 bars, we will have a go at clapping through the rhythm.
Extension: Can you challenge yourself further and extend it to 8 bars long?
Task 3
In your groups, you are going to work out the rhythms of a drumming piece that has been written down.
Your teacher will go through how to work out some of the rhythms with you. You then have the rest of this lesson and next lesson to work out the rest and extend it further before performing what you have done!