Basics of Rhythmic Composition
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Summary
Students will learn to compose a basic 4-bar rhythm, perform it together with a song and perform the composition together!
The timing and pacing of the exercises in this lesson plan example are approximate and will differ depending on your students' skill level. If the pace of this lesson plan is too fast for you, divide it into several lessons. If the pace of this lesson plan is too slow for you, explore the 'Beyond the lesson' chapter at the end of this lesson plan for additional activities.
⏰ Time: 45 min
🎓 Grades: 6-12
🎯 Objective(s): As a result of this lesson, students will be able to...
- Compose a 4-measure rhythm to accompany a given melody and chord progression
💡 Required Prior Knowledge and Skills:
- Knowledge of basic rhythms
💻 Teaching aids:
- Solfeg.io web app best used with Chrome browser
- Projector or computer and access to WIFI
- Handout (optional)
Song suggestions:
Inspiration
🕐 10 min - Explain the song
- Choose one of the songs from the Song Suggestion list.
- Play one part of the song to your students (e.g. Verse, Chorus).
- All the songs have three rhythm lines. Invite your students to choose a rhythm line as they listen. Each rhythm line should be assigned a body percussion. For example:
Rhythm 1 - Clap
Rhythm 2 - Stomp
Rhythm 3 - Pat
- After finishing listening, students complete a quick journal, answering the following prompt: Imagine you are a songwriter:
How would you go about the creative process?
Where would you start first (lyrics, rhythm, melody, etc.)?
What would be the overall feeling or mood of the song?(note: This journal prompt could be applied to future composition lessons.)
- Briefly discuss the responses with your students.
Warm-Up
🕐 15 min - Class Composition
- Remind class about the three rhythm lines and the corresponding groups they just chose.
- Project four empty bars onto the board for each group;
- Tell your students that they will now have to compose a 4-bar rhythm for the part of the song they listened to at the start of the class (e.g. Verse, Chorus). Each group will use a different body percussion to play their rhythm (e.g. Rhythm 1 - clap, Rhythm 2 - pat, Rhythm 3 - stomp).
- If needed, tell students that they may use the rhythm bank to help select rhythms (download handout at the end of this lesson plan).
- Set a timer for 10 minutes and let the students compose!
Practice
🕐 5 min - Listen up!
- Check if all the composed 4-bar rhythms make sense (that there are no extra measures, etc.) If you want, you can include your students in this 'proofreading' activity.
- Then, ask the groups to perform their rhythm one by one. Others should listen and support the remaining students.
- Provide feedback, if necessary!
🕐 5 min - Let's combine!
- Now, ask all the groups to play their rhythm at once.
Tip: Mute all tracks except the metronome track of the song at the Controls section of the song, and press play. It can help the students stay at the same tempo while playing the rhythm.
- Practice playing the 4-bar rhythms multiple times until all teams feel confident with their rhythms.
🕐 5 min - Perform!
- Now, unmute all tracks in the song except the three rhythm tracks (they are depicted as maracas, snare drum and kick drum in the Controls section).
- Go to the section under which the students will play their rhythmic composition (e.g. Verse, Chorus).
- Press play and ask all the groups to play their 4-bar rhythms all at once and repeat until the part of the song (e.g. Verse, Chorus) is over!
- Practice the part multiple times by using the song. Provide feedback, if necessary!
- Perform the part one last time as a final performance and don't forget to applaud for yourselves afterwards!
Reflection
🕐 5 min
Ask your students to evaluate their performance by following these prompts:
- I feel…
- I notice…
- I wonder...
Beyond the Lesson
- Groups could exchange rhythmic compositions and learn a new rhythm as review.
Summary
Mix and match activities to create a fun lesson on the basics of Rhythmic Composition. Integrate solfeg.io in teaching your students to compose basic rhythm patterns in a popular song.
🎲 What’s included in the activities:
- Choosing a song
- Learning the starting steps of rhythmic composition
- Composing a 4-bar rhythm to a popular song
- Performing the composed 4-bar rhythm to a popular song in class
- Combining all the composed rhythms in one cohesive rhythm composition
- Performing the composed rhythm with a popular song in class
💻 Materials:
- Solfeg.io web app best used with Chrome browser
- Projector or computer and access to WIFI
- Rhythm bank (download at the end of this section)
Explain the Song
🕐 Time: 10 min
🎯 Objectives:
- Choose a song
- Learn the starting steps of rhythmic composition
🎶 Recommended Songs:
🎲 Activity:
- Choose one of the songs from the Song Suggestion list.
- Play one part of the song to your students (e.g. Verse, Chorus).
- All the songs have three rhythm lines. Invite your students to choose a rhythm line as they listen. Each rhythm line should be assigned a body percussion. For example:
Rhythm 1 - Clap
Rhythm 2 - Stomp
Rhythm 3 - Pat
- After finishing listening, students complete a quick journal, answering the following prompt: Imagine you are a songwriter:
How would you go about the creative process?
Where would you start first (lyrics, rhythm, melody, etc.)?
What would be the overall feeling or mood of the song?(note: This journal prompt could be applied to future composition lessons.)
- Briefly discuss the responses with your students.
Class Composition
🕐 Time: 15 min
🎯 Objectives:
- Compose a 4-bar rhythm to a popular song
🎶 Recommended Songs:
🎲 Activity:
- Remind class about the three rhythm lines and the corresponding groups they just chose.
- Project four empty bars onto the board for each group;
- Tell your students that they will now have to compose a 4-bar rhythm for the part of the song they listened to at the start of the class (e.g. Verse, Chorus). Each group will use a different body percussion to play their rhythm (e.g. Rhythm 1 - clap, Rhythm 2 - pat, Rhythm 3 - stomp).
- If needed, tell students that they may use the rhythm bank to help select rhythms (download handout at the end of this lesson plan).
- Set a timer for 10 minutes and let the students compose!
Listen Up!
🕐 Time: 5 min
🎯 Objectives:
- Perform the composed 4-bar rhythm to a popular song in class
🎶 Recommended Songs:
🎲 Activity:
- Check if all the composed 4-bar rhythms make sense (that there are no extra measures, etc.) If you want, you can include your students in this 'proofreading' activity.
- Then, ask the groups to perform their rhythm one by one. Others should listen and support the remaining students.
- Provide feedback, if necessary!
Let's Combine!
🕐 Time: 5 min
🎯 Objectives:
- Combine all the composed rhythms in one cohesive rhythm composition
🎶 Recommended Songs:
🎲 Activity:
- Now, ask all the groups to play their rhythm at once.
Tip: Mute all tracks except the metronome track of the song at the Controls section of the song, and press play. It can help the students stay at the same tempo while playing the rhythm.
- Practice playing the 4-bar rhythms multiple times until all teams feel confident with their rhythms.
Perform!
🕐 Time: 5 min
🎯 Objectives:
- Perform the composed rhythm with a popular song in class
🎶 Recommended Songs:
🎲 Activity:
- Now, unmute all tracks in the song except the three rhythm tracks (they are depicted as maracas, snare drum and kick drum in the Controls section).
- Go to the section under which the students will play their rhythmic composition (e.g. Verse, Chorus).
- Press play and ask all the groups to play their 4-bar rhythms all at once and repeat until the part of the song (e.g. Verse, Chorus) is over!
- Practice the part multiple times by using the song. Provide feedback, if necessary!
- Perform the part one last time as a final performance and don't forget to applaud for yourselves afterwards!
Reflection
🕐 Time: 5 min
🎯 Objectives:
- Reflect on students' experience with rhythmic composition
🎲 Activity:
Ask your students to evaluate their performance by following these prompts:
- I feel…
- I notice…
- I wonder...
Beyond the Lesson
🕐 Time: 5 min
🎯 Objectives:
- Solidify students' knowledge of rhythmic composition
🎲 Activity:
- Groups could exchange rhythmic compositions and learn a new rhythm as review.