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Beat and Rhythm Basics
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Beat and Rhythm Basics
A beat is the steady pulse in music. Rhythm is the pattern of long, short and silent sounds that fits over the beat. Read each pattern aloud or clap it gently. In these patterns, CLAP means make a sound and REST means stay silent for one beat.
Find the steady pulse
Use the ideas of steady beat and changing rhythm to solve these.
1.At a kapa haka practice, a group keeps tapping evenly while a singer performs a changing pattern of words. Which part is the beat?
- The evenly spaced taps
- The changing pattern of words
- The loudest word
- The silence after the song
2.Which pattern has four equally spaced sounds and would make the steadiest beat?
- CLAP — CLAP — CLAP — CLAP
- CLAP-CLAP — CLAP — CLAP-CLAP
- CLAP — REST — CLAP-CLAP — REST
3.Fill in the missing word: The beat is usually , while rhythm can change from one pattern to another.
4.True or false? A rest is a moment of silence that still takes up time in a rhythm.
TrueFalse
Build a four-beat pattern
Each box below is one beat. A dash separates two quick sounds within that beat.
CLAP
REST
CLAP-CLAP
CLAP
5.In the rhythm card, which beat is silent?
6.In the rhythm card, how many sounds do you make altogether? Count each CLAP as one sound.
7.Match each way of making body percussion to its sound action.
- Clapping
- Patting
- Stamping
- Tap your knees gently
- Bring your hands together
- Tap one foot on the floor
8.Create a four-beat body-percussion rhythm using CLAP, PAT, STAMP or REST. Write one action for each beat. Include at least one REST.
9.Imagine your group is practising your rhythm. One person plays much faster than everyone else. Explain one way the group could get back in time together.
2 printable pages
Page 1
Page 2
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