Many people find the hardest part of composing music is getting started. This lesson will describe an engaging activity where students will use a die to select the rhythmic values of their next musical composition. First, rhythmic values of notes/rests are assigned to the six numbers of a typical six-sided die. Next, the students will access a virtual die (or use a real one) and roll it. Then, they will draw the note/rest value on staff paper (or use digital notation software) using standard notation. The student or teacher will then decide on a time signature and the student will add bar lines to the string of note/rest values. Finally, the student will perform the rhythm on an instrument (musical instrument or body percussion).
This activity was created as a result of the Arts COS Resource Development Summit.
Many people find the hardest part of composing music is getting started. This lesson will describe an engaging activity where students will use dice to select the notes of a melody for their next musical composition. First, the teacher assigns the letter names of a pentatonic scale to the six numbers of a typical six-sided die (the sixth pitch should be the octave above the first pitch). Next, the students will access a virtual die (or use a real one) and roll it. Then, they will draw the corresponding pitch on staff paper (or use digital notation software) using standard notation. Finally, the student will perform the melody on any available instrument (including singing).
This lesson can be used on its own or build upon the lesson titled Composing with Dice - Rhythm.
