Rhythm and melody are not the only elements in a successful music composition. The elements of tempo and dynamics contribute to the expressiveness of the work. In this activity, students will use dice to randomly select tempos and dynamic levels for melodies. These melodies can be student-composed or pre-existing. First, tempo speeds and dynamic levels will be assigned to the six numbers on a typical six-side die. Next, the students will roll the die and practice their melody using the selected tempo and dynamic level. They will repeat this process several times and determine which tempo and dynamic level capture the expressive nature of their melody. Students will keep a written log of their attempts and produce musical performances.
This activity was created as a result of the Arts COS Resource Development Summit.