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Rhythmic Game with Eight Notes

25

Category

vocal
rhythmic

Age

12-24

Number of participants

8-12

Duration

approx. 35 min.

Working method

group work

Musical abilities of the trainers

1  2  3  4  5  6

Equipment and instruments
  • optional: percussion instruments
Competences
  • collaboration
  • attention
  • concentration
  • movement coordination
  • sence of rhythm

Rhythmic Game with Eight Notes

A rhythmic game that focuses on concentration
and at the same time develops a sense of rhythm
without being noticed.

AIM

In addition to the participants’ steady beat, this task is suitable for the development of many competencies through improvisation and quick, yet accurate reaction. It helps to develop musical skills and competencies, i.e. sence of rhythm, concentration, patience, and assistance to practising impovisative chamber music.

Description

  1. Participants are standing in a circle and each of them claps a quarter note at a steady beat.
  2. From the participant who halves this period and claps eighth notes, the process reverses and starts to move in the opposite direction.
  3. The participant who makes a mistake is eliminated from the game.
  4. The game ends when only two group members remain.

The tempo can be changed per game to a faster or slower tempo in every turn.

Comments for facilitators

Percussion instruments can be used during the rhythmic games, e.g. drums, percussion eggs, wood maracas, rhythm sticks, bells or castanets.
During the activities be care of the steady beat! The dynamics of the activities can be changeable.

Give me Rhythms!

26

Category

rhythmic

Age

12+

Number of participants

5-12

Duration

approx. 10 min.

Working method

group work

Musical abilities of the trainers

12  3  4  5  6

Competences
  • memory
  • collaboration
  • attention
  • concentration
  • rhythm recognition

Give me Rhythms!

Playful rhythmic exercise, which is a simple musical version
of the well-known word game

AIM

The goal of the game is for the participants to acquire, in a playful way, unnoticed, musical basics and competencies that can serve as the basis of their interest in the future. And it has an extremely strong team-building effect, encouraging cooperation and mutual attention.

Description

Participants sit in a circle and choose a leader who claps a rhythmic formula and passes it to the person sitting next to him/ her.
Everybody in the circle claps it individually. After the rhythm gets back to the leader, he/she will find out and start a new rhythmic formula and send it around.
This way the game becomes a two-part rhythm activity.
The leader can be different in every turn.
The two rhythm patterns ​​can be played in different ways, for example with clapping and flicking.

comments for facilitators

Adapting to the abilities of the group and the opportunities provided by the venue, you can also play with simpler melodies, the main thing is that only the next person in line hears the melody.

1, 2, 3

27

Category

rhythmic

Age

8+

Number of participants

4+

Duration

approx. 10 min.

Working method
  • played in pairs
  • group work
Musical abilities of the trainers

1  2  3  4  5  6

Competences
  • concentration
  • collaboration
  • attention
  • cooperation
  • creativity
  • sence of rhythm

1, 2, 3

1,2,3 is a simple rhythm game, played in pairs.
It can be developed to play in larger groups.

AIM

The aim is to improve the rhythm skills and concentration of participants while also ice breaking & team building.

Description

Choose a partner & stand facing each other
Group leader demos Round 1 – and sets the Rhythm & pace for everyone to follow.

Round 1
Pairs count to 3 repetitively, alternating numbers
a) 1, b) 2, a) 3, b) 1, a) 2, b) 3, a) 1 etc

Round 2
Replace number 1 with a clap.
Again, group leaders set the rhythm and pace.

Round 3
Replace Number 3 with a nod of the head

Round 4
Replace number 2 with a foot stomp

You can continue to replace numbers with different body hits, vocal sounds or movements.

 

Level up!

You can count to 5 instead
You can join 2 pairs together and go round in a circle (square!) with the same exercise.
Participants can run the exercise again and choose their own sounds, body hits, movements etc.

comments for facilitators

Start with slow rhythm and speed up gradually.
Each round, get participants to focus on the rhythm – especially after they have mastered the pattern.

Pass the Rhythm

28

Category

rhythmic

Age

8+

Number of participants

8-30

Duration

approx. 10 min.

Working method

group work

Musical abilities of the trainers

1  2  3  4  5  6

Competences
  • concentration
  • collaboration
  • attention
  • cooperation
  • sence of rhythm

Pass the Rhythm

Team building exercise improving rhythm skills
and concentration.

AIM

The aim is to improve the rhythm skills and concentration of participants.
The game can be adapted for different levels.
The exercise develops the concentration of the participants especially among young people who have difficulty focusing.

Description

Sit in a circle, in chairs preferably.
(Can also be played standing or sitting, with different moves)

The Leader taps their foot to set the time (equal beat), and everyone follows, tapping their foot to keep the time.

The leader sets a very simple rhythm, in keeping with a 4/4 timing ie: Slap, Slap, Clap, …
1) Slap thigh with both hands, 2) Slap thigh with both hands, 3) Clap, 4) (nothing).

Everyone joins in with this rhythm

Once everyone is in time and the time is right, the leader passes a new rhythm:
Clap, Clap, Clap, …

** The leader can look to the right when passing, but it is the person on the right’s responsibility to check their left and take a rhythm when it is being passed **

The leader creates a new rhythm and passes it on;
Slap, Clap, Clap, Clap

The leader creates a new rhythm and passes it on;
Slap, Clap-Clap, Chest hit, Slap.

** The person to the right looks to the left, watches 1 or 2 rounds of the rhythm, then copies it **

** The tempo must be kept throughout **

 

Description

You can create more complex rhythms, sing different part of the body, different timings etc.

Participants can suggest rhythms, including rhythms from their own favourite music or culture. And the leader can change – switch who is leading suggesting different things to do & say. 

comments for facilitators

The exercise could be very useful to young people who have difficulty focusing.
You may need to stop and start again multiple times. This is ok! Bring the participants back to the rhythm every time, remind them to keep the rhythm.

Rhythm Intro Circle

29

Category

vocal
rhythmic

Age

8+

Number of participants

8-30

Duration

approx. 10 min.

Working method

group work

Musical abilities of the trainers

1  2  3  4  5  6

Competences
  • concentration
  • collaboration
  • attention
  • cooperation
  • sence of rhythm

Rhythm Intro Circle

Team building exercise improving rhythm skills
and concentration.

AIM

The aim is to improve the rhythm skills and concentration of participants, and also to get to know each other.
The game can be adapted for different levels.

Description

Sit in a circle, in chairs preferably.
(Can also be played standing or sitting, with different moves)

The Leader taps their foot to set the time, in 4/4 time, and everyone follows, tapping their foot to keep the time.

Round 1
The leader demos a rhythm/movement, and everyone copies
Slap (thigh), Slap (thigh), Hands up, Hands Up

Everyone Copies & joins in

Round 2
Next step – adding your name
“This time, instead of putting your hands up, you say your name! Everyone else, still put your hands up, until it’s your turn to say your name”.

The leader demos and passes it on:
Slap (thigh), Slap (thigh), “Your Name”

This is passed around the circle, until everyone has said their name

Round 3
Next step – your favourite food
“This time, instead of putting your hands up, you say your favourite food! Everyone else, still put your hands up, until it’s your turn to say your name”.

The leader demos and passes it on:
Slap (thigh), Slap (thigh), “Pizza!”

This is passed around the circle, until everyone has said their favourite food.

You can continue, adding in questions – favourite film, favourite musician, thing that scares you, food you hate, etc.

** Always keep the rhythm **
** The person to the right looks to the left, watches 1 or 2 rounds of the rhythm, then copies it **
** The tempo must be kept throughout **

Level up!

You can use more complex rhythms, using different part of the body, different timings etc..

You can replace the slaps etc with words that fit the Rhythm, ie:
I like Pi – zza
Cheese Bur-ger with Ba-con
etc…

Participants can suggest rhythms, including rhythms from their own favourite music or culture.
And the leader can change – switch who is leading suggesting different things to do & say.

comments for facilitators

This is anything from a short intro/icebreaker, to a full session creating a piece of music. This all depends on the group and the facilitators.