21 RHYTHM CARD games!established students improvise a rhythm during the 4 (or 8) beats each time returning to the rondo cards. 21. SCALE RHYTHMS Student chooses 1-2 flashcards and

21 RHYTHM CARD games!

1. WHICH ONE?Teacher places a selection of 4 flashcards on a table and taps/plays the rhythm of one card. Student listens and identifies the card with the correct rhythm pattern.

2. LISTEN, LOOK & LEARNTeacher places 4 flashcards in various places around the room (window, door, chair, table). Teacher taps/plays each card in turn. Student has to move to this card.

3. RHYTHM INGREDIENTSTeacher places 4 flashcards, featuring different rhythm ingredients, on a table. Teacher then plays a scale or phrase from a piece of music that features only two of these rhythm ingredients. Student identifies the two correct flashcards.

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Listening Reading Improvising Memorising Playing Ostinato

Fruit Word RhythmsThe Curious Piano Teachers ©



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4. CASTANETSStudent taps the rhythm of 4 rhythm cards with castanets. To make this game more challenging, create two lines of flashcards for both hands to co-ordinate.

Maybe even use a mix of flashcard levels, as exampled below.

5. GET IN ORDER!Teacher taps the rhythm of 2-4 cards. Student puts the cards in the correct order and taps the rhythm back, counting aloud.

6. ODD & EVENStudent chooses the order of 4-8 flashcards. Then they tap the ODD cards and say the EVEN cards.

This can also be reversed.

7. STEPPING STONESTeacher places floor spots between the studio door to the piano. On each floor spot place a flashcard. Teacher taps/plays the rhythm and student has to find their way across the ‘stepping stones’ in the correct order.

8. KNOCK, KNOCK!Stick a flashcard (or couple of flashcards) on your studio door.

When the student arrives for his/her lesson they need to knock the correct rhythm to enter.


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9. FIND THE FRUITTeacher gives student a flashcard featuring a particular rhythm ingredient.

Student circles every occurrence of this rhythm in their piece using coloured pens. Teacher plays the piece whilst the student reads along and taps every occurrence of this rhythm.

In a group setting, each student can be assigned a different rhythm ingredient. For example, one student finds and taps the semiquavers while another student finds and taps the quavers.

10. ERASER RHYTHMSStudent recreates the flashcard rhythm using coloured plates and erasers (example below).

11. FREE MELODY WITH FIXED RHYTHMStudent taps and counts aloud the rhythm of 2 (or more) flashcards. Then the student will use this rhythm to improvise a melody at the piano, using a specific set of notes. For example, the 3 black keys or the first 5 notes of the D minor scale.

12. BODY RHYTHMSUse different parts of your body to tap a particular rhythm ingredient.

For example, tap shoulder with left index finger for crotchet and tap nose with right index finger for semiquavers.


9. FIND THE FRUIT Teacher gives student a flashcard featuring a particular rhythm ingredient.

Student circles every occurrence of this rhythm in their piece using coloured

pens. Teacher plays the piece whilst the student reads along and taps every

occurrence of this rhythm.

In a group setting, each student can be assigned a different rhythm ingredient.

For example, one student finds and taps the semiquavers while another student

finds and taps the quavers.

10. ERASER RHYTHMS Student recreates the flashcard rhythm using coloured plates and erasers [add

photo illustration]

11. FREE MELODY WITH FIXED RHYTHM Student taps and counts aloud the rhythm of 2 (or more) flashcards. Then the

student will use this rhythm to improvise a melody at the piano, using a specific

set of notes. For example, the 3 black keys, first 5 notes of the D minor scale.

12. BODY RHYTHMS Use different parts of your body to tap a particular rhythm ingredient. For

example, tap shoulder with left index finger for crotchet and tap nose with right

index finger for semiquavers.


















13. DRAGON DANCEBased on Dragon Festival, an improvisation idea in Forrest Kinney’s Create First Duet 1.

Student chooses up to 4 flashcards and uses the rhythms to improvise a dragon dance with you at the piano.

14. ONE BITE AT A TIMETeacher places 4-8 flashcards on a table. Student taps the rhythm and turns over one card. Student taps the rhythm again and turns over another card.

Student will continue until they can tap all cards from memory. Finally, student will write out the rhythm from memory before turning the flashcards back over again to check their written answers.






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15. SPOT THE RHYTHMStudent is shown a flashcard at the beginning of the lesson and memorises the rhythm pattern. Their aim is to see how many times they can spot that rhythm pattern throughout their lesson.

The teacher will need to plan the lesson so that there are multiple places for this rhythm to be found. For example, repertoire, sight reading, theory, aural. Use a point system to record the number of times the student recognises the rhythm visually or aurally.

Give extra points when students spontaneously include it. For example when playing a scale or improvising.





16. TRAIN TICKETSThis is best played with a group of pupils.

Each pupil is given a ‘train ticket’ in the form of a flashcard. They need to memorise the rhythm and keep the flashcard hidden from the others. The teacher is the station master and plays one of the rhythms repeatedly. The pupils that have this rhythm quickly stand up, show the flashcard to the station master and, if it is correct they get on the train, walking their rhythm as they do.

Once the rhythm changes they sit down and the next group stand up. Each rhythm can be played in turn without stopping until they have all been tapped.

17. SECRET CODESimilar to No. 7, floor spots are arranged on the floor each one with a flashcard.

In order to reach the piano, students have to unlock the secret code of each flashcard by tapping the rhythm correctly.

18. TRICKY STUFFStudents choose a flashcard, tapping the rhythm on this card as an ostinato whilst they play something with the other hand. For example, the first 8 bars of a piece of repertoire currently being learnt.

19. CANONStudent chooses 4 flashcards. Teacher and student then tap the rhythms in canon with each other with the 2nd part initially entering after one bar. The entry point can be changed to raise the level of challenge.

20. RHYTHM RONDOOne (or 2) rhythm cards are chosen by the student. The cards are tapped and then 4 (or 8) beats are counted followed by rondo cards. Once this has been securely established students improvise a rhythm during the 4 (or 8) beats each time returning to the rondo cards.

21. SCALE RHYTHMSStudent chooses 1-2 flashcards and plays scales using that rhythm pattern. Students may need to be prepared to adjust the rhythm of the last bar in order to make it fit with the scale ending. Alternatively, the student might maintain the rhythm pattern, playing the final tonic note of the scale repeatedly.


Documents

21 RHYTHM CARD games!established students improvise a rhythm during the 4 (or 8) beats each time returning to the rondo cards. 21. SCALE RHYTHMS Student chooses 1-2 flashcards and