This week I'm kicking off a new series called 'Musical Mondays'. Each Monday we'll tackle a musical concept and I'll be your guide on how to model these ideas for your students. Remember that my #1 goal at Morning Basket Music is to make it easy for anybody to teach music to their kids (I'm looking at you, busy homeschool mom).
Let's begin by tackling this question: How do I teach the difference between beat versus rhythm?
What you'll find in this blog post:
- Explanation of steady beat vs. rhythm
- Demonstration of how you can show the difference to young kids
- Inspiration of new ideas to try in your teaching
What is the difference between beat and rhythm?
Back in college when I began my first student teaching assignment, I had a wonderful mentor who gave this short, simple explanation to her kindergarteners. This is a literal, "Explain to me like I'm five."
The steady beat in music is like your heartbeat; it beats over, and over, and over. Have kids put a hand on their heart to feel that steady pulse inside.
Rhythm is like 'the way the words go'. Elementary age is a great time to teach this concept because kids are usually learning about syllables and will often practice by clapping words to identify how many syllables they hear. Try having them clap their own name to see if they can identify the number of syllables/rhythm sounds.
For example, when I clap my name it sounds like this: Ms. (1 rhythm sound) Leann (2 rhythm sounds).
It can be fun to pick other categories such an animal words and have students count the number of rhythm sounds.
To summarize, a steady beat in music is like your heartbeat. It doesn't change - it keeps pulsing over and over. (And just like in music, it's still there even when we're not aware of it.) Rhythm is different because it changes. Sometimes you may hear one long sound or you may hear two shorter sounds, etc.
How can I demonstrate the steady beat vs. rhythm?
I'm going to demonstrate this idea for you using a simple rhyme:
"One, two, three, four five, once I caught a fish alive.
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten, then I let it go again."
This might feel a little bit like - can you rub your tummy and pat your head at the same time? But no worries! You don't have to show steady beat and rhythm simultaneously. Model each concept one at a time and then get your child/student to join in with you.
Begin the steady beat by pretending like you're in a marching band. March your feet to the beat and then continue while you speak the words of the rhyme above. Remember that the beat is like that pulse you feel in the background.
Now, let's switch it up and practice the rhythm of the words. Repeat the rhyme, "One, two, three, four five..." and make sure to clap your hands every time you speak a new syllable.
What did you notice? Are steady beat and rhythm the same thing? (No.)
Rhythm can change, but steady beat stays the same.
If your kids are ready, then take it up a notch. Make it a game by having one person (parent/teacher) demonstrate the steady beat through marching while the other kid(s) demonstrate the rhythm of the words by clapping syllables. You can also play a fun game where everyone speaks the rhyme together as a group, but at any moment the teacher can say "Switch!" and you have to change between showing steady beat or rhythm.
Top 3 ways to practice steady beat with kids
Keep in mind that it's always a good idea to practice/reinforce steady beat with kids of all ages. Why? Because identifying the beat in a piece of music is a foundational skill. Once a child masters this, it will become much easier for them to develop rhythm skills later on. Here's how you can make it fun!
Percussion Instruments
Drums are a great option for practicing steady beat because we typically associate those with marching to a beat. But remember, a percussion instrument is anything you can tap, shake, or scrape, so use what you've got! Kids can even make steady beat sounds using their bodies as percussion: clap your hands, pat your knees, or march your feet to the beat.
Stuffed Animals
With a younger crowd I like to include stuffed animals to 'jump' or move to the steady beat. I highly recommend using beanie babies if you've got them, because they have some weight to them and it's easier to feel when they bounce.
Bouncy Ball
This is a great idea for identifying beat and working on coordination. Younger kids will benefit by using something like a beach ball or playground ball that's easier to control. Older kids (with better coordination) can be challenged by bouncing a tennis ball to the beat.
When choosing a recording to play, I love to use anything by the American composer John Philip Sousa. He wrote many pieces for marching bands and they all typically have a strong pulse in the background that's easy to identify. You can use just about any favorite music, but make sure that the steady beat is obvious.
Want to find out more about beat versus rhythm, and how to teach it to kids? Check out this YouTube video from Morning Basket Music, and see exactly how I model it.
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