Easy Strategy: Rhythm of the Day

If you’re looking for an engaging way to incorporate rhythm studies into your rehearsals, try Rhythm of the Day!

This is a great way to start rehearsals or as a mid-rehearsal break activity. It can also be used during shortened rehearsals or by subs who can read music but are less comfortable rehearsing ensemble music.

How to play:

• Give students a sheet to keep in their folder and use each week to write their rhythms. Here’s a free one you can download and print!
• At the beginning of the week (or whatever interval works for you), have students compose one exercise as a bell-ringer or break activity.
• Provide rules on your board or projector: # of measures, time signature, values – can get broader with more experienced students. Don’t forget to include rest values for variety!
• Each day, choose a student-written exercise, copy it to the board, and ask the students to play or sing it on a unison pitch.
• Ask the composer or students as a group to help you fill in the counts on the board.
• Count it aloud and clap or snap it together, then play or sing it one more time!

There are lots of great benefits to using this activity! Students compose, utilize rhythmic comprehension, and hold themselves accountable for their rhythmic learning.

Bonus: When you reach the end of the sheet, you can collect the pages and use them as a metric for how well students grasp rhythmic concepts.