IllinoisMusicEducationConference
January2016
Sponsoredby:
Meter Magic
JayBroeker,presenter
Themusicalconceptofmetercanbe“defined”quitesimplybydrawingbarlinesandcountingthe
notatedbeatsofrhythmineachmeasure.Yetmoststudentsrequireconsiderableexperienceovertime
todevelopfluencyperformingandidentifyingmusicalmeter.Perceivingmeter(asdefinedinmany
Westernmusicaltraditions)requiresanunderstandingandintegrationofthefollowingcomponents:
crusisand beatgroupings characteristic
rhythms
anacrusis beatdivisions
Thissessionprovidesmodelsforexperiencesthatinvitestudentstoexploreeachofthesecomponents
separatelyandincombination.
Forthepurposeofthesenotes:
T.=teacher;S.orSs.=studentorstudents;ID=identify;UPP=unpitchedpercussion:BI=barredinstruments
Early meter exploration – enactive experience only
SuchaClappin’ofHands(SuchaGetting’Upstairs)
• duplemetergestures:beatsingroupsoftwo
TmodelsPPClClostinatoto
accompanysinging,Ssjoinby
imitation.
Duringinterludephrase,Tgreets
individualStoclapwith;as
able,individualSsselect
partnertoclapwith.
Zudio
• 2/4gestures:alternating2-beatgesture;alternatingcrusis(weight)andanacrusis(lift)
Studentssingandplaygame,partnersfacingeachotherinlongwaysset.
Motions:
“HerewegoZudio” -crossovertwo-handholdwithpartner,“saw”
armstobeat
“StepbackSally”
-alternatebackwardchug(bothfeet)with
handclap/kneebend
“Walkin’downthealley”
-headcouple“dances”downalleyinanystyle
ToMarket
• 6/8gestures:skippingrhythm(skip/gallop/sideslide)
WhileSschantrhyme,aSbeginsatonelocation,skipstoanotherbyendofphrase(“pig”),andbacktooriginal
locationon“jig”;continuewithpartners,oneskipsforverseone,2ndforverse2,bothforverse3.
Variation:OneSskips“tomarket”andtagsanotherSwhothenskipshome,tagsthenext,etc.
Other6/8Materials: SallyGoRoundtheSunLoobyLoo Unlessotherwisecited,allarrangementsofpre-existingmaterialsarebyJayBroekerandare©2016.PermissionisgrantedtoIMEAsessionparticipants
foruseofthesematerialsintheirclassroomteachingsituation.Anyotheruseorduplicationofthesematerialsisprohibited.
IMEAConference,MeterMagic,p.2,JBroeker–Jan2016
Questionsabouttoday’sworkshop?
ContactJayat:[email protected]
Yo,Mamana,Yo
• 3/4gesture:rockingtocrusis/anacrusis
FoundinRoots&Branches,J.Cook-Tucker,P.ShehanCampbell,E.McCulloughBrabson,WorldMusicPress,1995.
Tsingslullabye,studentsswaytometricaccenttomeasurepulse:123123
FwdBackFwdBack
ToRubbletum
• 3/4gestures:stepcrusis
Set-up:Cardsonfloormarkingclockhours.
ClasssingssongwhilecirclingoneSseatedinmiddle,steppingonmetricaccent.Atendofsong,Sincenter
responds:“___o–clock.”
mrd
Sclosesttothattimecomestomiddlefornextround.(Ifa“tie,”SinmiddlesilentlypointstooneS.)
Contrasting Duple and Triple Meter (Grouping macrobeats)
Sswalkormovetoneutraldrumbeat,addorchangecharacterofgestureasTaddsmetricaccents.
Stopandclap(orwalk)withthe#ofSsasthereareineachbeatgroup.
ExploreBPpatternsfromboard,usingdifferentBPforeachsymbol:
XOXOXO
OOOO
XOXOOXOOXX
Withpartner/group,createBPaccompanimentthatfitseachpicture,sharewithclass.ClassID’seachgroups
patternanddescribestheirsolution.
CoffeeGrows
Singsongandplaygamebyrote;IDwhich
meterpatternfromscreenfeelsbestwith
2ndhalf,then1sthalfofsong.Labelduple&
triplemeter.
TonMoulin
Tpresentsonemeasureofrhythmicnotationof
eachostinato,SsvisuallyIDas2-or3-beat
motive/dupletriplemeter.
Groupostinatibymeter,performwith
appropriateBP.
Presentnotationforeachpart,transfertoBI.
RhythmicSpeech/MeterExploration
SsperformmeterpatternsfromscreenusingBP,speakrhymeinrhythmtofitmeter
pattern;repeat,TinvitesSstospeakdifferentlythanneighbor.
GroupsofSsselectrhymeandmeterpattern,createBPaccompanimentandrhythmic
speechtofit;transfertoUPPasdesired(onetimbreforrhythmicphrase,oneormore
formetricpattern.
Gotobedlate,
Growverysmall,
Gotobedearly,
Growverytall.
Contrasting Simple and Compound Meter (microbeat divisions)
LouPripet
Exploreaxial/locomotormovementtoidentifybeat&two-partform(AB);IDwhichsectionfeelsmostlikesection&
sectionBasdescribedabove;characterizeA=skip,gallop,slideandB=walk,tip-toe,kick;improvisedancein
groups,onesectionselfspace,
oneinsharedspace.
IdentifythatA&Barebothinduple
meter,beatsingroupsoftwo,
tempostaysthesame.
EarlyToBed
Speakrhymeandpatbeat,identifyfeelinglikeAsectionof“LouPripet”;identifyduplemeter,performbeatwith2levelbodypercussion;performrhythmwithpat/clapintwolevels:PPPClPPPCl
IDthreesoundsperbeat,characterizeasthreeevensounds(nottdmortkd)
Labelas3evensoundsastakidaandmeterascompoundduple(contrastwithsimpledupleastadi)
Identifyeefillsspaceofq ,eee fillsspaceofq .
Speak/claprhythmforAsection,transfertohanddrumsasdesired;CreateBsection:
Ssechoorreadpatterns: eee q. q. q. / q. eee q. q. / q. q. eee q. / q. q. q. eee
Ssimprovise4-beatpatternsusingonlyoneeee ;thenusingtwoeee;thenthreeeee
Earlytobed,
Earlytorise,
Makesusallhealthy
Andwealthyandwise.
thenusingfoureee eee eee eee
practiceasfourconsecutivephrases,performasinterludebetweenrepetitionsofrhymetext:ABA
OtherFavorite6/8Materials:
RisseldyRosseldy
ToWorkUpontheRailway HaulAwayJoe
Tranquillo,MFCI,p.106#20 Giocoso,MFCII,p.11#7Tranquillo,MFCII,p.15,#4
Exploring Uneven Meters
WhereAreYouGoing?[basedonMFC.V,p.82,#70]
5/4sectionaccomp:
5/8melody:
Speakonesyllableperbeat,orchestrateasUPPostinato:
Wheredidtheygo?Ican’tfind’em!
Whereareyougoing?
Wheredidtheygo?NowI’mlost!
Whatareyoudoing? Transfertoxylophonemelody:
Fillinblanks,transfertoHDrumimprovisation:
ABCD CBCB
First,I’mgoing____________
ABCD
CBA
Second,I’mgoing______________
Third,I’mgoing____________
Then,I’mgoinghome.
Finally:
Transfer“First,I’m...“phrasestoxylophoneimprovisationbranchingoutfromE;returnto“Wheredidthey
go?”asAsection.
Transfer“Whereareyougoing?”phrasestoAsectionaccomp.:AGFEE AGFEA-Havefun!