01-UNIT

(exploring musical conventions) **Music Year 8 **  This unit develops pupils’ ability to recognise, perform and create African dance music with an understanding of musical conventions and processes, //eg the use of mnemonics.// In this unit pupils learn about Gota dance music, and explore musical conventions. They apply and develop rhythmic skills and the ability to play in an ensemble. This unit is expected to take 5–14 hours. This unit builds on the activities described in unit 4 ‘Musical cycles’ and leads to unit 12 ‘Bhajan/qawwali’. It provides experience of music from Africa and will extend understanding of different cultures. **At the end of this unit** It is helpful if pupils have: • identified a regular pulse • listened and moved to cyclic patterns in African and other music • developed skills through the activities described in previous units, especially unit 4 ‘Musical cycles’  Through the activities in this unit pupils will be able to understand, use and spell correctly words relating to: • sounds and devices, //eg ostinato, cyclic patterns, strong beat, weak beat,// //tempo// • processes, //eg using mnemonics, rhythms, melodic material, roles of performers// • context, //eg when and where African dance music is performed//
 * Unit 9 Music for dance **
 * About the unit**
 * Where the unit fits in**
 * Expectations**
 * most pupils will:** identify rhythmic patterns; play a part in an instrumental ensemble together with other members of their class, with confidence and independence; analyse and compare different musical examples
 * some pupils will not have made so much progress and will:** work in groups, putting together their version of dance music, but may need help in performing their own part
 * some pupils will have progressed further and will:** play more complex parts and take the lead in helping and directing others
 * Prior learning**
 * Language for learning**

Reading – through the activities pupils could: • undertake independent research using knowledge of how texts, databases, etc are organised and of appropriate reading strategies Resources include: • stimulus: music • sound sources: African and classroom instruments • music: Gota Pupils could go on to: • make up their own versions of African drum ensemble music • learn some African songs and create rhythmic accompaniments • use MIDI sequencing (ostinati and musical cycles) to prepare their own versions of other African instrumental ensemble pieces • make use of the design and technology departments by designing their own versions of musical instruments, particularly percussion instruments • create rhythmic patterns using the Gota patterns as a model Learning could be enriched through: • attending concerts in and out of school • attending workshops on African music and dance • listening to other examples of music and locating the pulse • seeking opportunities to engage with UK-based artists of different stylistic approaches who embrace other cultural influences and styles • exploring how rhythm can embody social and cultural meanings, //eg discussing issues with musicians who perform African, Asian and Latin-based music and dance// 
 * Resources**
 * Future learning**
 * Enrichment**

• about the musical conventions used in African dance music || • Play examples of African dance music and set the task for the class – to learn about some African genres and explore the conventions used within them. • Tell the class how master drummers take many years to perfect the playing of rhythmic patterns. || • identify some conventions used in African dance music || • Set the scene by explaining when and where music from the selected genre(s) tends to be performed. • Make connections to the use of cyclic patterns explored in unit 4 ‘Musical cycles’. || • how rhythmic patterns can be built over a pulse || • Play an excerpt from one of the examples and locate the different pulses, //eg slow and fast pulses which occur at the same time//. Ask pupils to do the following exercises as a class: – stand and mark time, eg 1–2–3–4, slowly. – marking time, say numbers again adding ‘and’ between numbers, eg 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and ... – remove the ‘and’ between 1 and 2, ie 1 – 2 and 3 and 4 and ... – clap every time they say ‘and’ • Get the class to sit and practise playing this pattern using hands on knees. • Make the strong hand play the numbers and the weak hand the ‘ands’. • Try using the strong hand on both knees (as if using two drums), keeping the weak hand on the same knee. || • identify different speeds of pulse within the same music • perform rhythmically using both hands || • A circle formation is helpful for most of the exercises. Help the pupils to internalise, //eg feel the pulse,// without needing to count out loud. • Start slowly as some pupils may find this difficult at first. • Encourage the class to move to the pulse. || • about the use of different timbres || • Explore the use of different surfaces for the strong hand, //eg table, floor, knee, chest,// and listen to the sound pattern that is created, still using ‘1 – 2 and 3 and 4 and’. • Select some pupils to play given drums and demonstrate how the strong hand can use two different drums. • Ask the class to explore other patterns using two hands and share these as a class. • Taking one instrument, remind the class how open and closed sounds can be made on the same instrument, //eg triangle played normally (open); triangle held by the hand, so that the sound is dull and short (closed).// • Ask the class to transfer their patterns to an instrument. Listen to selected pupils and discuss the way the rhythmic pattern has been made. || • create and perform rhythmic patterns || • This activity will provide opportunities for a wide range of responses. Some pupils will need to develop their skills by playing a single sound on one instrument. Others may be able to use two sounds. • A few pupils may be able to use two hands and two different sounds using the strong hand. || • about the use of mnemonics || • Talk about how open and closed sounds are different. //Do they have different pitches or just different timbres?// • Explain how these different sounds are described and notated through mnemonics and that master drummers will learn how to play the drums through constant verbalisation of the sounds. • Introduce a number of mnemonics, //eg ti (tea), pe (pay), tsa (chah), ga (gah), ki (key), di (like the letter ‘d’), gi (ghee) and dza (jar).// • Let the class explore these and find sounds that would match them closely. Ask the class to create a rhythmic pattern over eight pulses and to notate these using mnemonics. || • perform from mnemonics || • The use of mnemonics is a key feature of African dance music. • Music in these genres is seen as belonging to the oral tradition, where sounds are verbalised. • Explain the use of mnemonics as a form of notating music. Highlight the fact that they are used in a variety of music: sargam (sa, re, ga, ma, pa, dha, ni), an equivalent of the sol-fa system (d, r, m, f, s, l, t), and bols for tabla (such as dha, dhin, na, te, etc), and so on. || • about how Gota patterns use mnemonics as a means to help performers || • Introduce a specific genre, //eg Gota music//, and teach the class the different parts. • Use wooden agogo, drums, tuned and untuned percussion instruments – with two hands, either on the same instrument or on two instruments. • Teach pupils to perform Gota by using the following mnemonics: • Let the class recite the parts together after learning them. In smaller groups of five or six, let them perform the mnemonics without instruments, //eg by using their voices and/or parts of their bodies – stamping, clapping, clicking fingers, etc.// In the same groups, let them play the mnemonics on instruments. || • use mnemonics as support for performing rhythmic and timbral patterns || • When the class has heard all parts, select appropriate pupils to take the more demanding parts, //eg drums 1, 2 and 4.// • Not all pupils may be able to play the pattern at its proper tempo of 120+ beats per minute. A good tempo to aim for is 100 beats per minute. • Drum 4 is the master drum. The master drummer must play an opening signal and a closing signal as well as his/her selected patterns. Two suggested patterns to work with are (a) Dza dza pete pete, and (b) Dza kidigidi dza dza kidigidi dza, etc. || • to locate information on African dance music using appropriate research and reading strategies || • Pupils work in small groups to use information sources, //eg reference books, CD-ROMs, websites,// to locate information on Gota and other African dance music and make a list of sources and references. || • find information using contacts, index, key words, hotlinks, etc || • Pupils will need spoken or written reminders of the key information search tools. || • to create and perform dance music using conventions taken from Gota || •** Set the challenge:** ask the pupils to create their own dance music using the conventions identified through this unit. They should work in groups of three to five, and explore different timbres and combinations. Remind the groups of the need for the opening and closing signals. • Rehearse, perform, record and discuss. || • Create music using conventions and appropriate notations, //eg mnemonics// || • One way to organise groups might be to select a leader for each group. • Emphasise the need to keep a steady beat together. • The class should consider why it might take a master drummer years to perfect what, on first hearing, may seem a simple part. ||
 * Introduction: what are the characteristics of African dance music? ** ||
 * Introduction: what are the characteristics of African dance music? ** ||
 * Exploration: how can we learn to use the conventions in the dance forms? ** ||
 * Exploration: how can we learn to use the conventions in the dance forms? ** ||
 * Exploration: how can we learn to use the conventions in the dance forms? (Cont.) ** ||
 * Exploration: how can we learn to use the conventions in the dance forms? (Cont.) ** ||
 * Exploration: how can we learn to use the conventions in the dance forms? (Cont.) ** ||
 * Exploration: how can we learn to use the conventions in the dance forms? (Cont.) ** ||
 * Application: creating dance music ** ||
 * Application: creating dance music ** ||