3 melody-based instrumental activities for your rehearsals
Comments Off on 3 melody-based instrumental activities for your rehearsalsRead on for ideas for how to use these melody-based activities in lessons, rehearsals or practical classes on instruments.
These activities are adapted from singing-based versions available via the Music Teachers’ Digital Library (note, only accessible with a subscription).
Melodic Practice Activity: Forwards & Backwards Melody
In this activity, students play the melody or passage of a known song, given on the board in stick notation, forwards then backwards.
Step 1. A known melody or passage is on the board in stick notation (rhythm and solfa).
Step 2. Students identify the melody or passage and sing it with the words, then in rhythm names, while keeping a steady beat, before playing it on their instruments.
Step 3. Students then play the melody or passage again, forwards then backwards.
Melodic Practice Activity: Question & Answer Melodic Composition
In this activity, students compose a four beat melodic answer to a question set by the teacher or taken from a known song, melody or passage.
Step 1. Sing a phrase or passage that has a clear question and answer, and look at the ‘question’ and the ‘answer’ portions.
Step 2. The teacher writes a four beat ‘question’ on the board which students sightread on instruments.
- Step 3. Students then create their own four beat answer to this question using only Crotchets, Quavers & Crotchet Rests + do re mi in Bb concert pitch
- Step 4. Working in pairs, students take turns either keeping a steady beat or playing the question followed by their own answer. They then discuss whether it is a satisfactory answer (feels finished etc.) and if not, how to improve it.
- Step 5. All students then play the question while the teacher keeps a steady beat and selected students play their answers.
Melodic Practice Activity: Melodic Snakes
In this activity, students improvise notes to add to a melody created as a melodic snake composition.
Step 1. Students sit in a circle, keeping a very slow steady beat.
Step 2. Teacher sings (or plays) two notes (using only do re mi or so) on a neutral syllable e.g. d r in Bb concert pitch. The group repeats as a whole by playing on instruments.
Step 3. The student sitting on the teacher’s left plays the teacher’s two notes and adds two of their own e.g. d r m r
Step 4. The group repeats all four notes as a whole.
Step 5. This activity continues around the circle with each student adding two more notes to the snake, until the notes can no longer be remembered or are played incorrectly, when the game begins again.
Students can be asked to play the last four beats of melody at any time – this is a great way to keep students who are further round the circle engaged.
Let the Music Teacher’s Digital Library (MTDL) offer you many more melody-based practice activities!
Happy practicing, everyone! – Deb
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