October Activity: Gamelan Music

This activity is from
Cool Cats Cross Arts Adventures Level 3

Gamelan music

The gamelan is the Javanese and Balinese orchestra.
It uses from a few to several dozen musicians, playing different melodic and rhythmic patterns on tuned and untuned percussion.
Find out more using the links at the bottom of this page.

Some examples of patterns can be heard on the audio file Gamelan Music.
Download scores and mp3 track below
The score and music are from
Cool Cats Cross Arts Adventures Level 3

Gamelan orchestra
Students in 8 groups
Using the score, students make a gamelan orchestra.
Groups 1 - 4 play tuned percussion instruments
using a 1 bar repeating pattern.
Groups 5 - 8 play untuned percussion instruments
using a 1 bar repeating pattern .

Try bringing the groups in one at a time .
Also - have a conductor bring the different groups in and out (except for groups 3 and 7 who must play ALL the time, to provide the pulse).

Students can invent their own 4 beat patterns.

You will find the mp3 track and the page from the book with the score here
and you can purchase Cool Cats Cross Arts Adventures Level 3 here

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August 2007 Activity

August 2007
The August activity comes from

Music Room Book 4.



The activity is the Rhymers' Waltz - Working in Threes
* Students learn a ¾ body percussion rhythm pattern to use with a simple song.
* Students learn how to rhyme - using only 2 words - and use their own rhymes in the song.
There is also a simple tuned and untuned percussion arrangement for them to add to the song. and vocal and backing tracks.

You will find the free activity by clicking here.

July 2007 Activity

July 2007
The July activity comes from
Cool Cats Cross Arts Adventures Level 4.
The activity is called 'Rainforest' and it is from the ENVIRONMENT unit of LEVEL 4 (upper primary).
It is a soundscape exploring random sounds/music and creating a 'sound environment' and includes the lesson, backing track, practice track and and a recorder stylesheet.
You will find the free activity by clicking here.

Enjoy!

April 2007 Free Activity - Mamma Don't Allow

April 2007
The April activity, Mama Don’t Allow, comes from our newest book in the MUSIC ROOM series, MUSIC ROOM BOOK 3 – Middle Primary.
Music Room is our very popular Developmental Classroom Music Program.

It is a 'tone colour' activity and uses a song called Mama Don’t Allow, which the students accompany with either classroom instruments or 'found objects'. Either way, it's really easy and heaps of fun.

Students categorise their instruments into shaking sounds, tapping sounds, scraping sounds, banging sounds and make their own 'instant orchestra'.

You will find the free activity by clicking here.
- and there are other free singing activities if you follow the links to the other
singing resources we have on offer.