Lecture 03
Rhythm and Meter
Feeling the pulse of a piece
Learning Objectives
At the end of the lesson, learners will be able to: (1) feel and demonstrate a steady pulse; (2) distinguish duple, triple, and quadruple metre by ear; (3) notate simple rhythms in 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4.
Lesson Discussion
Rhythm is the body's way into music. We begin by walking the pulse around the room, then layer claps and spoken syllables on top of it. Learners compare a march, a waltz, and a hymn to hear how metre changes the feel of a piece, and they write their own four-bar rhythm to perform for a partner. The goal is not speed but steadiness — a sense of pulse that survives a whole song.
Instructional Materials
Slide deck · Rhythm syllable chart (ta, ti-ti, ta-a) · Metronome or phone metronome · Four-bar composition worksheet · Listening examples: march, waltz, hymn