Year 6 - Music
Creating polyrhythms
Sing, play, perform: accompanying songs with polyrhythms
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit explores different rhythm patterns from around the world. Through body percussion pupils play contrasting styles of rhythms and transfer these onto untuned percussion. They play one rhythm against another, building up layers of sound whilst maintaining a secure sense of pulse.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to combine rhythms to create a polyrhythm that can accompany a song.
Key Notes
- Ensembles need to rehearse together to be able to perform together successfully.
- Playing in an ensemble is an excellent way to develop our musical skills.
- Polyrhythms can be used to accompany a song.
- We need to balance our sound when performing in an ensemble.
Vocabulary To Learn
- ensemble: a group of people who perform together
- melody: a combination of notes to make a memorable tune
- accompaniment: a musical part that supports the main melody
- rhythm: the pattern of sounds and silences that we play and sing
- polyrhythm: playing two or more conflicting rhythms at the same time
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Accompaniments only use on-beat rhythm patterns to help keep us in time.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the lesson in two key points.
Ensembles need to rehearse together to be able to perform together successfully. Playing in an ensemble is an excellent way to develop our musical skills.
2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'ensemble'
a group of people who perform together.
3. Correct this common mistake.
Mistake: Accompaniments only use on-beat rhythm patterns to help keep us in time. Correction: Accompaniments can use any rhythms! Syncopated rhythms and polyrhythms can still keep us in time as we feel the offbeat and still feel the steady pulse.
More Lessons In This Unit
Browse all guides in the Year 6 Music guide library.