Arts and culture
Grade 4
Personal and social skills
Module 2
Music
Music
Activity 1
To investigate tone colour [lo 3.6]
What is tone colour?
S tep 1
Sing the song Red, Yellow, Blue.
S tep 2
- The class divides into three colour groups:
Red - voices
Yellow - body percussion (we use our bodies as musical instruments)
Blue - rhythm instruments (rhythm blocks)
- Learn the song given above. Each group performs the song using the ‘instruments’ as indicated. The different tone colours of the different instruments must be listened to/observed. Instruments can be changed from group to group.
- Perform the song on your “instrument”.
RED | YELLOW | BLUE |
Voice | Body percussion | Rhythm blocks |
Sing | Clap hands | Knock blocks |
Hum | Click fingers | Rub blocks |
- Observation
Does the Blue group sound the same as the Red group? | |
Does the Blue group sound the same as the Yellow group? | |
Does the Yellow group sound the same as the Red group? |
Every voice and every instrument therefore has a specific tone colour that makes it unique and different to all others. The different sounds in music are called tone colours or timbre. (Pronounced: taem-br)
Activity 2
To investigate how tone colour can be changed [lo 3.6]
HOW CAN I MAKE THE TONE COLOUR LIGHTER OR DARKER?
M ethod
Each colour group must divide into two - light and dark. Perform the song on the various instruments as indicated. Listen carefully to your teacher’s instructions!
1. Distinguish between loud and soft.
RED | YELLOW | BLUE | |||
piano | FORTE | piano | FORTE | piano | FORTE |
2. Distinguish between fast and slow , i.e. TEMPO.
RED | YELLOW | BLUE | |||
fast | SLOW | fast | SLOW | fast | SLOW |
3. Distinguish between staccato and legato .
RED | YELLOW | BLUE | |||
staccato | LEGATO | staccato | LEGATO | staccato | LEGATO |
- Staccato (pronounced stak-kaa-toe) sounds like a ball bouncing or raindrops falling – in other words, short sounds.
Legato (pronounced le-ghaa-toe) sounds like a piece of bubble gum being stretched, in other words, keep-it-going and no-stopping.
- Distinguish between solo and group.
When one person sings on his or her own or a single instrument is played, we call it a solo .
When a group sings together or instruments are played together, we call it an ensemble .
RED | YELLOW | BLUE | |||
solo | ENSEMBLE | solo | ENSEMBLE | solo | ENSEMBLE |
- Now try different combinations, e.g.
Red + Yellow: fast and soft
Red + Yellow + Blue: soft, staccato and fast
6. Possible combinations:
7. The best combination:
Complete the following checklist: | YES | NO |
I can distinguish between LIGHT and DARK | ||
I can distinguish between solo and ENSEMBLE | ||
I can distinguish between piano and FORTE | ||
I can distinguish between staccato and LEGATO | ||
I can distinguish between fast and SLOW |
Activity 3
How to sing a round [lo 3.5]
You have sung a Round!
When two or more groups sing the same song, but come in at different places/times, we call it a round .
- Try the following combination:
LIGHT GROUP | DARK GROUP |
piano, staccato | FORTE, LEGATO |
- Each group discusses and then decides upon a specific combination. You can’t use the slow/fast combination as EVERYONE MUST KEEP THE SAME TEMPO! First practice the combinations and then sing the round.
- Record the final product on a tape recorder.
Words | Primary colours link them all | Colours of the rainbow | RED YELLOW BLUE | RED YELLOW BLUE |
Example | Staccato | Staccato | LEGATO and FORTE | LEGATO and piano |
I am in the group |
- Listen to your recordings. How do you feel about them? Are there any suggestions for improvements?
ARE YOU ABLE TO DECIPHER THIS GRAPHIC REPRESENTATION OF THE ROUND?
Assessment
LEARNING OUTCOME 3: PARTICIPATION AND COOPERATION The learner is able to display personal and social skills while participating in arts and culture activities as an individual and in a group.
Assessment standard
We know this when the learner:
- sings and/or plays canons, rounds and two-part songs with other learners, using natural, manufactured and found instruments;
- plays simple wind instruments such as a Kazoo or Tshikona/Dinaka pipes or percussion instruments such as shakers in harmony with others.