In Year 6 we had a fantastic morning learning body percussion. A percussion instrument is a musical instrument which is played by tapping with either a beater, drum stick or a human hand.
Unpitched percussion includes the drum or castanet. Pitched percussion includes the glockenspiel or xylophone. We can also use our bodies as percussion instruments, or what is called ‘body percussion’.
Using a total of 4 beats, we combine longer and shorter sounds to compose a rhythmic ostinato (pattern). You can clap your hands, click your fingers, stomp your feet – the more creative the better. Once you’ve come up with an ostinato, repeat it until it is secure. Then try composing a sec0nd pattern, and layer them together. Repeat as many times as you like.
Check out some of our fantastic beats:
Can you make your own body percussion?
Send examples of your at home music making in to: music@monteagle.bardaglea.org.uk
