Sometimes, you just need a handful of music game ideas to keep your students enjoying learning.
Today’s blog post will be slightly different, because I want to dive into the many ways you can use Magpie Melodies to teach scale degrees, composing, sight-reading, and rhythm.
1. Teach Scale Degrees
I don’t know about you, but I graduated before I learned what scale degrees were.
I know there is some debate whether or not it’s important to teach students tonic, super-tonic, mediant, etc. but what we can all agree on is that knowing scale degrees is important (whether you call them by name or numeral).
Magpie Melodies’ original gameplay will help you teach students tonic, mediant, and dominant in C Major.
To reiterate these terms, the students move forward according to the scale degree (tonic = 1 point, mediant = 3 points, dominant = 5 points).
2. Teach Students How to Compose
I have one composing student, and we are constantly discussing the importance of choice in music.
When it comes to composing, there aren’t hard-cut “right and wrong” choices.
There are just choices.
And Magpie Melodies gives a solid foundation to fuel this discussion with your students.
As the student is building their melody, start analyzing how the melody is moving and if it would sound better if you swapped two measures.
Play through the eight measures, swap around a few measures and play it again and see which one sounds more tasteful.
If you’re ready for even more discussion, introduce question & answer, sequences, and repeated phrases.
3. Short Sight-Reading Practice Music Game Idea
Sight-reading is a learned skill, and sometimes students really struggle with it.
So using short sight-reading excerpts is a great way to introduce them to sight-reading or to help them if they struggle with pairing accurate notes and rhythms.
When you play Magpie Melodies, have the student sight-read their card before moving forward.
You can even adapt the rules some and have them move forward 1 point per correct note and 1 point per correct rhythm!
4. Melody Mystery Sight-Reading Music Game Idea
Who doesn’t love a good mystery puzzle?
Magpie Melodies has 8 tunes and each tune is color-coded!
This means that you can give a student all of one-color melody cards and they have a complete tune in their hands.
This is a great way to encourage sight-reading as the student pieces together measures 1-8.
Have the student sight-sing or sight-read each card to figure out what goes first, second, etc.
5. Help Students with Rhythm
The cards in Magpie Melodies range from basic rhythm (quarter notes, quarter and half notes) to slightly more complex rhythms (dotted quarter notes, eighth notes).
This provides you ample opportunity to use them to teach rhythm to your students.
You can flip up two cards and clap & count one for the student to guess.
Or, have the student clap & count the card before they move on the game board.
6. Rhythm Matching Music Game Idea
Make a matching game where you match rhythms only by laying out a 3×3 grid of cards.
Match all of the visible identical rhythms (this will help the student observe matching rhythms even if notes differ) and replace the cards with new ones.
Sometimes, there can be 3-5 of the same rhythm flipped up!
Whoever has the most cards at the end wins.
7. Ear Training Music Game Ideas
Help your student with ear training by picking 3 cards from Magpie Melodies.
Play just 1 card and have your student choose which card you played.
If I were playing this version, I would start super easy with different rhythms as well as pitches.
But as the student gains confidence, I would start picking cards that look very similar (same rhythms, pitches vary only slightly).
Bonus: Music Game Ideas for Group Music Lessons
Magpie Melodies makes a great group music game.
Any of the music game ideas I discussed above can be easily adapted to up to 8 players.
You can print our bonus poster-sized game board so students can easily see what’s going on with the game board.
About Magpie Melodies Music Theory Game
The 64 melody cards come from 8 real tunes kids will recognize:
- Mary Had a Little Lamb
- Ode to Joy
- London Bridge
- Are You Sleeping?
- Bridal Chorus
- Hot Cross Buns
- Row, Row, Row Your Boat
- Rain, Rain Go Away
Each melody card has just one measure from each tune.
Students will draw cards and create their own, unique 8-measure melodies while identifying the tonic, mediant, and dominant pitches.
Upper level students can rearrange their cards to be more strategic with their composition while younger students can put cards in the order they picked them.
Here’s what you’ll get with the Magpie Melodies printable download:
- Magpie Melodies game in 2 sizes: US letter & A4
- Magpie Melodies game board
- 64 melody cards (color coded per song)
- 8 magpie game pieces
- Guide card for tonic, mediant, and dominant in C major
- Magpie Melodies success poster
- Magpie Melodies activity sheets in 2 sizes: US Letter & A4
- Print release
Magpie Melodies was Music Game Club’s March 2024 game of the month. You can now get Magpie Melodies in the shop here.
But there’s more!
Magpie Melodies digital music games!
As a teacher, I am excited about these Boom™ Cards!
There are four decks perfect for ear-training.
- Deck 1: Tonic, Mediant, & Dominant in C major
- Deck 2: Ear Training & Sight Reading Game (fill in the missing measure)
- Deck 3: Ear Training Listen & Tap Melody
- Deck 4: Finish the Melody Ear Training Game
You can get our Music Game Club Boom™ Cards each month with the Boom™ Cards membership at $8.97/month.
You can also get all four Magpie Melodies digital music games at list price here.
Or, save $13 (from list price) by getting both the printable game and 4 Boom Cards by our top membership tier for just $14.97/month.
>>> Learn more about all our memberships here
You’ll receive a wealth of resources that can elevate your teaching experience and keep student morale high all year.
You’ll maintain the energy and enthusiasm throughout the entire year, ensuring a consistent and engaging experience.
Your students will start asking for their new game each month and be excited to learn new music theory concepts!
Not to mention, getting Magpie Melodies via the membership is the cheapest it will ever be!
What Music Game Ideas will you try in your studio?
Do one of these game ideas sound like something your students will love? I’d like to hear! Drop a comment below and let’s chat!
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