If you’ve not played rhythm flashcard games in your piano studio, then you are missing out!
One of the top struggles most music students have is rhythm.
And one of the first steps is to help students thoroughly understand the beats of every single note–plus giving them a randomized rhythm exercise to do.
Making rhythm exercises a game is one easy way to get students to understand and appreciate rhythm.
We’ve compiled a list of 10 rhythm flashcard games your students will love.
While you can use these with any rhythm cards, we are using the cards from Music Game Club’s Beginner Rhythm Flashcards.
1. Beats in order
One of the easiest rhythm flashcard games is timing how quickly a student can order the beats.
You can go from least-to-greatest beats or greatest-to-least.
2. Match notes & rests
Sometimes, students get very confused about rests.
So doing a rhythm flashcard game where students match notes and rests will help clarify any confusion.
You can play this like normal “memory match” games where the cards are laid out and students flip over two at a time until they get a match (e.g. quarter note and quarter rest).
Or, you can have the student flip up the cards and lay them face-up, pairing matches as soon as they flip up the pair (e.g. student may flip up an eighth note, half note, and whole note before getting the eighth rest to match on top of the eighth note).
3. Claim the beat
Lay all of the rhythm flashcards out face-up.
Teacher says “1” and the student grabs a card with the correct value (in this case, a quarter note or rest).
Continue saying other numbers until all the cards are gone.
You can time it to see how quickly the student can find all the right notes.
4. Rhythm Four Corners!
Label the four corners of your room 1-4 (you can either label them random with 1 = whole note, 2 = eighth note; or you can be mathematical about it and 1 = quarter note, 2 = half note, 3 = dotted half note, 4 = whole note).
Teacher holds up a note or rest and students rush to that corner.
5. Rhythm War
Play “war” with rhythm flashcards!
Split the rhythm flashcards into two piles; teacher gets one, student gets one.
Teacher and student flip up a card.
Whoever has the highest note value “wins” that round and collects all cards.
If there is a tie (same note or value), flip up another card and the winner of that round wins all cards on the table.
You can also swap this one around and the lowest value wins.
6. Rhythm dictation
Clap a rhythm.
Have the students rush to lay our rhythm flashcards and finish first.
For an extra fun flair, have a bell that the student can ring when they are done!
Keep points to see who can lay out the most rhythms if you need a little competition.
7. Familiar Song Rhythm
Play a portion of a melody that your student is learning or a familiar tune.
Student creates the rhythm with flashcards.
You can play this like #6 (Rhythm Dictation) if you have multiple students; they can race to finish first, ring a bell, and keep score.
8. Guess the Rhythm
Lay out two rhythms.
Clap or play one of them.
Have the student identify which rhythm they heard clapped or played.
9. Clap Back
Lay out a rhythm and have the student clap it back to you.
To make a game of it, assign points if the student claps it perfectly, deduct points if the student holds a note too long or short, etc.
10. Rhythm improvisation
Work with the student to create a rhythm.
Clap and count the rhythm then go to the piano (or another fun instrument) and create an improvisation based on the rhythm.
If your student freezes at the thought of improv, then add some note flashcards to the mix and assign a note flashcard for each rhythm flashcard (it doesn’t have to be set in stone; if the student thinks one of the notes sounds funny, you can go from there to change it and come up with a melody the student loves).
11. Bonus! Four-Four Foxes!
In addition to these 10 rhythm flashcard games students love, here’s one you’ll want to add to your studio!
Last summer, we released a Candyland type of game for note reading, and it quickly became a teacher and student favorite (Keyboard Kittens).
So we decided to create another Candyland game, this time focusing on rhythm.
Use Four-Four Foxes for new beginners
We wanted a rhythm-focus for this game, specifically for teaching young beginners what all the notes are called and how many beats they get.
The cards include eighth notes & rests, quarter notes & rests, dotted quarter notes, half notes & rests, dotted half notes, whole notes & rests, and a few specialty cards.
Even your youngest beginners can play this game!
Use Four-Four Foxes for intermediate students
Of course, we realize you need games for more than just very beginning students, so we brainstormed a gameplay variation for your more intermediate students.
The easy way is to flip a card and move to that spot. But for students too advanced for that, challenge them to build a complete 4/4 measure before they move at all! There is some strategy involved in it!
Four-Four Foxes Gameplay
The gameplay is a simple, Candyland-type gameplay where students draw a card, identify the note, and move forward–unless, of course, they get a specialty card, in which they could move forward or backward!
We know students are going to love it!
See how it’s played in our video…
A complete breakdown of what you get in the music game download
A step-by-step tutorial for how to play the game
A few teaching tips and suggestions
Don’t see the video above? Watch How to Play Four-Four Foxes on YouTube here.
Here’s what you’ll get with the Four-Four Foxes printable download:
In addition to the Four-Four Foxes printable game, we have launched four Boom™ Cards (digital music theory games) that you can get to review rhythm in a different way.
See a preview of all four digital music games in this video (don’t see the video below, watch it here).
If you’ve been looking for easy ways to teach music intervals, we’ve got you.
These ten ideas are not only super simple to incorporate in any lesson, they also cover a variety of levels.
1. Have Students Move with Intervals.
This is a great ear-training exercise that introduces your students to intervals, even if they don’t read music yet.
Play an interval and ask the student to take a step across the room the size of the sound.
Does it sound squished together (2nd)? Take a baby step.
Does it sound far apart (8th)? Take a GIANT step!
Once they move, you can tell them, “That’s a 3rd” to help prepare them for learning to identify music intervals.
2. Teach Students to Identify Intervals on the Piano.
All a student needs to know is simple counting!
Give student a starting key and say, “Now, we’ll play a second above!”
Count the starting key and one key above (“1-2”) and you have your second (you could also count the letter names used).
Ask them to find more seconds on the piano. Then, move to other intervals.
For fun, you can use stickers, little animals, erasers, etc. to place on the keyboard at each interval.
add to your Pinterest teaching board
3. Focus on One Music Interval a Week.
Have a studio-wide interval challenge that is appropriate for preschoolers to highschoolers.
For example, if you’re having a “Third Interval Week,” you can teach your preschool students how to find thirds on the keyboard.
Your elementary students can learn thirds on the staff.
Your intermediate students can find thirds in their music.
4. Teach Students How to Count Intervals on the Staff.
There is no reason for intervals to be hard!
All a student has to do is count the bottom note, every line or space in between the notes, and the top note.
It may be helpful to have larger printed intervals so you can use a pencil to point to each line and space.
You can also name the notes and count the letters used (C-F has C, D, E, F which is four letter names, or a fourth).
5. Have Students Write Their Own Intervals.
This makes for fun whiteboard time! (don’t have a whiteboard? Simply slip a sheet of staff paper inside a page protector and use a dry-erase marker. Or, you can just use pencil on regular staff paper)
Give the student a starting bottom note and direct them to write intervals above.
Once the student is confident in this, you can have them write intervals below your given note.
6. Teach the Difference Between Harmonic and Melodic Intervals.
This is one of the easiest interval concepts.
The interval is the exact same (C-E is always a third) but they can be played together (harmonic) or separately (melodic).
I like to tell my students to remember that “melodic” is like a melody where you sing two separate notes.
“Harmonic” is if two people were to sing together (or harmonize).
You can have your students write the same interval in both forms.
7. Teach Music Intervals by Having Students Find Intervals in Music.
Even if a student doesn’t understand melodic and harmonic intervals, they can still find intervals in the music they’re playing.
However, covering melodic and harmonic intervals first will enable them to find even more intervals in their music!
You can either point to an interval and quiz them (“What is this interval?”), ask them to find a specific interval (“Where is a fourth?” or “Where is a melodic fourth?”), or ask them to point to any interval and identify it.
8. Do Intervallic Ear Training.
Give your students the tools to learn to hear basic intervals by linking intervals with different songs.
Give your student just one interval to create some improvisation with.
For example: open fifths played high on the piano sounds like Christmas!
Seconds played low can sound like a giant stomping around.
What other sounds do intervals make?
Remember to encourage your student to use both harmonic and melodic intervals.
10. Use Interval Flashcards.
If you want to strengthen your student’s visual recognition of intervals, flash cards is an easy way to do it! Of course, we prefer a game to flashcards because it’s the same concept, but loads more fun!
Icy Intervals: An Easy Way to Teach Music Intervals
Upgrade from flashcards with this wintery fun music theory game!
Each student gets an intervals card (with 4 intervals) then they roll a die and travel around the board to claim that interval.
The first player to claim all four intervals wins!
You can easily play this with 2-8 students.
In Icy Intervals, students will learn how to identify various intervals in treble and bass clef and race to claim the correct interval on the board.
There are three focal points on the cards, to play with students of various levels:
C position intervals (Cards 1-3)
G position intervals (Cards 4-6)
Various position intervals (Cards 7-15)
Here’s what you’ll get with the Icy Intervals printable download:
Icy Intervals game in 2 sizes: US letter & A4
Icy Intervals game board
15 intervals cards (3 in C position, 3 in G position, 9 in various positions)
There are 8 penguin game pieces, so you can play Icy Intervals with up to 8 players. Plus, members get a bonus poster-sized board so it’s easier for them to crowd around the game board.
Icy Intervals Music Game Success Poster
We believe celebrating music theory game wins with a success poster will build student rapport!
The students have a goal to work toward (taking a picture with the success poster) and you can send the picture to the parents as a way to showcase what their child has achieved during lessons.
It’s a win-win!
These also give you great material for social media posts (be sure to tag @musicgameclub so we can celebrate with your kiddos!).
Icy Intervals Music Theory Activity Sheet
Once the student has completed Icy Intervals music theory game, you can further help them solidify their music theory knowledge with the activity sheet (included with membership).
Students are given five intervals in both treble and bass clef and have to draw a line to the correct answer. Then, they can color the cute penguins.
This is a great send-home activity to reinforce the theory concepts after your students have played the game.
Want Icy Intervals music game to help music intervals in piano lessons?
Icy Intervals, our December 2023 music theory game, is just a taste of what you’ll get when you sign up for Music Game Club!
You’ll always receive:
A monthly music game (formatted in 2 sizes: US Letter and A4)
Exclusive Music Game Club membership emails
Video tutorials
Themed success posters to go with the monthly game
Bonus activity review sheet
Bonus tutorial videos with extra gameplay ideas
The membership is only $9.97/month and you did read all of the above correctly.
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!
There can be so much confusion for our students when we are teaching repeat signs, D.C. al Fine, and music score markings!
First, they might forget to follow the repeat sign.
Then, they get confused about first and second endings.
Finally, they whiz right past any mentions of D.C. al Fine or use D.S. al Fine to restart the entire piece.
It’s a lot to teach and a lot to learn.
In fact, you might even be a teacher out there who lacks confidence in teaching repeat signs, D.C. al Fine, and music score markings.
If so, absolutely no shame here!
In this article, I will walk through all of the main technical signs you’ll see in music scores and what they mean.
And if you’re well-versed in all of the music scores markings but you want an easy and fun way to teach them to your students, then scroll down to learn about Scarecrow Scores–I can guarantee you, you haven’t found an easier way to teach all the tricky score markings!
Your Guide to Teaching Repeat Signs, D.C. al Fine, and Music Score Markings: A Glossary
1st ending – play this portion of music only on the first play through. Repeat back to the beginning of the piece or the forward-facing repeat sign
2nd ending – skip the 1st ending (do not replay it) and play the 2nd ending. Sometimes this has a repeat, in which you will repeat back to the beginning of the piece or the forward-facing repeat sign
3rd ending – skip and 1st and 2nd endings (do not replay them) and play the 3rd ending.
8va – octave above (octave = 8 notes)
This sign can also be placed underneath the staff to indicate playing an octave below.
8vb – octave below
15ma – two octave higher
This sign can also be placed underneath the staff to indicate playing two octave below.
15mb – 2 octaves below
Bar line / bar – a vertical line that divides the staff into measures
Dal Segno – Italian meaning “from the sign.” You will return to the fancy S symbol.
D.C. al Coda – means “from head to tail.” The Coda is an added ending. You will return to the beginning of the piece, play until you see a “to coda” text, and jump to the coda.
D.C. al Fine – Italian for “da capo al fine.” It means “from head to finish.” You will return to the beginning of the piece and play until the “fine” marking.
D.S. al Coda – “from the sign to the tail.” The Coda is an added ending. You will return to the S sign, play until you see a “to coda” text, and jump to the coda.
D.S. al Fine – “from the sign to the finish.” You will return to the fancy S (Segno) and play until you reach the “fine” marking.
Fermata – a pause (usually at least 1.5x the note value)
Fine – the end (finish!)
Repeat sign – a double bar line with two dots per staff that indicates to return to either the beginning of the piece or a forward-facing repeat sign
To Coda – when you see this sign, you will skip to the “coda,” which is an added ending.
Now that you have a general working understanding of the terms, let’s review it in action!
A Music Game to Help in Teaching Repeat Signs, D.C. al Fine, and Music Score Markings
We are proud of our first-ever music score game!
This is the most practical, hands-on game that we have created to date, and we know your students will feel confident in reading scores after they play it.
A music staff is nestled in the middle of a cozy fall garden with pumpkins, radishes, and a friendly scarecrow.
Like any music staff, this one is “read” from the beginning to end.
Your students will roll a die and move forward based on the number they roll.
But! That’s only the beginning.
You can customize the game board with repeat signs, D.C. al fine, and music score markings for the exact concepts your students need!
This music theory game can be played in countless ways:
Easy: play with the original game board for very beginning students who need to learn how to follow a basic music score
Medium: add level 1 cards (repeats, 8va, etc.) for easy adaptations to the score.
Hard: add level 2 cards (1st and 2nd endings, codas, segnos, etc.) for even more common score adaptations.
A look inside Scarecrow Scores:
Here’s what you’ll get with the Scarecrow Scores printable download:
There are 8 crow game pieces, so you can easily play Scarecrow Scores with up to 8 players.
Each player must navigate through the score and whoever reaches the final bar line first wins.
To make gameplay slightly faster, give each player their own die and have them roll at the same time.
This is a great game to play with group lessons because your students will make SURE that their opponents are following all the markings of the score and going backward as needed!
Scarecrow Scores is easily played with 2 students or 8.
Scarecrow Scores Music Game Success Poster
We believe celebrating music theory game wins with a success poster will build student rapport!
The students have a goal to work toward (taking a picture with the success poster) and you can send the picture to the parents as a way to showcase what their child has achieved during lessons.
It’s a win-win!
These also give you great material for social media posts (be sure to tag @musicgameclub so we can celebrate with your kiddos!).
Scarecrow Scores Music Theory Activity Sheet
Once the student has completed Scarecrow Scores music game, you can further help them solidify their music theory knowledge with the activity sheet (included with membership).
Students have special terms to identify and draw a line to the correct answer. Plus, there are fun crows to color!
This is a great send-home activity to reinforce the theory concepts after your students have played the game.
Want Scarecrow Scores music game to help in teaching repeat signs, D.C. al Fine, and Music Score Markings?
When you’re ready to teach flats in music, there are a lot of fun tricks and approaches you can use, and today I’m going to cover 4 ways you can do it.
I personally like to teach flats in music as early as possible.
As soon as my student has a good grasp of the white piano keys, I start introducing them to sharps and flats.
Then, of course, as the student progresses, they go from learning flats on the piano keys to flats in music and, finally, in key signatures.
Here are 4 ways I teach flats in music.
1. Teaching flats on the piano keys
The very first step to teach flats in music is teaching them on the instrument.
When I first explain flats to students, I like to tell them that some notes are special and have to “borrow” a name from their friend.
On the piano, these special notes are usually the black keys (which also have two names, but I tell them that later, when I introduce sharps).
When you hear or see that a note is “flat,” it means to “go down a half step/semitone” (this helps the student with musical direction).
The best (and funniest) way for a student to remember this is to think “What would you do if you sat on a flat ball? Go down!”
Older students can think of a flat tire.
Once a student understands the direction of flats, I start teaching them to identify flat keys on the piano.
They start with the white key then “make it flat” and go down a half step (semitone) to the next key (e.g. “Find a B. Now where is B-flat?”).
Usually for the first week or two, I have students find the white key and then the flat key.
Once they understand the association between those notes, then I remove the first step (white key) and have them find just the flatted key (e.g. “Find B-flat, E-flat, etc.”).
2. Teach flats in music
Once a student understands how flats work on the piano, it’s usually pretty easy to teach them flats in music.
All you have to do is now explain, “You know the flat we’ve been talking about? This is the flat symbol!”
If you have a student who can’t seem to be getting their flats correct, make sure they’re identifying the correct part of the symbol (looking at the loop, not the stick).
3. How to teach the order of flats
There are several ways to teach the order of flats to students–and a lot of it depends on how their mind works.
Some students do well at memorizing the order of sharps (F-C-G-D-A-E-B) and reversing it for flats (B-E-A-D-G-C-F).
Others (like me) just remember BEAD Greatest-Common-Factor.
One that my classmates loved in college was BEAD Greasy-Cheese-Fries.
Young students might appreciate BEAD Go-Catch-Fish.
If your student relies heavily on mnemonics, you can use Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles Father or Before Eating A Donut Get Coffee First.
Or, you can ask your student to come up with their own mnemonics for the order of flats (if they create it, they’ll likely remember it better!).
4. How to teach flat key signatures
I love teaching students how to identify flat key signatures.
They’re so easy!
First, you just have to memorize that one flat = F major.
From there, find the second-to-last flat, and you’ve got the major key signature.
For example:
Flats B-E-A is the key of E-flat major
Flats B-E-A-D-G is the key of D-flat major
Be sure your student knows to always say the flat, because B major isn’t the same as B-flat major!
A Flat Music Game to Teach Flats in Music
You know us–if we can make a game of a musical concept, we will!
Whatever level your student is at: whether they’re just learning flats on the piano keys, the music staff, or the key signatures, we have a music theory game for them to review and solidify their flats.
Immerse yourself in the serene and captivating world of Flamingo Flats, a unique music theory game that blends strategy, nature, and original melodies.
Set in a lush flamingo habitat with marshes and beach, this game is a captivating twist on the classic checkers game, inviting players of all ages to engage in a delightful symphony of strategy and music.
Flamingos go against shrimp to see who can get to the other side with the most pieces first.
What is Flamingo Flats Music Theory Game?
In Flamingo Flats, students will learn how to identify flats in music as they study the musical excerpts in order to move forward on the board.
Flamingo Flats can be played by any age student who needs to brush up on their flat identification.
This music theory game can be played in two different ways:
Easy: students count the flats in the key signature
Hard: students identify which notes in the musical excerpt are affected by the flat key signature
Here’s what you’ll get with the Flamingo Flats printable download:
While this looks like a checkers game, the movement is slightly different but just as easy.
Students identify how many notes should be flat on the sight-reading cards and move forward accordingly (e.g. 2 notes flat = 2 moves, 4 notes flat = 4 moves).
The flamingo and shrimp game pieces can move forward, sideways, and backwards.
And, of course, can jump the opponent if desired.
Whoever can get all their game pieces to the other side first wins!
See how it’s played in the video!
A complete breakdown of what you get in the music game download
There are 8 total game pieces (4 flamingos, 4 shrimp), so you can play Flamingo Flats with up to 8 players–it will just require a lot of teamwork!
Each team works together to move their game pieces across the board–and what’s fun and strategic is that they can move any of their team’s pieces!
We provide a bonus poster-sized game board option (included with membership) that you can bring to your local print shop and get a larger board for students to crowd around.
Flamingo Flats is easily played with 2 students or 8.
Flamingo Flats Music Game Success Poster
We believe celebrating music theory game wins with a success poster will build student rapport!
The students have a goal to work toward (taking a picture with the success poster) and you can send the picture to the parents as a way to showcase what their child has achieved during lessons.
It’s a win-win!
These also give you great material for social media posts (be sure to tag @musicgameclub so we can celebrate with your students!).
Flamingo Flats Music Theory Activity Sheet
Once the student has completed Flamingo Flats music theory game, you can further help them solidify their music theory knowledge with the activity sheet (included with membership).
Students will trace then draw their own flats for three key signatures: F, B-flat, and E-flat.
This is a great send-home activity to reinforce the theory concepts after your students have played the game.
Want Flamingo Flats music game to help teach flats in music?
What are your favorite methods in teaching flats to music students?
Comment and share your best tips!
Need another game that goes above and beyond Flamingo Flats?
If your students have already mastered their flats and are ready for more, check out Froggy Fifths, our Circle of Fifths game that teaches all the sharps and flats in the Circle of Fifths.
When it comes to getting your students to understand note values and keeping a steady beat, it is essential to have some fun music rhythm gameplay ideas up your sleeve!
There seems to never be enough rhythm practice we can do with our students!
So if you already have a handful of music rhythm gameplay ideas, we hope this blog post will simply add to your list.
These two rhythm stacking games focus on helping students master both simple and compound rhythms.
Secondly, I’ll share 7 fun music rhythm gameplay ideas that you can use in both group music lessons or individual music lessons (some of them are pretty crazy fun!).
Finally, I want to hear from you!
What fun music rhythm gameplay ideas do you have?
Let’s keep the music rhythm gameplay conversation going!
Compound Cones: Compound Music Rhythm Game
Helping students understand how compound rhythm works can be tricky!
But with Compound Cones, your students will be begging to build luscious ice cream cones as they work on their compound rhythms.
Mix ‘n’ match ice cream sundae tops, middles, and bottoms to create a delicious treat then top it off with the correct time signature spoon.
Here’s what you’ll get with the Compound Cones printable download:
You will get the digital file to print and laminate (optional) for your music studio in both letter size (US) and A4 size (international).
Music Game Club members will also get:
Compound Cones activity sheets in 3 sizes: US Letter, A4, & A3
A3 game board
Tutorial videos with bonus gameplay ideas
Membership is only open twice a year. Check out our membership page here for more details.
One of my favorite aspects of Compound Cones (besides their complete mouth-watering-ness!) is that the cards are marked for easier and more challenging rhythms.
That way, you can easily play it with your younger students or older students as needed.
Our students have loved building their own snowmen as they play this music counting game in simple meters.
The gameplay is simple: mix and match snowmen tops, middles, and bottoms to build snowmen!
But you have to watch out – because the snowmen must be created with all three correct time meters!
In addition to creating 16 mix ‘n’ match rhythm snowmen in each meter, some students like to match the exact rhythm for each snowman piece (e.g. two quarter notes for the top, middle, and bottom).
However you choose to build your snowmen, finish up with clapping and counting the snowmen.
Here’s what you’ll get with the Stacking Snowmen printable download:
Whether you are using Stacking Snowmen and Compound Cones in private lessons or group music classes, we have some fun music rhythm gameplay ideas for you!
You will mix all of the tops together, the middles together, and the bottoms together.
From there, your students can pick tops, middles, and bottoms until they find matching meters.
Now, there are two versions to do this:
Students find any matching meter (all 2/4, all 6/8, all 4/4, etc.)
Students hunt for identical measures (the top/middle/bottom music be 2 quarter notes each or the top/middle/bottom must be 12 eighth notes each)
Both of these music rhythm gameplays have their benefits.
For individual play: student and teacher will take turns drawing cards until they have built their entire snowman or cone. Student can also play by themselves, drawing cards and creating snowmen or cones across the room.
For group play: all students will take turns drawing cards until they have built their entire snowman or cone.
2. Build a crazily huge rhythm puzzle!
Have you ever built a snowman with more than 3 balls?
Or stacked your ice cream cone as high as you could (maybe so high you couldn’t walk back to the restaurant table with it)?
Well, you can do both with this fun music rhythm gameplay idea!
Once a student has established the top, they can add all the middles possible to create the craziest, huge snowman or ice cream cone!
For individual play: student and teacher compete to see who can build the tallest snowman or cone first. Student can also play by themselves and see how long it takes to build the snowman or cone.
For group play: divide your group into two teams and have them compete to see who can build the tallest snowman or cone. Each team can go for the same or different time signatures.
3. Rhythm Sequence Pattern
This is a similar music rhythm gameplay idea as #2, however this time, everyone works together to build a rhythm sequence.
The first player selects the top card to start with and claps and counts it.
Player 2 must find a middle card in the same meter and clap both the first and the second card.
Player 3 finds another middle card in the same meter and must clap all three measures.
The gameplay continues around the room, with each student adding to the rhythm pattern and clapping the entire thing.
This is a great way to help students learn specific rhythm patterns well, as they will hear it clapped and counted multiple times.
For individual play: teacher and student keep taking turns adding to their snowman or cone for a set amount of time or cards.
For group play: each student takes a turn adding a card to the pile and clapping the sequence up to their new card.
4. Rhythm Relay Race
If you have students with a little extra energy, encourage them to run it out while they work on rhythm!
Place the cards on one side of the room and the game board on the other side.
Students sort through the cards and select one then run to the board to build their snowman or cone and have to run back to select the next card in the measure.
For a student to complete their set, they must clap and count it.
For individual play: your student can race against the clock and see how many snowmen or cones they can build in five minutes.
For group play: Divide the students into teams. Print multiple games. Each team has their own set of cards and must race to find a card and bring it back to the team. You can determine the winning goal: a certain number of snowmen or cones, the entire team clapping & counting the pattern accurately, or building one snowman or cone in each meter.
5. Rhythm Memory Match
You can create as small or large of a memory match game as you’d like.
Just be sure there is a complete snowman or cone of each meter.
Lay the cards face down and have students take turns flipping over three cards to find a matching snowman or cone (note: the matching can either be for the meter in general or the exact rhythm pattern).
When they find a match, they must clap or play the rhythm correctly to keep the set.
For individual play: play student versus teacher or let the student play alone if they want to.
For group play: be sure you have enough for each student to build at least 1 snowman or cone. Students take turns making matches.
6. Rhythm Tic-Tac-Toe
Lay the rhythm cards face-up in a tic-tac-toe fashion (3×3).
Students must correctly clap & count 3 in a row to win.
This game is a fun idea, because you can use different meters! (if different meters is too hard for your student, you can definitely keep them in the same meter)
Students have to pay close attention to make sure they are counting in the correct meter!
For individual play: challenge your student to see how many 3-in-a-row they can get (there are 8 options, can they get them all?)!
For group play: once a student has correctly gotten 3-in-a-row, they collect the cards and the cards are replaced! At the end of several rounds, whoever has the most cards wins.
7. Rhythm Jam Session
Give each student the same meter card (e.g. all 3/4 or all 9/8 rhythms).
Start on one side of the room.
Each student will clap their rhythm card one at a time.
Then, start layering the rhythms!
The first student claps their rhythm and continues clapping their rhythm while the second student claps their rhythm at the same time.
Add the third student to the mix, and continue until the final student is clapping their card.
This game is sure to bring lots of laughter as students try to concentrate on their rhythm in all the craziness!
For individual play: you can do up to four layers. The student and teacher each get two cards and tap one card with each hand. For an easier version, each can just do one card.
For group play: play as described above. If your students master this challenge and feel confident they can make it even more complicated, then give each student two cards to tap in each hand.
What fun music rhythm gameplay ideas do you do?
Comment and share your best ideas!
What’s the craziest rhythm game you’ve ever played with your students?
What rhythm game made your students laugh the most?
Which rhythm game helped your students understand timing best?
If you are like me, when you teach major scales patterns you automatically think “whole step, whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, whole step, half step.”
And if you’re like me, you just said that in a very specific rhythm, with a pause after “half step.”
Or if you teach with UK terms, you perhaps think “tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone, tone semitone.”
Regardless, when it comes to teaching major scale patterns, it is something that comes very naturally to some students … but is something that many other students struggle with.
In today’s post, I want to share 5 ways I personally teach major scales and wrap up with a super fun music theory game that can help you teach major scales patterns.
How I Teach Major Scales
1) I teach major scales primarily by rote
Because most of my students are not aspiring to be college music majors, I don’t push music theory on them immediately.
I may introduce major scales to students with “here is the pattern it follows.”
But usually my students look at me confused and wide-eyed, so instead, I help them have fun playing scales by finger numbers and rote.
If a student is more inclined to patterns and has the mental capacity to understand more of the theory behind it, I then introduce the steps required for major scales.
Because this is the method I use, I’m excited for a new and easy way to teach major scales patterns with Salamander Scales (but more on that later).
2) I teach students to listen
It isn’t just about learning what finger numbers go where for a major scale.
It is the ability to hear what is a major scale and when an incorrect note is played.
I try to encourage my students to listen as they play their major scales.
Sometimes this means taking several lessons to constantly point out “wrong note” so they can train their ear to hear the wrong notes as well.
3) I teach major scales in the Circle of Fifths
Even if my students haven’t grasped the meaning of the Circle of Fifths (which most of my 8-year-olds haven’t), I still assign scales to them in the Circle of Fifths.
To me, this is a subtle way to train their ear and understanding of the Circle of Fifths.
It is also fun to explain to the student how “each scale adds one sharp/flat” even before they understand the Circle of Fifth.
4) I teach major scale finger numbers by patterns
I like to make major scales the easiest possible for my students to learn.
There are a few patterns I use to help my students understand scale finger numbers.
Right hand finger numbers for major scales C, G, D, A, E, B are the same (1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5)
Left hand finger numbers for major scales C, G, D, A, E, F are the same (5-4-3-2-1-3-2-1)
Right hand 4th finger plays B-flat in major scales F, B-flat, E-flat, A-flat, D-flat, G-flat
Left hand 4th note is 4th finger in B-flat, E-flat, A-flat, D-flat major scales
3-black notes are played with fingers 2-3-4 (RH and LH) and 2-black notes are played with fingers 2-3 (RH and LH) for B, D-flat, G-flat major scales
Do you have any patterns that you use with your students you’d add to my list?
5) I teach students to have fun with major scales
While I drummed out my major scales (using the MacFarren book with 2-octaves up & down, contrary motion, in 3rds up & down, in 3rd contrary motion, in 6ths up & down, and in 6ths contrary motion), I realize that most of my students don’t have my same idea of “fun” with major scales.
So I like to shake things up and have my students create their own rhythm as they practice scales.
What’s fun is that students can create rhythms based on any word they want (it can be their dog’s name, their favorite food, anything!).
You can also have your students do a mix of staccatos and slurs (the simple two-note slur-staccato or 3-note slur-slur-staccato, etc.).
What fun patterns do you encourage your students to use with scales?
Salamander Scales: A Fun Way to Teach Major Scales Patterns
Salamanders do not have scales, but salamanders can definitely help your students learn scales!
Our music theory game, Salamander Scales, takes your students to a lush river setting influenced by South America to help teach your students major scales (to be specific, Los Llanos grassland plains that are situated to the east of the Andes in Colombia and Venezuela, and Cerrado in Eastern Brazil).
We absolutely love the designs our artists, Emily and Kristen, came up with!
By the time students have played one round of Salamander Scales, they’ll be quoting the major scale patterns easily!
What is Salamander Scales Music Theory Game?
In Salamander Scales, students will collect cards to build major scales and compete to see who can claim the most places on the board and gain the most points.
Salamander Scales can be played by any age student who needs to brush up on their major scales.
We have two versions of this game to fit your scale style:
Whole steps and half steps
Tones and semitones
We also have scale guide cards to help your students out if this is the first time they have ever heard “whole step, whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, whole step, half step.”
Here’s a look into Salamander Scales:
Here’s what you’ll get with the Salamander Scales printable download:
You will get 8 different salamanders in the game download. There are only 9 spaces to claim, so it’s a pretty stiff competition with 8 players!
A few of the gameplay rules are different when you’re playing with 4-8 players than 1-3 players, but it is easy to adapt for group lessons.
We provide a bonus poster-sized game board option (included with membership) that you can bring to your local print shop and get a larger board for students to crowd around.
Salamander Scales is easily played with 2 students or 8.
Salamander Scales Music Game Success Poster
We believe celebrating music theory game wins with a success poster will build student rapport!
The students have a goal to work toward (taking a picture with the success poster) and you can send the picture to the parents as a way to showcase what their child has achieved during lessons.
It’s a win-win!
These also give you great material for social media posts (be sure to tag @musicgameclub so we can celebrate with your kiddos!).
Salamander Scales Music Theory Activity Sheet
Once the student has completed Salamander Scales music theory game, you can further help them solidify their music theory knowledge with the activity sheet (included with membership).
We have two levels of Salamander Scales activity sheets:
Beginner students have to identify which salamanders have the correct major scales patterns
Advanced students can write major scales of the teacher’s choice
This is a great send-home activity to reinforce the theory concepts after your students have played the game.
Want Salamander Scales music game to help teach major scales patterns?
