Feel the Beat

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VAKT Materials List:
Tablet with access to YouTube
Metronome – you can download a free one from the app store. The Apple app store has one called Metronome Pro – Beat & Tempo.

Humanity’s oldest INSTRUMENT is the human VOICE—however, our desire for musical communication developed to include a wide array of tools. Today we’ll be learning about one of the oldest musical instruments that were ever used by humanity, the DRUM. Some might describe drums as the most PASSIONATE of instruments. The art of drumming is one of the oldest forms of music and music communication. The idea of using drums for RITUALS and celebrations goes back to early recorded history across a range of cultures.

SPELL: INSTRUMENT SPELL: TOOLS SPELL: MUSIC
What are we going to learn about in this lesson? DRUMS
What is considered humanity’s oldest instrument? THE HUMAN VOICE
The art of drumming is one of the oldest forms of music and ______ _____. MUSIC COMMUNICATION
According to the above paragraph, dating back to early recorded history, what were drums used for? RITUALS and CELEBRATION

The drum is the most famous member of the PERCUSSION group of musical instruments. Percussion instruments include any instrument that makes a sound when it is hit, SHAKEN, or SCRAPED. It’s not easy to be a PERCUSSIONIST because it takes a lot of practice to hit an instrument with the right amount of strength, in the right place, and at the right time. Some percussion instruments are TUNED and can sound different notes, like the XYLOPHONE, TIMPANI, or piano, and some are UNTUNED with no definite pitch, like the bass drum, CYMBALS or CASTANETS.

SPELL: STRENGTH SPELL: TUNED SPELL: FAMOUS
The drum is the most famous member of the _______ group of musical instruments. PERCUSSION
Percussion instruments include any instrument that makes a sound when it is ______, _______, or _______. HIT, SHAKEN, SCRAPED
Name one percussion instrument from the text that is tuned so it can sound different notes. XYLOPHONE, TIMPANI, PIANO
Can you name another percussion instrument that gets tuned? ANGKLUNG, CELESTA, CHIME, BAR, CUP, CHIME, GLOCKENSPIEL, HAND CHIME, VIBRAPHONE, MARIMBA, METALLOPHONE, STEEL PAN, TUBULAR BELL,
What are two examples of untuned percussion instruments? BASS, DRUM, CYMBALS, CASTANETS

Percussion instruments keep the RHYTHM and add EXCITEMENT and color. Drums and percussion instruments play a rhythmic role in nearly every GENRE of music (A music genre is a category of pieces of music that share a certain style), spanning CENTURIES and CONTINENTS. From early drums made from GOURDS
(Gourd is the fruit of a flowering plant species in the family CUCURBITACEAE, like pumpkins, cucumbers, squash, luffa, and melons.) to the electronic drums of today, the history of drums involves a wide ARRAY (an impressive range of a particular type of thing) of musical styles.

SPELL: COLOR SPELL: STYLES SPELL: SOUND
Percussion instruments keep the ________. RHYTHM
How long is a century in time? 100 YEARS or ONE HUNDRED YEARS
How many continents are there in the World? Seven or SEVEN
What word means the category of pieces of music that share a certain style? GENRE
Name one example of a gourd as mentioned in the text. PUMPKINS, CUCUMBERS, SQUASH, LUFFA, MELONS

Music HISTORIANS (Historians who study the passage of time and the events that happen within that passage.) generally do not credit individuals with the INVENTION (An invention is a new thing, method, composition, or process.) of specific drums. Like most musical instruments, different drums slowly evolved over centuries of INNOVATION. The same is true of drum beaters, such as DRUMSTICKS and felted MALLETS. The origins of drum may have originated from the STAMPED PIT, which was a hole purposefully dug in the ground and covered with planks of wood. People would jump up and down on the planks of wood to create a percussive and add sound RESONATING or ECHOING in the hollow space. Music history scholars believe this might have created a soothing sound for those who listened to it. Evidence of these styles was found in the SOLOMON ISLANDS, INDONESIA, and MALAYSIA.

SPELL: HISTORIAN SPELL: HISTORY SPELL: EVOLVED
What word from the text is used to describe a new thing, method, composition, or process? INVENTION
Name two examples from the text for drum beaters. DRUMSTICKS, FELTED MALLETS (or just MALLETS)
According to the text, the origins of the drum may have come from the ______. STAMPED PIT
The Stamped Pit was a hole dug in the ground and covered with planked ______. WOOD
What continent are both Indonesia and Malaysia part of? ASIA

There are many African myths that exist in relation to the drum and the beginning of its creation. One is the myth of QUEEN MARIMBA. She is seen as the mother of
the WAKAMBI TRIBE and is a folk hero whose ACCOMPLISHMENTS have become part of the folklore of Africa. As is customary in most African cultures, she is considered to be a god and was one of the IMMORTALS. Queen Marimba is credited as the creator of the drum known as the NGOMA as well as many other instruments.

SPELL: MYTH SPELL: FOLKLORE SPELL: MOTHER
What tribe is Queen Marimba part of? WAKAMBI TRIBE
What is a drum known as to the Wakambi tribe? NGOMA
Who is Queen Marimba? SHE IS SEEN AS THE MOTHER OF THE WAKAMBI TRIBE AND IS A FOLK HERO WHOSE ACCOMPLISHMENTS HAVE BECOME PART OF THE FOLKLORE OF AFRICA. AS IS CUSTOMARY IN MOST AFRICAN CULTURES, SHE IS CONSIDERED TO BE A GOD AND WAS ONE OF THE IMMORTALS
What does it mean to be immortal? LIVING OR LASTING FOREVER. ETERNAL LIFE, BEING EXEMPT FROM DEATH, UNENDING EXISTENCE.

ARTIFACTS are human-made object which gives information about the culture of its creator and users. Artifacts from China suggest that percussionists played drums made from alligator skins as far back as 5500 B.C, and ICONOGRAPHY (the study of the conventional meanings of iconographic art, which is an art that is meant to convey some doctrine or traditional story) from ancient.
MESOPOTAMIAN, EGYPTIAN, Greek, and Roman cultures show the use of drums in religious CEREMONIES and cultural gatherings. Evidence suggests that both hand drums and drums played with beaters evolved SIMULTANEOUSLY.

SPELL: ANCIENT SPELL: CULTURE SPELL: BEATERS
What word is used to describe a human-made object which gives information about the culture of its creator and users? ARTIFACTS
Drum artifacts from China suggest that percussionists played drums made from ______ ________. ALLIGATOR SKINS
How far back were alligator skins used in China to make drums? 5500 B.C.
What 4 cultures depict iconographic art that shows the use of drums? ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIAN, EGYPTIAN, GREEK, AND ROMAN

Though we don’t know for sure the origin of the drum, we do know there is a MULTICULTURAL aspect to drumming. In Africa, drumming is PARAMOUNT (very important) to every facet of social life. The rhythms of the drums were believed to contain power and DIVINITY. Drums were considered SPIRITUALLY powerful and were used in religious practices, as well as in medical healing rituals. But one of the most remarkable things that drums were used for was LONG-RANGE COMMUNICATION. In Central Africa, using drums for communication allowed people to communicate over very long distances of thick brush and jungle. One documented case in 1947 from the BETE tribe discussed a French tax COLLECTOR who shot a drummer after realizing he had warned surrounding villages of the collector’s IMMINENT (about to happen) arrival. To avoid paying taxes, the men who had understood the drummed message had FLED the village.

SPELL: MULTICULTURAL SPELL: FLED SPELL: IMMINENT
What word in the paragraph means very important? PARAMOUNT
The rhythms of the drums were believed to contain _____ and _____. POWER, DIVINITY
What three things were drums in Africa used for? RELIGIOUS PRACTICES, MEDICAL HEALING RITUALS, LONG-RANGE COMMUNICATION
In your own words, what does multicultural mean?

The BANTU people, as well as the YORUBA people of NIGERIA and BENIN, created methods of drum communication that allowed them to share tribal news and or warnings to other tribes up to 20 miles (32km) away. The HOURGLASS double-headed drum, known as the “TALKING DRUM,” could MIMIC the tone PATTERNS of their spoken language. The languages of the Yorba and Bantu are very tonal, in which a single word could have several meanings depending on the pitch, tone, and SLUR. The talking drum has the ability to change pitch, tone, and TENSION in order to provide different tones which can be INTERPRETED by anyone who knows the language. With the ability of their drums to match the tone and slurs, they can give full sentences with a few beats of the drum. The Talking Drum is held at the waist of the drum and is placed between the player’s arm and ribs. When SQUEEZED, the drumhead is TIGHTENED, producing a higher note than when it’s in its relaxed state. The pitch can be changed during a single beat, producing a WARBLING note. The drum can thus capture the pitch, volume, and rhythm of human speech.

SPELL: MIMIC SPELL: PATTERNS SPELL: TENSION
What is the name of the kind of drum the Bantu and Yoruba people used to communicate long distances? TALKING DRUM
How far could the sound of a talking drum travel? 20 MILES or 32km
The talking drum can capture the ______, _______, and ______ of human speech. PITCH, VOLUME, RHYTHM
VAKT: Watch YouTube Video about the Talking Drum. Title: Talking Drum Demonstration https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbMMw-88eT4

In today’s times, drums are included in all different GENRES of music. From drum lines and marching bands to ORCHESTRAL music, rock, punk, jazz, world music, hip-hop, heavy metal, and everything in between. The most popular form of drumming in the West is the DRUM SET. The drum set typically consists of a BASS drum, SNARE drum, TOM drums, CYMBALS, and a HI-HAT.

SPELL: GENRE SPELL: MARCHING SPELL: JAZZ
According to the text, what is the most popular form of drumming in the West? THE DRUM SET
Name two styles of music listed in the text. DRUM LINES, MARCHING BANDS, ORCHESTRAL MUSIC, ROCK, PUNK, JAZZ, WORLD MUSIC, HIP-HOP, HEAVY METAL
Name one style of music not listed in the text.
A drum set typically consists of a BASS drum, SNARE drum, TOM drums, ________, and a _______. CYMBALS, HI-HAT
What is your favorite genre of music?

(1) Bass drum (2) Floor tom (3) Snare drum (4) Tom-tom (5) Hi-hat (6) Crash cymbal (7) Ride cymbal (8) Splash cymbal (9) China cymbal

The Bass or KICK Drum is the large drum placed on its side which you play with your right foot, using a kick pedal BEATER that is used to produce sound. When you hear music on a set of SPEAKERS, this is the drum you can feel in your chest that provides the pump and bass FREQUENCIES. The floor tom is generally the second largest piece of the drum kit and is at least 14′′ inches. Due to its size, this drum has a deep tone and is large-sounding in nature. Many drummers today rely on this drum EXCLUSIVELY as their only tom.

SPELL: BEATER SPELL: SPEAKERS SPELL: CHEST
What is another name for a Bass drum? KICK DRUM
What drum is generally the second largest piece of the drum kit? FLOOR TOM
How big is the floor tom? AT LEAST 14 INCHES
How is the floor tom’s sound described? DEEP TONE AND IS LARGE- SOUNDING IN NATURE

The snare drum is ARGUABLY the most common drum in WESTERN music. Featured in ORCHESTRAS, wind ensembles, drum kits in varying genres, as well as marching bands, the snare drum is a medium-sized drum that utilizes WIRE SNARES (either NYLON or STEEL) fastened to the bottom head of the drum. The snares rattle when the drum is struck, creating its QUINTESSENTIAL (representing the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class) snappy sound that provides a tight, high-end tone that cuts through many instruments on stage.

SPELL: ARGUABLY SPELL: SNARE SPELL: WIRE
Snare drums are the most common drum in ______ music. WESTERN
Snare drums have wire snares made of either ______ or ______. NYLON, STEEL
What do the snares do when the drum is hit or struck? RATTLE
What word from the text means the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class? QUINTESSENTIAL
VAKT: Listen to the snare drum in this video: Title: “Epic Spasm” Freestyle Snare
Drum Solo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWnLEJFz6eg
In your own words, how would you describe the sound of this drum?

RACK TOMS, also known as MOUNTED toms or HANGING toms, these percussion instruments are smaller than floor toms, usually between 8 inches and 13 inches, and are mounted on top of a kick drum.
To the left of the rack toms, standing on its own, is the hi-hat. It is a standard piece of the modern drum set. The hi-hat is a set of two cymbals that you can control with a foot-operated PEDAL. You can make distinctive sounds by CLICKING the two cymbals together, by HOLDING them together while hitting the cymbals with a stick, or by a combination of hitting and opening the cymbals. These cymbals are absolutely ESSENTIAL to modern rock music.

SPELL: STICK SPELL: DISTINCTIVE SPELL: HITTING
What is another name for rack toms? MOUNTED TOMS or HANGING TOMS
Floor toms are ______ than rack toms. BIGGER
What instrument is a set of two cymbals controlled by a foot pedal? HI-HAT
Hi-hats are absolutely essential to _______ _______ music. MODERN ROCK

The drum is a musical instrument unlike any other. Drums have only the loosest connection with MELODY (a series of musical notes or tones arranged in a definite pattern of pitch and rhythm) or tone. In their place, drums focus on RHYTHM and TEMPO. Rhythm is a PATTERN of sound that can be repeated to a regular beat. Tempo is the speed of the beat. You have to play CONSISTENTLY and evenly. You never want to speed up or slow down unless required to. Some musicians use a METRONOME to help them learn to keep time and perfect their tempo. A metronome is a device that ticks in a regular pattern to help a musician play a piece of music at the proper speed.

SPELL: FOCUS SPELL: DEVICE SPELL: MUSICIAN
What word means a series of musical notes or tones arranged in a definite pattern of pitch and rhythm? MELODY
Drums don’t focus on melody. Instead, they focus on ______ and ______. RHYTHM, TEMPO
What is the speed of the beat or music known as? TEMPO
What device do some musicians use to help them play a piece of music at the proper tempo? METRONOME
VAKT: show your client how a metronome works. And clap to the beat of your choice using the metronome for guidance.

When listening to rock songs, you might have heard the drummer count the tempo out loud before the song begins. DIVIDING the tempo into groups of 4 beats helps us to know what to play and when. These groups of 4 give each section of the music a clear STRUCTURE. This makes it easier to follow the tempo and sound musical. Once the drummer has counted the first ‘1 2 3 4’ out loud, the music begins. The instruments are being played as if they were still counting ‘1 2 3 4’ over and over again, but instead of counting out loud, the MUSICIAN is now MARKING these numbers (known as BEATS) with drum hits rather than their voice. Listen to the song linked below. You’ll notice that the same sounds are REPEATED again and again. The drummer, MATT HELDERS, is very clearly marking each beat of the tempo here. Every time you hear a drum, that’s one beat of music. But if you listen closely, you’ll hear that there are two DIFFERENT drum sounds. With every beat, the drummer SWAPS to the other drum.

SPELL: DIVIDING SPELL: SECTION SPELL: LISTEN
When playing rock songs, the drummer divides the tempo into groups of __ beats. 4 or FOUR
The groups of 4 beats give each section of the music a clear _______. STRUCTURE
VAKT: Video “Arctic Monkeys – Do I Wanna Know? LYRICS:” https://youtu.be/fQ17tnRrA8k
How many different drum sounds were in the video? 2 or TWO
If the speed or tempo doubles, how many beats will there be in the regular 4 count? 4×2=8

If you’re interested in learning to play the drums, you don’t need a drum set to get started. The most important things you need are within yourself. You need to be patient with yourself, and you need to have the discipline to practice regularly. Like any new task, practice makes permanent. When starting out, you should focus on two things. TIMING and MUSCLE MEMORY. To practice timing, just start out by TAPPING your hands on the tops of your THIGHS to the count of one – and – two – and – three – and – four – and. On the numbered counts, connect your hands with your thighs. On the ‘and’ count, your hands should be in the air. PRACTICE the tempo by slowing and speeding up the count. The more you practice, the more your body will learn the skill, and muscle memory will take over.

SPELL: TASK SPELL: PERMANENT SPELL: COUNT
What two things do you need in order to learn the drums? PATIENT WITH YOURSELF, AND THE DISCIPLINE TO PRACTICE REGULARLY or PATIENCE and DISCIPLINE
When first starting out, what two things should you work on first? TIMING, by slowing and speeding up the count. The more you practice, the more your body will learn the skill, and muscle memory will take over.
To practice timing, just start out by ________ your hands on the tops of your ______ to the count of one – and – two – and – three – and – four – and. MUSCLE MEMORY TAPPING, THIGHS

VAKT: Together with your CRP, tap your hands on the tops of your THIGHS to the count of one – and – two – and – three – and – four – and. On the numbered counts, connect your hands with your thighs. On the ‘and’ count, your hands should be in the air. Repeat several times.

Once you’ve got that down, and it might take several SESSIONS of drum practicing, you’re ready to add another beat into the mix. On the “1” and “3” count, tap your right foot as if it’s hitting the foot pedal of the bass drum. Doing this in COMBINATION with the hands can be very CHALLENGING. However, over time and a lot of practice, your body will learn the movements and it’ll come more easily. You may prefer to learn the foot tapping SEPARATELY before you add it to the hand drumming.

Like learning any new skill, learning to drum may be very difficult at first. However, given enough time, practice, and PATIENCE with yourself, you may find that you love playing the drums. They may become a way to release your EMOTIONS or the FRUSTRATIONS of the day, or the music you play on the drums might be an outlet for ARTISTIC EXPRESSION you never knew you were capable of.

SPELL: SESSIONS SPELL: MOVEMENT SPELL: PEDAL
On which two beats or counts should you tap your right foot? 1 AND 3
The text suggested that you may prefer to learn the foot tapping ______ before you add it to the hand drumming. SEPARATELY
Name the three things mentioned above that, if given, you may end up loving playing the drums. TIME, PRACTICE, PATIENCE
From the list in the text, name one benefit drumming may provide. RELEASE YOUR EMOTIONS OR THE FRUSTRATIONS, AND OUTLET FOR ARTISTIC EXPRESSION

Creative Writing
If your superpower was immortality, how would you choose to live your life? If you could be any musical instrument, what would you be and why?

Sources:
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/a-brief-history-of-drums#when-were- drums-invented
(https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-ancienttraditions/drum-0012677 – lots of pictures to pull from)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talking_drum
https://sonomusic.com.au/differentdrumming-genres/
https://www.orsymphony.org/learningcommunity/instruments/percussion/
https://drummingreview.com/differenttypes-of-drums/
https://www.kickstartyourdrumming.com/practice-drumming-without-drums/
https://medium.com/@zackbloom/getting-started-with-drums67d8a043dcf
https://beatsure.com/how-to-play-drums/