Music Reading Games
Music reading is a core music course typically taught to elementary and high school students. In this course, students learn how to properly identify notes on a musical sheet, determine the piece's key and tempo and be able to play out the piece. Teachers may opt to use games to teach musical reading to engage student interest and create a fun classroom dynamic.
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Memorizing Notations
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In music, there are many notations which symbolize different elements in a musical piece. For example, an empty black oval symbolizes a whole note. Students can actively memorize these notations by using flash cards. Teachers can display the symbol, and ask students to match it with the corresponding concept. The teacher can vary the speed as well to train students in quickly recognizing and distinguishing musical notes.
Note Association
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The higher the symbol is placed on a music sheet, the higher the note. It is vital for students to be able to identify the proper pitch upon seeing the note on the sheet. A teacher can use an active matching game to train this skill. The teacher can choose a short musical piece, and ask students to sing along in the solfeggio format. Groups of students would race each other in putting the notes on the sheet. The teacher then confirms the students' work.
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Tempo/Rhythm
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A sheet of music is typically filled with numbers and symbols which signify changes in tempo and rhythm. For example, a number four placed above another number four at the beginning of the sheet means that the piece is divided by four beats. As an active game, students would physically follow along the piece by using their hands and feet. They would stomp their feet when they reach the end of the beat and clap out the rhythm represented by the notes.
Online Games
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Teachers in smart classrooms can integrate online games into learning musical notes and notation. Many online games integrate both visual and audio; the game lists the notes on the sheet while playing each note out as it appears. These games gauge the student's ability to identify notes. Some games additionally allow students to compose short pieces of their own.
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References
Resources
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