A Strategy for
Teaching Listening Lessons
I. Generate a Need to Know 4-6 min.
• Activate students’ natural curiosity.
• Why is this song important for student to hear / know?
• How does this song relate to the students’ experiences?
• What can students learn from the song?
II. Pose a Musical Problem 3 min.
• What should students do while listening?
• What are they listening for? Why? Can be contrived.
• How does the problem align with the lesson objectives?
• Problem-based learning is a MUST!
III. Listen Again 4-5 min
• What are they listening for? Why? Cannot be contrived.
• Build in teachable moments.
• Repetition, Repetition, Repetition!
IV. Listening leads to… 4-6 min.
• Listening in its own right or as a springboard to…
• Always reinforce musical vocabulary
• You must have other activities planned!
• Ideal listening lessons are 15-20 minutes. Remember the 1/3 rule.
Total: 15-20 min
Teaching Listening Lessons
Potential Problems Appropriate for Adolescents
(Adapted by Saul Feinberg from the writings of Mursell, Leonard, Bailey, and Colwell)
RHYTHM:
• Find beat 1
• Recognize and distinguish between steady and irregular pulse
• Recognize and distinguish between duple and triple meter
• Recognize and distinguish between simple and compound meter
• Identify changes in tempi
• Recognize repeated rhythmic patterns in different tonal settings
MELODY:
• Find “Do”
• Differentiate among stepwise, skipwise, and chordal motion
• Engage students tonal memory to identify melodic changes
• Identify alterations of a melody such as sequence, inversion, augmentation, diminution
DYNAMICS:
• Identify gradual and sudden dynamic changes
TIMBRE:
• Identify the timbres of different instruments and voices
• Identify unusual timbres and electronic media
• Identify structural elements such as imitation, ostinato, sequence, and antiphonal techniques
TEXTURE:
• Distinguish between homophonic and polyphonic texture in choral and instrumental media
• Recognize tonality, modality, and atonality
• Recognize modulations in harmony
• Differentiate between resolved and unresolved harmonies
STYLE:
• Recognize standard musical styles and periods, including contemporary styles like jazz and rock
• Differentiate between accent, staccato, legato, and marcato
Unsquare Dance
performed by the Dave Brubeck Quartet
sample perception chart
Directions:
Listen to Unsquare Dance by the Dave Brubeck Quarter and circle the statement in either column A or B
that best describes what you are hearing.
NUMBER A B
1 (:00) The song begins with clapping The song begins with a string bass
2 (:11) Another string instrument enters The piano enters
3 (:22) Musicians are clapping the rhythm of the melody Musicians are clapping a rhythmic accompaniment
4 (:32) Drumsticks enter Claves enter
5 (:44) STOMP your foot with the string bass CLAP your hands along with the musicians
6 (1:16) The string bass is played on the beat The clapping is on the beat
7 (1:36) The piano has re-entered A new instrument has joined in
8 (1:48) The beats in this piece are equal The beats in this piece are unequal
BONUS:
How are the beats grouped in this piece? ___________________________________________________________________
Which beat in each measure is different? _______ How is it different? __________________________________________
“Spring” from The Four Seasons
by Antonio Vivaldi
sample perception chart
Directions:
Listen to “Spring” by Antonio Vivaldi and circle the statement in either column A or B that best describes
what you are hearing.
NUMBER A B
1 (0:00) The volume changes gradually The volume changes suddenly
2 (0:32) Violins sounding like birds String basses sounding like a thunderstorm
3 (1:08) I have heard this music before This is new music I haven’t heard yet
4 (1:16) A jumpy and bumpy melody A smooth and calm melody
5 (1:40) I hear string instruments I hear brass instruments
6 (1:48) This music sounds mysterious and harsh This music sounds bright and soothing
7 (2:25) The pitches I hear are descending The pitches I hear are ascending
8 (2:42) The beats are grouped in threes The beats are grouped in twos
9 (2:53) The tempo has gotten faster The tempo remains the same
10 (3:07) The song has a definite ending The song gradually fades away
BONUS: Name at least three (3) instruments that you heard: __________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
America the Beautiful
Music by Samuel Ward
Words by Katharine Lee Bates
sample lyric dictation
O _________ for spacious ________,
For amber waves of _________,
For _______ mountain majesties
Above the ____________ plain!
America! America!
God ________ his grace on thee
And crown thy good with __________
From ______ to shining ______!
The Star Spangled Banner
Sample Lyric Dictation Sheet
Oh, say _______ _______ _______, by the _______ early light,
What so ________ we ________, at the ________ last ________.
Whose broad ______ and bright ______ through the perilous fight.
O’er the ________ we ________ were so ________ ________.
And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air.
Gave proof through the night, that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that _______ ________ ________ yet wave,
O’er the land of the ________ and the home of the ________.
12 Bar Blues Grid
Directions: Place an X beneath the beat of the measure in which you hear a change in harmony. Once you
have identified where the harmony changes, indicate the specific harmony with a solfège syllable. The
initial harmony is provided in the first measure.
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
X
do
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Rhythmic Dictation Sheet
Directions: Listen to each rhythmic example. Place a dot in each beat box to correspond with the rhythm
you hear. Use the assessment boxes to evaluate your responses.
Rhythm Example Meter 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
8
Example #1
8 ● ● ● ●
8
Example #1 Assessment
8
8
Example #2
8
8
Example #2 Assessment
8
8
Example #3
8
8
Example #3 Assessment
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8
Example #4
8
8
Example #4 Assessment
8
8
Example #5
8
8
Example #5 Assessment
8
8
Example #6
8
8
Example #6 Assessment
8
8
Example #7
8
8
Example #7 Assessment
8
8
Example #8
8
8
Example #8 Assessment
8
