Name: ______

Classroom Teacher: ______

Last week we learned about rhythmic percussion instruments. There are metal, wood, membrane, and shaker/scraper rhythm instruments.

Melodic percussion instruments can play a melody instead of only playing a rhythm. These instruments include mallet percussion and keyboard percussion. Mallet Percussion instruments include barred instruments. Barred instruments are commonly called “Bells.” Bells are considered percussion instruments because you strike them with a mallet. Here are some examples of classroom barred instruments. These instruments have bars that are in the same order as the notes on a piano. You can play both melody and harmony on the barred instruments!

Orff Instruments: Glockenspiels, Xylophones, and Metallophones

Xylophone > < Metallophone

Xylophone >

< Metallophone

Glockenspiel >

Keyboard instruments are considered percussion instruments because you hit the keys with your fingers to produce a sound. Keyboard instruments are the piano, electronic organ, harpsichord, and pipe organ.

Keyboard Instruments Piano and Harpsichord Upright Piano Grand Piano

Digital Piano Harpsichord

Organ Electronic Organ Pipe Organ

Today we will be making a melodic percussion instrument out of glasses, spoons, and water!

Step 1: Get three glasses and one metal spoon and put them on the counter next to a sink. Step 2: Fill one glass ¼ full of water. Step 3: Fill a different glass ½ full of water. Step 4: Fill the last glass ¾ full of water. Step 5: Put your glasses in this order to create a glass xylophone. 1 2 3

Tap each glass lightly with your spoon. Do they sound different? The glass with more water in it sounds lower. The glass with less water in it sounds higher. Try playing “Mary Had a Little Lamb” following these numbers. If it does not sound right, you can add more water to the cups until you get the right sound. 3 2 1 2 3 3 3 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 2 1 2 3 3 3 2 2 3 2 1

Here are some more songs to try! “Au Clair de la Luna” 1 1 1 2 3 2 1 3 2 2 1 1 1 1 2 3 2 1 3 2 2 1

“Hot Cross Buns” 3 2 1 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 2 1

Now it is your turn to become a composer! Write down a number pattern using 1, 2, and 3.

______

Play your pattern on your glass xylophone.

How did it sound? ______Is there something you would like to change in your song? ______

Write a second song.

______

Which song do you like the best, your first song or your second song? ______Why? ______