So remember that post we did a long time ago titled “Rhythm Duels“? Well it’s been our highest rated pin and favorite page for many music teachers of all instruments so we decided to share a few more today. Something for those intermediate students at their next group class. As we start gearing up for state theory tests, this is a great way for my students to prepare as well.

Remember our ideas to mix up the simple competition? Here they are again just to remind you how fun this game can be when you keep changing it up on the kids!

Switch – when this gets called out, performing students have to change parts at the downbeat of the next measure.

Faster/Slower – before beginning performing students let listening students choose a tempo for them… if they dared!

Ritardando – slowing down to the end, sounds easy but doing this with another person can be a bit tricky! Or maybe it’s in the middle of the piece with “a tempo” on the next measure?!

Forte/Piano – why not mix in some dynamic practice?! Let students who are listening write in their choices for dynamics (try laminating copies so you can use white board markers and erasers).

Foot tap/Clap – listening students call out a change for performers, to be started at the downbeat of the next measure.

Boomwhackers – seriously, who doesn’t love to play on these?

Download: RhythmDuels2

Author: Whitney

Whitney Hawker, NCTM, teaches group and private piano at Weber State University, Utah. She loves surprising students with the perfect piece or a new exciting game! After graduate school, she missed sharing ideas and resources daily with colleagues so she and her friend, Spring, began blogging together at 4DPianoTeaching.com