Chicken In The Fencepost - Rhythmic Analysis

This comprehensive worksheet guides students through the analysis of the rhythm of a song.

Students 'investigate' (i.e. analyse):

• The rhythmic form of the song.
• The variety of rhythms and how many times each is used.
• The combinations of rhythms and how that creates effects like a steady beat or a flowing feel, structure and interest.
• What type of rhythms finish a phrase (long or short).
• Whether they like a rhythm, why they do or do not like a rhythm and how they would change it if they wrote the rhythm. (This is an opportunity to learn through reflecting on the composition of the rhythm.)

These discoveries are designed to be used as 'conversation starters' to talk about composing techniques.