Grades K–2 · Arts & Music
How can two instruments sound together?
A drum and a flute can make music at the same time. The drum does not have to wait until the flute is finished. Each instrument supplies its own part, and the two parts can overlap to make musical layers.
In the diagramTwo instruments can make musical layersEach column is one equal beat.1234DrumFluteEach row keeps its own instrument part.Both instruments sound on beats 1 and 3.
In this four-beat example, the drum begins a sound on beats one and three. The flute begins a sound on every beat. Each marked sound lasts one beat here. On beats one and three, both instruments start together. On beats two and four, only the flute starts.
The parts share a clock—the beat—but keep their separate patterns. Other arrangements can make them take turns or leave one part quiet for longer. The two picture rows let us follow each instrument's timing. Together, a few simple starts and rests can form a pattern that neither part makes by itself.
About this explanation
Starting knowledge: Follow four equal beats and distinguish a marked start from a silent beat with adult support.
Sources
- Carnegie Hall — Texture: Listen and Learn