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How to Teach Syncopation to Students

Syncopation happens when the weak part of a beat is accented, the part of the beat that's not on the downbeat. In a 4/4 measure, syncopation means accenting on spots other than on 1, 2, 3 or 4. Syncopation is widely used in genres such as jazz and reggae. Syncopation can be tricky for students to understand, but with some basic rhythm lessons, including clapping and tapping feet, as well as listening to music with syncopation, it becomes clearer.

Things You'll Need

  • Song with syncopation
  • Music player, such as computer, CD, tape or record player
  • Metronome
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Instructions

    • 1

      Play a song with syncopation using a music player. Clap along to the beat and point out spots when syncopation happens, singing them with your mouth. Turn off the song after it is over.

    • 2

      Turn on a metronome to a mid-tempo beat, such as 100 beats per minute.

    • 3

      Tell students to tap their foot to the beat, while counting. Thus, if it's a 4/4 measure, the students count "1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4" and so on. As 4/4 is one of the easiest time signatures to learn, students should start with that. After doing this for a while, turn the metronome off.

    • 4

      Explain eighth notes. This means counting "1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and." The "and" portion of the beat is a weak part and is a spot where syncopation happens.

    • 5

      Turn the metronome back on, and tell students to continue to tap their foot on 1, 2, 3, 4, but this time count eighth notes out loud. After they get comfortable doing this, tell students to clap on the "and" of the beat, while their foot still taps on 1, 2, 3, 4. They're now doing syncopation.

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