Track 3 from Charanga / Saydisc / Christine Richards project - 'Listen to this' for Key Stage 3.

Shakuhachi solo from Japan, from Saydisc album 'Kurokami', performed by Clive Bell (1'51")
Main features: the shakuhachi, improvisatory style, changes in dynamics

This music from Japan features the shakuhachi, a Japanese bamboo flute. The learning tracks of the Track Explorer focus on breath techniques of the performer, use of dynamics and note centres.

Image of South American flute, for examples listen to Track 1 Amanecer Andino or 02 Amanecer Andino - Andean dawn from the saydisc material

Track 9 from Saydisc "Percussion Around the World" - notes from Maureen Hanke.

'The King of the Fairies/ The Lilting Banshee' is an example of Irish music. The familiar sound of traditional Irish music comes from violins, piano accordions, penny whistles, the Celtic harp and the Ullieann pipes but supporting the spirit of the Irish sound is the Irish drum or the bodhran. Bodhran means "skin tray". It is a type of wooden frame drum that appears in cultures across the world. The Irish bodhran is characterised by a crosspiece behind the skin head which is held in one hand whilst the other hand hits the drum skin with the hand or a stick. The wooden rim and crosspiece are made from the Ash tree and the skin stretched over is from goat, sheep or deer.

In The King of the Fairies/ The Lilting Banshee the bodhran part is based around the steady beat. It is struck on each beat but gradually decorates each beat it plays with increasingly elaborate rhythmic patterns.

(In a music session the class could listen to The King of the Fairies and tap along to its steady beat in groups of 4. The piece can be heard in units of 8 groups of 4. The class could also tap along to the rhythm pattern of the tune which is good and bouncy.)

Track 7 from Saydisc "Percussion Around the World" - notes from Maureen Hanke.

'Ansam' is an example of Arabic music. The Arabian Gulf is an important geographical and trading link between the Mediterranean and the Far East. It is an area of rich demographic diversity with a commensurate variety of music.

Ansam features the darbuka and dholak.The darbuka is a type of single headed goblet-shaped drum. It is made from pottery, wood or metal and can be played either under the arm or resting on the player's knees. The base is hollow and the skin is attached by nails or glue.The darbuka originates from the Arabic region and the dholak from North India.

The piece of music opens with a solo flute. At the end of the flute statement there is a pause and the rhythm is clearly stated. The piece unfolds as an improvisation over and around the basic rhythm.
It might be helpful to think of improvisation as the equivalent of talking in language development. Improvising means making up as you play, listening to what you are playing as you go. As the piece develops, the improvisations by the darbuka and dholak become increasingly elaborate and exciting: each skin adding its own colour to the piece. As you keep listening try tapping the rhythm throughout.
Throughout the course of the piece all the instruments have a go talking over the rhythm.

( in a music session everyone could tap the basic rhythm and two people with different drums could take it in turns to improvise.)

In this recording the players start their improvisation by playing the rhythm exactly, then they gradually change parts of it; first just a beat, then a couple of notes, then half a phrase etc. This way the music has a feel of unfolding.

Track 2 from Saydisc "Percussion Around the World" (Also Track 1 from Saydisc "Listen To This! KS3) - notes from Maureen Hanke.

Amanecer Andino is a piece of Andean traditional music featuring the Bolivian pipes and the bombo drum.The bombo is the double-headed frame drum of Spain and South America.

The music is in two sections. You will hear the bombo and sticks start the piece playing a rhythm pattern that is repeated throughout the first section and can be heard just once to close the piece. A repeated pattern is called an ostinato.

Track 2 from Charanga / Saydisc / Christine Richards project - 'Religions of the World' (2'59") Sheng-guan music from China. This ceremonial music features a traditional Chinese wooden wind instrument, the guanzi. The Track Explorer has two learning tracks focusing on the guanzi and accompanying instruments.

Track 8 from Charanga / Saydisc / Christine Richards project - 'Listen to this' for Key Stage 1. Arabic music from Saydisc album 'Traditional Arabic Music' (2'01") Main features: traditional Arabic instruments, repeating rhythm patterns. This Arabic music features traditional instruments, such as the nay (a bamboo flute) and darbouka (a pottery drum). The Track Explorer has two learning tracks focusing on instrumentation and the two sections of the piece.

Recorder part 3 for the piece 'Queen Queen Caroline', from Lambeth Music Service's Musitrax Play scheme of work for recorders, glockenspiel and djembe.

Recorder part 1, including lyrics and sol-fa, for the piece 'School Gates', from Lambeth Music Service's Musitrax Play scheme of work for recorders, glockenspiel and djembe.

The principle woodwind of Classical antiquity is the aulos, consisting of a pair of cylindrical pipes with double reed mouthpieces. Originally made from reed stems, wood or bone.