The Beat Between

Picture: The Beat Between

Narrator: At Jahman’s school, four friends were finding more and more things they liked doing together.

Jahari: I liked singing our welcome song together.

Pax: Hello, door!

Lux: Are you waiting for it to say hello back?

Pax: It is taking its time.

Zion: What about a hello we can play?

Jahari: For anyone who comes in!

Lux: A little welcome made by all of us.

Jahman: Try my little rhythm first. Listen, then make it together.

Pax: A musical puzzle?

Jahman: Let your ears have a look.

Picture: Listen to the pattern. Keep four steady counts.

Jahari: I can do that. Ready?

Zion: Let’s start together.

Picture: The friends get ready to listen.

Picture: Listen to the pattern. Keep four steady counts.

Lux: That wasn’t quite the same.

Jahari: Maybe our hello needs to be bigger.

Pax: How big is a hello?

Picture: The friends try clapping together.

Pax: That hello nearly fell over.

Jahari: I thought more sound would help.

Lux: Now I can’t hear where anyone starts.

Jahari: Me neither.

Jahman: What could you listen for before you try again?

Picture: Zion watches and thinks about the pattern.

Zion: Your head kept going. Even when your hands didn’t clap.

Pax: Your head knows the puzzle?

Zion: It knows when the next bit comes.

Zion: Let’s count four. Keep them the same distance apart.

Zion: One.

Zion: Two.

Zion: Three.

Zion: Four.

Zion: How many counts before we start again?

Picture: Keep four steady counts in your head. Try it twice.

Picture: Take a moment to think. What did you notice?

Pax: Four! Then back to the first one.

Zion: Yes. No racing past any of them.

Jahari: I can keep that going without clapping.

Lux: Now we have something steady to follow.

Picture: The friends keep four steady counts together.

Pax: There’s a picture on the other side!

Pax: Four boxes. But only three claps.

Pax: Which box has no clap in it?

Picture: Take a moment to think. What did you notice?

Pax: The third one. Did a clap fall off?

Lux: Maybe it belongs like that.

Pax: A box full of nothing?

Lux: It gets just as much time as the other boxes.

Lux: What if we wait there, but keep the count going?

Jahari: Let’s try it both ways.

Jahari: Same speed both times. First, I’ll fill every box.

Picture: Listen to the pattern. Keep four steady counts.

Jahari: Now I’ll leave the third one quiet.

Picture: Listen to the pattern. Keep four steady counts.

Lux: Which one matched our card?

Picture: Take a moment to think. What did you notice?

Pax: The second one! The third box stayed quiet.

Jahari: I left a space, and it fitted!

Zion: The count didn’t stop.

Jahman: That quiet space in your rhythm is called a rest.

Pax: My hands had a tiny holiday.

Jahari: Lux, will you start us this time?

Lux: Watch for my nod.

Picture: Listen to the pattern. Keep four steady counts.

Pax: My turn. Even my holiday has to be on time.

Picture: Listen to the pattern. Keep four steady counts.

Zion: I’ll start one. Then you, Jahari.

Picture: Listen to the pattern. Keep four steady counts.

Lux: That sounded like all of us.

Jahari: Because I could hear all of you.

Pax: And our very good quiet bit.

Jahari: Could our hello have a different sound?

Zion: Play it. I’ll listen.

Picture: Listen to the pattern. Keep four steady counts.

Lux: And some words. “Listen close and leave some space.”

Pax: “Every friend can find a place.”

Lux: Those go together!

Zion: “You and me, a sound to share.”

Jahari: “Little Nauts, we’re getting there!”

Pax: Let’s put all of it together.

Jahman: You listened, left space, and made something together.

Lux: Our own musical hello.

Picture: The friends get ready to play together.

Picture: Listen to the pattern. Keep four steady counts.

Lux: Listen close and leave some space.

Pax: Every friend can find a place.

Zion: You and me, a sound to share.

Jahari: Little Nauts, we’re getting there!

All Four: Listen close and leave some space.

All Four: Every friend can find a place.

All Four: You and me, a sound to share.

All Four: Little Nauts, we’re getting there!

Pax: Can we do that again tomorrow?

Jahari: Yes. And make another one.

Zion: Same four?

Lux: Same four.

Jahari: Could our hello sound different?

Jahman: Let’s find out. I’ll help you get comfortable.

Pax: A little drum kit! Drums and cymbals.

Picture: Listen to Pax’s drums.

Jahari: This is a bass guitar. Listen to its low notes.

Picture: Listen to Jahari’s bass guitar.

Lux: A low, bouncy hello!

Zion: This keyboard makes a note when I press a key.

Picture: Listen to Zion’s keyboard.

Lux: A guitar. I can pluck one string, or brush across several.

Picture: Listen to Lux’s guitar.

Lux: Which instrument is playing our hello? Listen first.

Picture: Listen first. Which instrument can you hear?

Picture: Take a moment to think. What did you notice?

Zion: Low notes.

Jahari: My bass guitar!

Jahman: There’s one more sound Lux can try.

Lux: It has keys, too!

Jahman: A melodica. Blow gently as you press a key.

Picture: Listen to the melodica: the same note, with a quiet third count.

Lux: Keys and breath!

Lux: Can the notes change and the rhythm stay?

Picture: Listen to three changing melodica notes. The rhythm and quiet count stay the same.

Picture: Take a moment to think. What did you notice?

Pax: Same gaps. New tune!

Zion: I’ll help us start together.

Pax: I’ll keep our rhythm steady.

Jahari: I’ll leave space for your notes.

Lux: I’ll listen before I join.

Picture: Listen as drums, bass, keyboard and guitar join, leaving the same space.

Jahari: That sounds like us.

Pax: Can our hello have an encore?

Lux: After everyone gets a turn.

Jahari: You can try our rhythm too.

Lux: Clap, clap, quiet, clap. Keep every count the same length.

Pax: Gentle taps work too.

Zion: One.

Zion: Two.

Zion: Three.

Zion: Four.

Picture: Listen to the pattern. Keep four steady counts.

Zion: Try it again yourself, or take turns with someone.

Lux: Then choose a different count to leave quiet.

Jahari: When someone else leads, give their idea a listen.

Pax: Try two soft sounds with your hands. Can someone tell them apart?

Pax: I think that was my best quiet bit.

Picture: The friends share a happy moment.

Narrator: They had started with a puzzle. Now they had another reason to make music together.

Picture: Listen. Leave space. Play.