I’m excited to share music math worksheets–a versatile music resource that can be used in piano lessons (or any instrumental lesson), general music classes, middle school and high school choir, and more. In this article I will share a variety of ways I have used music math worksheets.
Music teachers ideally help students understand the relationship between music and disciplines outside of the arts. What makes this a wonderful resource is that it is not busywork and parents love it! Their children get to practice math, and there are a variety of math problems. I have used this for students in preschool group piano classes as well as students in freshman choir.
4 Ways I Use Music Math Worksheets for Piano Lessons
1. Music Math Worksheets for Homework
Has a student ever asked you, “What’s a quarter note again?” – even after months of lessons? I’m one who gives written piano homework sparingly. However, I’ve found that students really enjoy solving the math problems in the music math worksheets. Students remember the note and rest values after regularly engaging in the material this way.
I assign beginning piano students two pages per week. If the student can complete math problems with multiplication and division, then it will take them 15 weeks to complete Unit 1. Then, as I near the end of Unit 1, I can sprinkle in information about Unit 2, which contains the more challenging questions. Students often ask if they can see the problems and together you can decide when they are ready.
2. Music Math Worksheets in Summer Practice Packets
Summer homework is useful for helping students stay connected with music over the summer, even if they will be traveling. Homework packets can include some music math worksheets, note naming sheets, a classical listening list, a composition exercise, and more.
3. Materials for Modified Lessons
It is helpful to have activities and pieces that can be used in the event a student requires modified lessons due to an injury of one arm/hand. Students can benefit from rhythm exercises, composition exercises, and music math worksheets in lessons.
Stage Left Volume 1 and Volume 2 are left-handed solos with teacher duets written by Jennifer Eklund. It is helpful for bass clef reading and developing dexterity in the left hand. It’s Just Right by Ryan Chesser is an intermediate-level pattern-based lyrical solo for right hand only.
4. Homework for Absent Students
Students who miss their lesson(s) are provided with lesson material and sometimes supplemental material, which can include music math worksheets. Additionally, The Mayron Cole Piano Method is a free resource with supplemental material available for all levels.
Additional Ways to Use Music Math Worksheets
5. Music Math Worksheets for Preschool Group Piano Classes
I used to teach Music for Little Mozarts group piano classes with four students per class. A portion of the time would be dedicated to collaborative work at the whiteboard. I wrote out one of the addition problems on the board, and the students had to work together to solve some of the easier music math problems (such as 3+4+1).
Each student would hold up the number of finger(s) for their note value, then the fourth student would count all their fingers to get the final answer while everyone else was “checking” his/her work. It was a lot of fun for all of us!
If you have preschoolers who need more hands-on rhythm activities, check out Preschool Rhythm Activity Cards for Engaging Piano Lessons.
6. Performance Workshops or Studio Classes
I previously taught at a school that would hold monthly 2-hour piano performance workshop classes. This is a scenario where I would not have students fill out worksheets. Instead, I would make it into a game at the whiteboard to see which of ~3 students could solve a problem the fastest. I would then keep rotating through students until everyone had a turn.
Having one music math worksheet as a reference for the questions and answers was helpful because it allowed me to focus on my students.
7. Freshman Choir Group Voice Lesson
Choral students at one high school would have weekly group voice lessons. A portion of that time would be dedicated to learning fundamental musicianship skills. To give the students’ voice a break, I would give them a rhythm worksheet to work on, which is what they needed help in. One of the Unit 2 music math worksheets would also be perfect for this setting.
Get Music Math Worksheets
I hope this article gave you some ideas on how you can incorporate music math worksheets within the various music classes you teach! There is so much variety and leveling within this large set of 70 pages. Students become proficient in recognizing note values and solving math problems – a win-win. This set even includes black and white pages to help you save ink.
Grab Music Math Worksheets with Llamas MEGA Set today to have this wonderful resource in your music teacher’s toolkit.