Sing and Play – Class 4 Arts Chapter 9 Notes & NCERT PDF

Class 4ArtsChapter 9NCERT book: Bansuri - Arts Class 4

Notes and a simple summary of Chapter 9 of the NCERT Class 4 Arts book, with the official chapter PDF, flashcards, an MCQ quiz and an AI tutor for your doubts.

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Chapter 9: Sing and Play

Introduction

The Music section of Bansuri begins with Sing and Play. Before any singing, the book says it is extremely important to warm up our voices so that we sing freely and easily. Children learn vocal warm-ups, sing sargam patterns, match their pitch to an instrument, find their own vocal range and learn a joyful Kannada folk song. The teacher's note advises always using a tambura (an instrument, electronic device or app) or a harmonium or keyboard so children can match the pitch.

What's in this Chapter

Activity 9.1: Vocal warm-ups

Hum: close your lips and make a steady, long "mmmmm" on one note. You will feel a buzz on your lips. Then slide from low to high pitch and back in one breath. Humming gently wakes up the vocal cords.

Lip trills: blow air through closed lips to make a sound like a motorbike, keeping it steady. You can go high and low too. This helps develop a smooth sound.

Whistling (fun activity): purse your lips and blow. A long, smooth whistle helps control airflow, which is important for singing.

Sargam patterns: recall the Sarale Varisai (Suddha Swara Saptak) from last year: Sa Ri Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa going up and Sa Ni Dha Pa Ma Ga Ri Sa coming down, written S R G M P D N S. Singing each note twice (SS RR GG MM…) gives Janti Varisai. Children also fill in the blanks in patterns like SRG SRG, RGM RGM, GMP GMP… and then sing them.

Activity 9.2: Match the pitch. While the tambura plays, sing the same note and match it exactly, singing a long "aaaah" and then Sa Ri Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa.

Activity 9.3: Find your range. With a tanpura, harmonium or keyboard, find your lowest and highest comfortable notes and write them down. The notes you can sing comfortably are your range. The notes from lower Sa to higher Sa are called a saptak, sthayi or octave. The "Do You Know?" box says that practice can widen your range over time, and that artists like Pandit Jasraj, Dr M. Balamuralikrishna and Parveen Sultana are known for their wide vocal ranges.

Activity 9.4: Animal and bird sounds. List animals and birds with high-pitched sounds and those with low-pitched sounds.

*Song: Aadona Banni.* This is a traditional Kannada folk song that invites listeners to come, dance, play and have fun: "Aadona Banni Kanna Mucchaale, Thoogona Banni Uyyale…" with the refrain "Uyyaale, Champaale". It sounds wonderful sung in a group. The chapter reminds us that a lot of music is playful and joyful.

Key Ideas

Always warm up your voice before singing.

Humming, lip trills and whistling train breath and sound.

Sargam patterns build a sense of notes; repeating each note twice gives Janti Varisai.

Matching pitch with a tambura keeps singing in tune.

Your comfortable notes are your range; Sa to Sa is a saptak or octave.

Words to Learn

Warm-up (अभ्यास से पहले तैयारी): exercises before singing

Pitch (स्वर की ऊँचाई): how high or low a sound is

Hum (गुनगुनाना)

Swara (स्वर): a musical note

Sargam (सरगम): the notes Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni

Range (स्वर सीमा): the notes you can sing comfortably

Saptak/Octave (सप्तक): the notes from Sa to higher Sa

Tambura/Tanpura (तानपूरा): a drone instrument that gives the pitch

Folk song (लोकगीत)

Tips for Parents & Teachers

Hum and do lip trills together for two minutes every morning.

Download a tanpura app to help match pitch.

Sing Aadona Banni as a group, using the song link in the book.

Point out birds' calls on a walk and sort them as high or low.

Common Mistakes

Skipping the warm-up and straining the voice.

Singing loudly instead of matching the tambura's note.

Forcing notes that are too high or too low. Stay within your comfortable range.

Mixing up Sarale Varisai (each note once) with Janti Varisai (each note twice).

💡 Key Learning Points

✓Warming up the voice with humming, lip trills and whistling is essential before singing.
✓Sarale Varisai sings each note once (S R G M P D N S); Janti Varisai sings each note twice.
✓Matching pitch to a tambura, harmonium or keyboard keeps singing in tune.
✓Your comfortable notes are your range; lower Sa to higher Sa is called a saptak, sthayi or octave.
✓'Aadona Banni' is a joyful Kannada folk song inviting everyone to dance and play.

👨‍🏫 Teaching Tips

→Start every class with a smile, a warm greeting and vocal warm-ups.
→Use a tambura, harmonium, keyboard or app for pitch matching.
→Help each child identify their lowest and highest notes.
→Play recordings of Pandit Jasraj, Dr M. Balamuralikrishna and Parveen Sultana.
→Teach 'Aadona Banni' line by line and sing it as a group.
→Let children fill the sargam blanks on the board before singing.
→Encourage every child to take part; praise effort.

📋 Assessment Questions

Can the child sing a song fluently in pitch and rhythm?
Can the child sing in a group with live music or karaoke?
Does the child practise warm-ups, sargam patterns and breathing exercises?
Does the child take part enthusiastically?

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