Musical dice

Six-sided dice showing the following note values:

• quarter note


• half note


• dotted half note


• whole note


• two eight notes


• quarter rest

Some game ideas (after Clément Drolet)

• Naming the note and its value: the student rolls one dice, then names the note and its corresponding value.


• Adding up values: the student rolls two dice (or more), then adds up the note values and gives the result. For instance, one half note and two eight notes add up to 3 beats.


• Filling up a bar: the teacher names a time signature (e.g. 4/4). The student rolls one dice at a time, until the right number of beats is reached, without exceeding it (as in blackjack). The student can play the resulting rhythm to double the points.


• Chance music: this game needs a music dice and a standard dice. The numbers 1 to 6 are matched with a note on the pentatonic scale (C-D-E-G-A-C), or another scale decided by the teacher. Rolling both dice at once results in a note value and a pitch. Repeat to create an aleatoric composition The sequence of the notes can be left as is, or modified by human intervention.