In this publication, author Andrea Calilhanna presents a new, revolutionary approach to the teaching and understanding of meter fundamentals that engage students from the beginning of their lessons. (Review by Dr Rita Crews OAM)
This resource contains a new and innovative way of teaching music fundamentals to beginner students. It is based on a listening approach and enables students to develop critical thinking about the meter and its mathematical aspects and effectively helps them to understand meter mathematics, stabilize rhythms, and solve problems with decoding notation.
Whilst it is aimed at beginners, regardless of age, all students can be taught to respond to this method which challenges conventional teaching including the notation-based description of beats grouped within a measure. But as Calilhanna
argues "meter is not notation." It is through listening, clapping, tapping and mapping meter using the visual ski-hill graph method that the fundamental aspects of music begin to make sense and are reflected in the student’s performance. As such, this approach is revolutionary in its methodology.
In its 17 chapters, the concept is fully explained according to the principles of ski-hill methodology where students are taught to listen and become aware of pulse and meter through mathematics. As a result, students will gain incredible knowledge
about meters and how it can be understood and used to fully comprehend a score, to perform intelligently and expressively, to sight-read, to develop overall musical skills and above all, to understand timing and not be daunted by the ‘count the beats’ approach.
In summary ski-hill is a visual representation of a meter and can be applied to all music. Inspired by the work of Prof Richard Cohn, Battell Professor of the Theory of Music at Yale University, I remember when Andrea first became interested in this pedagogical tool and experimented with her own students to test and refine the process. This has been highly successful – this book is the result – and she has now shared those experiences with the teaching community.
As Calilhanna observes: “Ski-hill graph provides a modern psychoacoustic approach to the pedagogy of meter and shows how the process benefits student learning beginning with foundational skills”.
Recommended for your studio as a new and exciting approach to learning meter and fostering students’ love and
understanding of music. Beautifully illustrated with type-set easy to read, the resource is self-published and can be purchased via Amazon. There are also several videos available via YouTube and an app Stereo Metronome.
Republished with permission from The Studio, the magazine of the Music Teachers’ Association of NSW, August 2024.
💬 Review by Margaret Brandman
Margaret Brandman
Andrea Calilhanna’s book details a fascinating and extremely thorough investigation into meter and pulse, along with strategies for teachers and students to investigate works they are studying, using her CLAP, TAP, & MAP system.
The book draws inspiration from the contemporary meter theory of Yale University music theorist Richard Cohn. Through her teaching and research, Andrea seeks to simplify a myriad of meter concepts across a wide range of genres—from classical to World music—where rhythms move beyond traditional duple, triple, and quadruple meters into more complex patterns of 5, 7, or 11 beats per bar.
Her strategies foster active listening, notation decoding, and visualization skills, encouraging students to internalize rhythmic structures through techniques like double-knee clapping—something I have personally found very effective in my own teaching. The ski-hill graphs she uses help students grasp both the mathematical and expressive elements of meter, guiding their phrasing and understanding of beat hierarchies.
Congratulations to Andrea for this in-depth exploration of meter and for developing such a practical, innovative approach. I’m confident that both educators and students will benefit greatly from the tools she has created.
— Margaret Brandman,
Music Educator, Author, Composer, Performer, and Recording Artist
🎵 Why This Review Matters
Margaret Brandman is one of Australia’s most respected figures in music education. With decades of experience and a vast portfolio of published educational materials and performances, her endorsement affirms the academic and practical value of this book for music teachers and learners worldwide.
📚 Where to Get the Book
Ski-Hill Graphs Pedagogy – Meter Fundamentals is available now on Amazon and other major retailers.
👉 Click here to buy the book and explore innovative strategies to teach and understand meter like never before.
