Music
jazz
Discover: Ragtime Piano
Best Age
Best Age
wk 12–104
Category
Music
Audio Track & Sing-Along Available in BabyNook
Listen to the full song, vocal melody, and soothing instrumental tracks directly in the BabyNook app.
About this music
Ragtime was the first major African-American musical genre to achieve nationwide popularity in the United States, flourishing between the 1890s and 1920s. It is characterised by a syncopated melody — the notes land just off the expected beat — played over a steady, march-like bass. Scott Joplin, its most celebrated composer, elevated ragtime into an art form with pieces like Maple Leaf Rag (1899) and The Entertainer (1902). The jaunty, slightly unpredictable rhythm of ragtime delights young ears and gently trains them to hear rhythmic complexity.
How to do it (Step by step)
- Tap the steady bass beat with one hand and the wiggly melody with another.
- Play it during a meal and see if it changes the mood.
- Ask: 'Did you hear that surprise?' when a syncopated note lands.