How to "Du De": The Gordon/Froseth Rhythm Syllable System Explained
Summary
TLDRThe video script introduces the syllable system developed by Dr. Edwin Gordon, James Froth, and Albert Blazer, which revolutionizes rhythm counting in music by focusing on feeling rhythm rather than counting. It organizes rhythm into a language, independent of notation or music theory, and explains the concept of macro beats and micro beats in duple and triple meters. The system allows for the same rhythm pattern to be notated in various ways, emphasizing the auditory experience over traditional counting methods.
Takeaways
- 🎶 The syllable system is a rhythm counting method that focuses on feeling rhythm rather than counting it.
- 📚 Developed by Dr. Edwin Gordon, James Froth, and Albert Blazer, this system is used by musicians and music teachers to understand rhythm better.
- 🌐 It organizes rhythm into a language that can be spoken without the constraints of notation or music theory.
- 📊 Rhythm has two primary layers: macro beats (big beats) and micro beats (little beats).
- 🔄 Macro beats are the pulse of music and can be divided into two or three parts, which are micro beats.
- 🎵 Micro beats indicate the meter of the music; two micro beats indicate duple meter, and three indicate triple meter.
- 🗣️ Duple meter macro beats are chanted as 'do' regardless of the time signature, and micro beats as 'do day'.
- 🎵 In triple meter, the macro beat is chanted as 'do do do', and micro beats as 'do do', irrespective of the time signature.
- 📝 The syllable system allows the same rhythm pattern to be notated in various ways based on how it is felt.
- 🔍 Further division of the beat uses the syllable 'T' for macro beats and micro divisions.
- 🎼 The sound of a rhythm pattern does not change even when notated in different time signatures, emphasizing the importance of feeling over notation.
Q & A
What is the focus of the video script provided?
-The focus of the video script is the syllable system developed by Dr. Edwin Gordon, James Feierabend, and Albert Blazer, which is a rhythm counting system for musicians and music teachers based on feeling rhythm rather than counting.
How does the syllable system differ from traditional counting methods in music?
-The syllable system differs by focusing on how rhythm is felt and organizing it into a language, rather than relying on counting, notation, or music theory.
What are the two primary layers of rhythm according to the syllable system?
-The two primary layers of rhythm are big beats (macro beats) and little beats (micro beats).
What is the significance of macro beats and micro beats in the syllable system?
-Macro beats represent the pulse of music and can be divided into micro beats, which indicate the meter of the music, such as duple or triple meter.
How is the macro beat chanted in different meters?
-In duple meter, the macro beat is chanted as 'do' regardless of the time signature, while in triple meter, it is chanted as 'do do do'.
What do micro beats indicate in the syllable system?
-Micro beats indicate the meter of the music, with two micro beats indicating duple meter and three micro beats indicating triple meter.
How are micro beats chanted in duple meter?
-In duple meter, micro beats are chanted as 'do day do day' regardless of the time signature.
What is the purpose of the syllable 'T' in the syllable system?
-The syllable 'T' is used for further dividing the beat into divisions, allowing for more detailed rhythmic expression.
How does the syllable system handle rhythm patterns with different time signatures?
-The system organizes rhythm patterns based on how they are felt and audiated, allowing the same pattern to be notated in various ways without changing the sound.
What is the importance of the syllable system in music education?
-The syllable system provides an organizational framework for conveying musical thoughts, enhancing the understanding of rhythm and aiding in the teaching and learning process.
How does the syllable system approach rhythmic divisions in triple meter?
-In triple meter, rhythmic divisions are chanted with the syllable 'do' for macro beats and 'do do' for micro beats, with further divisions using the syllable 'T'.
Outlines
🎶 Introduction to Rhythm Syllable System
This paragraph introduces the rhythm syllable system, a method developed by Dr. Edwin Gordon, James Froth, and Albert Blazer, designed to help musicians and teachers feel and convey rhythm without relying on traditional counting. The system is centered around the concept of 'big beats' (macro beats) and 'little beats' (micro beats), which together form the foundational pulse of music. It explains how these beats can be divided differently to indicate different meters, such as duple or triple, and how the syllables used vary accordingly. The paragraph also discusses the importance of this system in organizing rhythm into a communicable language, independent of notation or music theory, and provides examples of how macro and micro beats are chanted in different time signatures, emphasizing the system's flexibility in rhythmic expression.
🥁 Application of Rhythm Syllable System in Triple Meter
The second paragraph delves into the application of the rhythm syllable system in triple meter. It explains that regardless of the time signature, the macro beat is chanted as 'do do do', while micro beats are chanted as 'do do'. The paragraph provides examples of how micro beats are articulated in various time signatures such as 3/4, 6/8, and 3/8. It also illustrates how further division of the beat is indicated using the syllable 'T' and presents rhythm patterns with divisions across different time signatures, highlighting that the sound of the pattern remains consistent despite the notation. The paragraph concludes with a demonstration of how to audiate the rhythm when the beat is elongated, by holding a syllable and focusing on the underlying macro and micro beats.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Rhythm counting systems
💡Syllable system
💡Beat
💡Macro beats
💡Micro beats
💡Duple meter
💡Triple meter
💡Audiation
💡Rhythmic function
💡Time signature
💡Notation
Highlights
The syllable system is a rhythm counting system developed by Dr. Edwin Gordon, James Feierabend, and Albert Blazer that focuses on feeling rhythm rather than counting.
The system organizes rhythm into a language that can be spoken without the constraints of notation or music theory.
Rhythm has two primary layers: big beats (macro beats) and little beats (micro beats).
Macro beats are the pulse of music and can be divided into two or three parts called micro beats.
Micro beats indicate the meter of the music, with two micro beats indicating duple meter and three indicating triple meter.
In duple meter, the macro beat is chanted as 'do' regardless of the time signature.
In duple meter, micro beats are chanted as 'do day', aligning with the macro beat.
The syllable system allows the same rhythm pattern to be notated in many different ways based on how it is felt.
Further dividing the beat into divisions uses the syllable 'T' for macro beats and 'do' for micro beats.
In triple meter, the macro beat is chanted as 'do do' regardless of the time signature.
In triple meter, micro beats are chanted as 'do do', aligning with the macro beat.
Further dividing the beat in triple meter uses the syllable 'T' for macro beats and 'do' for micro beats.
The sound of a rhythm pattern does not change when notated in different time signatures.
If the beat is elongated, the syllable is held and the underlying macro and micro beats are audiated.
The syllable system provides an organizational framework to convey musical thoughts.
The system allows for the expression of rhythmic ideas without being limited by traditional notation or music theory.
Different rhythm patterns can be explored and understood through the syllable system, regardless of time signature.
The syllable system offers a unique approach to teaching rhythm that emphasizes feeling and expression over strict counting.
Transcripts
there are many Rhythm counting systems
for musicians and music teachers there's
the one 2A T takad takad apple apple
watermelon pear and the beat function
syllable system developed by Dr Edwin
Gordon along with James froth and Albert
Blazer that is the focus of this video
the concept that sets this system apart
is that it is not based on Counting but
rather focuses on how one feels Rhythm
it is based on the beat and the various
functions or parts of the beat this
system organizes Rhythm into a language
of sorts that one can speak devoid of
the constraints of notation counting or
music theory if thought is to language
as audiation is to music we need an
organizational framework to convey our
musical thoughts this system provides
such a framework here's how it
works
implicit in this system is the knowledge
that Rhythm has layers the two primary
layers of Rhythm are big beats and
little beats or macro beats and micro
beats the Big Beat the macro beat is the
pulse of Music the macro beat can be
divided into two or three parts the
parts are called micro beats micro beats
tell us what meter we are in if we
divide a macro beat into two micro beats
we are in duple meter if we divide a
macro beat into to three micr beats we
are in triple meter the syllables we
will use will vary depending on the
meter and the rhythmic function let's
look at our two primary meters duple and
triple and see how the syllable system
[Music]
works when we are in duple meter we
chant the macro beat as
do so regardless of whether we are in 24
44 cut time 48 or 2116 the macro beat
the pulse is still chanted as do do do
do do do do do when we are in 2 four and
44 the quarter note is the macro beat do
do do do when we are in two two or cut
time the half note is the macro beat do
do do do when we are in 48 the eighth
note is the macro beat do do do
do micro beats in duple meter are
chanted as do day do day do day do day
regardless of the time
signature notice that when we chant
macro beats and micro beats concurrently
the do syllable always aligns with the
do day do day D day do day do day day
day day day when we are in 2 four and 44
the eighth note is the micr beat D Day D
Day D Day D day when we are in 2 two or
cut time the quarter note is the micr
beat D Day D Day D Day D day when we are
in 48 the 16th note is the micr beat D
day do day do day do day a big takeaway
from this system is that the same Rhythm
pattern can be notated in many different
ways this system organizes Rhythm first
on how it is felt and in turn
Audi if we further divide the beat into
a division we will use the syllable
T macro beats do do do
micro
divisions let's examine three Rhythm
patterns with divisions and see what
they would look like in different time
signatures notice that the sound of the
pattern does not change let's do the
pattern do today doday doday doday doday
doday doday doday doday doday doday do
today doday doday doday doday another
pattern do data do data do data do day
to do day to do day to do day to do day
to do day to do day to do day to do data
do data do data do data do
data another
pattern data data dat D dat D dat D dat
D dat D dat D dat dat D dat D dat D dat
D data D data D data if the beat is
elongated we simply hold a syllable and
audiate think the underlying macro beats
and micro
beats D day do
do day do do day do do day
[Music]
do when we are in triple meter
regardless of the time signature we
chant the macro beat as do do do do so
regardless of whether we are in 34 68 or
38 the macro beat the pulse is always is
do do do do do do do do do do do do
micro beats in triple meter are chanted
as do do regardless of the time
signature notice that when we chant
micro beats and macro beats concurrently
the do s syllable always aligns with the
D
D here are micro beats in three
different time
signatures D do do do do do do do doy
doy Dy
Dy just like in duple meter if we
further divide the beat into a division
we will use the syllable T macro beats
do divisions
now here's what they look like with
three different time
signatures
D let's look at three Rhythm patterns
with divisions and see what they would
look like in different time signatures
notice the sound of the pattern does not
change
d d d
D D D D
D D do
D do do D do do D do do D do do D do do
D do do D do do D do do D do do D do do
D do da D do da
D do da do
d d
d if the beat is a longed we simply hold
the syllable and audiate the underlying
macro beats and micro beats D do de
do do de do D de
doo D do de
[Music]
doo
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