Tonal and Rhythm Activities are sung on a neutral syllable, as words get in the way of children’s perception of the music.  Using one syllable for Rhythm Activities and another for Tonal Activities helps to distinguish tonal from rhythm, making music acquisition easier.  “Bah,” is the choice for Rhythm Activities, as it serves the delivery of rhythm with its easy percussive consonant, while opening to a natural “ah” vowel sound.  “Too,” is the choice for Tonal Activities for a very different reason.  The use of the tongue aids with intonation.  “Tonguing” each syllable, (beginning each syllable with “T,”) helps the singer to sing better in tune.  Further, “oo” is a pure vowel sound that is easier to sing in tune than the more open, “ah.”  Experiment with your own singing.  You are likely to find that you, too, sing more precisely in tune on “Too” than you do if you sing the Tonal Activities on “La” or “Bum.”