Rhythm dialogue stimulates musical interaction, conversation, improvisation. It gives the musical mind a chance to generate its own meaning, with the scaffolding of one who understands the “language,” responds to intended meaning, and models more developed skill at every stage. Similarly, young children learn language by becoming immersed in the language and then interacting with one who understands the language, responds to the child’s meaning, sometimes clarifying or expanding what the child is trying to say, and models more complex communication with every interaction.
Rhythm dialogue activities invite rhythmic interaction between student and teacher, with the teacher setting up and maintaining the meter in support of the student and the musical narrative in process. The teacher offers basic patterns that define the meter and responds to students’ attempts to deliver in the meter. Rhythm dialogue is on a neutral syllable without tonal, but with vocal expression as in conversation. Delivering rhythm with the inflection of a question invites a rhythmic answer. With a beginner, the teacher may need to simply leave room for the student’s response, until the student begins to fill the rhythmic space with rhythm dialogue. If a student’s not-so-rhythmic response derails the meter, the teacher can offer a pattern with macro and micro beats that re-defines the meter. Some students will repeat the teacher’s delivery, some will contribute their own. Both are fine responses and part of the process of learning to dialogue rhythmically. Sometimes, the teacher might offer a pattern that clarifies what the teacher thinks the student is trying to deliver. Sometimes the teacher can offer a pattern slightly beyond the student’s ability, expanding the student’s rhythm vocabulary.
Rhythm dialogue serves music learning best with one student at a time, even if just one pattern per student. It can, however, also be effective with a class, first with the class repeating the patterns of the teacher, and then with everybody delivering their own patterns in response to the teacher’s. The teacher scaffolds the group just as an individual, setting up the meter, offering a pattern that re-defines the meter as needed, and offering the occasional pattern beyond the level of the class. Together, teacher and students “spin a rhythm story,” moving back and forth from teacher to students, whether individuals or group, without missing a beat, so the entire experience becomes one of immersion in the meter over an extended time.
Verbalizations deemed necessary should precede the activity, as talking necessarily stops the meter and the experience of immersion. Non-verbal communication, such as offering the hand as a microphone to invite individual response, can be effective. Language interrupts rhythm dialogue, derails the meter, and defeats the purpose of the activity. Explanations about rhythm dialogue are not needed, but rather, the creating of an ongoing rhythm narrative, with all responses accepted within the experience. Modeling, interacting, and conversing in rhythm itself teaches rhythm far more than words.
Rhythm dialogue on percussion instruments requires greater skill, with instrumental technique necessary on top of rhythm knowing. Students can play an instrument only as rhythmically as they can deliver vocally and in movement. The experience of dialoguing vocally one-on-one with a more developed musician can serve a lifetime of music making, giving voice to ever-growing rhythm skill.
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