Resting tone is to tonal what beat is to rhythm—the underlying force. It is the pitch center around which the other pitches orbit; the magnetic force that draws all pitches to it. It is the home tone. The relationship of pitches to the resting tone determines tonality. Developing a sense of resting tone is essential to developing a sense of tonality and in-tune singing.
Resting Tone Activities provide for students to engage directly with resting tone. The activities are designed to reinforce resting tone in the musical mind and the relationship of pitches to that resting tone. A breath is built into the activities to prepare the musical mind as well as the breath, giving students the opportunity to both anticipate and sing the resting tone in response to several melodic segments, using breath to summon tonal knowing.
Responding to melodic segments with the resting tone is the most basic tonal dialogue. Non-verbally, resting tone activities invite students to respond to tonal with what they hear as the organizing force. The teacher sets up and maintains the tonality throughout; reinforcing the tonality by singing the tonal segments and then chiming in as necessary with the resting tone.
Resting tone activities serve music learning best with one student at a time singing the resting tone, even if just one tonal segment is offered to each student. The activity is also effective with a class responding with the breath and resting tone in unison. The back and forth interaction between teacher and student or students, without talking, provides for the entire experience to be one of immersion in the tonality over an extended time.
Talking necessarily interrupts immersion and tonal focus. There is no need to talk “about” the resting tone. Modeling, interacting, and relating in tonality itself teaches resting tone far more than explanations. Any talking that is deemed necessary can be spoken on the resting tone. Non-verbal communication, such as offering the hand as a microphone to invite individual response, can be effective. All responses are to be accepted, without comment or correction.
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