The Rhythm of Language

"LP Record: Perspectives in Percussion" by DanCentury is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 .

I’m sure this isn’t news to you, but language has a rhythm. Poets and lyricists use the rhythm of language to intensify their message or (occasionally) to create ambiguity. For example, if the message is about societal expectations versus true feelings, the words and the rhythm might be at odds. The words might be glum while the rhythm is quick and spirited, or the words might be about happy things while the poem or song marches along in a sober sort of way. Not only that, each language has its own rhythm, which often causes trouble in the translation of metered poetry. This is part of why some translations of Dante or Moliere seem so much better than others even to those of us who can’t possibly rate the translation on the accuracy of its meaning.

So how does this relate to music? How can music students use this knowledge to help them with their learning and practice? There are a few ways we can make our knowledge of a language work for us as musicians. We can use language to help us get a feel for the rhythm and meter of the pieces we play and we can use it to help us subdivide the beat in different ways.

First, acknowledge that your native language has a distinctive meter (speed of speech and frequency of regular emphasis) and rhythm that is not shared by any other language. In fact, the rhythm of your dialect probably is noticeable when you compare it to the rhythmic qualities of speech from other regions of your own country. The speed of speech varies just as much from one region to another. (I find both of these things particularly noticeable in national politics, and I occasionally play a private game of “where-is-this-politician-from?”) This will also affect your sense of phrasing when you are playing songs.

Next, pay attention to the beat that underlies the things you say. Choose a few phrases that you use regularly and see if you can clap a beat to them. Small talk works particularly well for this, as many people ask the same questions using the same words. “What do you think of the weather?” has three beats when I say it. Like this: “Whaddya thinkofthe weather?” Give it a try! I think you’ll find that many of the things you say will fit very nicely into a standard meter.

When you sit down to practice, you can also use words to help you accurately subdivide the beat. Let’s say that the piece you are learning has a quarter-note beat with some eighth notes, some sixteenths, and some triplets. You might struggle with the transition from sixteenths to triplets, but you can make it easier on yourself if you consider that you go back and forth between the two regularly. Clap or tap a beat and, as evenly as possible, say the word “blueberry” or the word “technical.” Both of these words are triplets. Now fit “watermelon” or “Mississippi” into that same beat. Can you go back and forth evenly? “Mississippi Technical” and “blueberry watermelon” are both easy to say. Keep going until you get it steady. You can take care of the eighth notes using all sorts of nice words, from walnuts to racecars.

Now you are ready to apply it to your song. Congratulations!