The Magic of Syllables for Teaching Rhythm

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January 06, 2025 3 min read

We’ve all been there teaching rhythm: we demonstrate the rhythm, practice it with the student, they go home, and come back with the rhythm completely wrong.

Eighth notes sound like quarter notes and half notes sound like eighth notes.

Sound familiar?

Teaching rhythms can feel like trying to catch a waterfall—overwhelming and slippery!

But what if there was a simple way to make rhythms stick?

Enter the magic of rhythm syllables—your new best friend for teaching rhythm in a way that makes sense to students of all ages.

What Are Rhythm Syllables, Anyway?

Rhythm syllables can be the Kodály method of specific syllables for each note (“ta” for a quarter note, “ti-ti” for eighth notes, or “ta-a” for a half note).

Or, you can be creative and come up with your own rhythm syllables.

Why Do Syllables Work So Well for Teaching Rhythm?

I remember the first time I tried using syllables for a student instead of regular counting (“1, 2, 3, 4”).

This student was obsessed with spicy hot fries, so when we reached a pattern of eighth-eighth-quarter-quarter, I told her the rhythm with “spi-cy hot… fries…” instead of “1 and 2-and 3-and).

This rhythm she struggled with for weeks magically sounded perfect!

I couldn’t believe my ears!

Needless to say, I continued this method as much as possible!

Here’s why I think using syllables works so well for teaching rhythm:

1. Creating Your Own Rhythm Syllables Feels Natural

Using familiar words or words your students love is a very natural way to approach teaching rhythm.

If the student can master the rhythm for the phrase, you can use it over and over again.

For some students, you may want to carefully select words that naturally fit into a rhythm (e.g. “choc’late do-nut” could be four eighth notes whereas “ice cream” sounds more like quarter note half note).

2. Using Kodály Rhythm Syllables are Unique

If you’re using the Kodály method, the students are associating these syllables only with music.

Unlike counting “1, 2, 3, 4” where the student can brainlessly quote them–at any speed and interval–Kodály syllables are unique and help students to memorize specific rhythm patterns easily.

3. Rhythm Syllables are Easy to Remember

Have you ever noticed how kids remember silly rhymes or jingles? Syllables work the same way!

Once students get the hang of it, they’ll recall rhythms like they’re reciting their favorite rhyme.

And if you’re using their favorite words, they’ll get a kick out of creating a wild story by merging a bunch of foods together for a piece.

Make Teaching Rhythm Fun with a Game

Let’s be real: drilling rhythms can sometimes feel like your soul is slowly dying (and our students often feel that way too).

That’s where games come in!

And we have the perfect rhythm syllable game for you!

The original artwork for this game is a waterfall in Iceland that has rainbows year-round because of the flowing water.

Going with the rainbow theme, your students will review rhythm cards using syllables that feature fun colors.

What Your Student Will Learn:

Quarter notes
Eighth Notes
Sixteenth Notes
Triplets

Students will roll the special rhythm dice (included), place it on the gameboard, and clap the rhythms.

But there’s a catch!

While one student is actively clapping the rhythm, another student changes the rhythm they just clapped to another rhythm so that when the clapping student repeats the section, it’s completely different!

This will ensure that your students accurately learn the rhythms all while having a fun time!

>>> Get Rainbow Rhythm here

Get Even More Rhythm Practice with Boom™ Cards!

The Rainbow Rhythm Complete Bundle is a collection of four rhythm games designed to help students improve their rhythm recognition and notation skills.