How to "Du De": The Gordon/Froseth Rhythm Syllable System Explained

[@joshuafugate9648]

This is very easy to understand! Thanks!

[@TheImprovingMusician]

Glad it was helpful!

[@cronkitepercussion]

Straining to see an improvement over other rhythm learning systems.

[@lbrewer175]

this system makes a lot of sense! 4 & 5 year olds can do this very accurately

[@TheImprovingMusician]

They sure can!

[@onevoicemusictrainingcente620]

This is Awesome, Andy! I am sharing this with my studio students and parents Your work is making it so much easier to transition my piano studio to MLT

[@TheImprovingMusician]

Terrific! Very nice to hear. :)

[@garrettfernando7415]

I guess it's kinda off topic but do anyone know of a good website to watch newly released tv shows online?

[@andersonjude3342]

@Garrett Fernando flixportal

[@maxx27i]

Thank you for the great explanation!

[@TheImprovingMusician]

You're welcome! Glad it resonated with you.

[@craigsproston7378]

I am from the UK is there anyway I can get hold of the Froseth system in terms of how to teach it sequentially ie starting from the beginning until it's conclusion i.e. getting hold of a course? I am an instrumental teacher. Thank you

[@TheImprovingMusician]

Hi Craig. There are some free courses on my website which teach rhythm fundamentals and make use of this syllable system: theimprovingmusician.com/courses/ Hope this helps!

[@camara1194]

Is there a book of this that I can find? I would like to learn more of this method and study one on one because I truly was not music theory anything in a way that is tangible. I’m a pop songwriter and love to learn the HOW what i’m doing even better.

[@TheImprovingMusician]

Hi. Yes, there is a free course here: theimprovingmusician.com/courses/rhythm-fundamentals/ And a book: theimprovingmusician.com/product/the-literate-musician/ Good luck!

[@LetzBeaFranque]

The DuDe abides.

[@TheImprovingMusician]

Those syllables really tie my curriculum together, man!

[@vgfjr505]

What about rest? Are they silent? You don’t slaughter anything or do you count? For example, what happens with a rest on the third beat of 4/4? Is it du du 3 du, or du du du, or du du sh du?

[@TheImprovingMusician]

Hi. Rests are merely audiated and felt but not performed.

[@musodave]

Thanks Andy, I’ve only just discovered your channel and Music Learning Theory and I’m looking forward to exploring more. I love what I’ve seen and heard already and this is a great overview. I have a question about the use of ‘ta’ for the division, as I find it hard to articulate especially at speed. I would find a sound like ‘ga’ easier, a bit like wind/brass double tonguing. Otherwise this is great stuff

[@TheImprovingMusician]

Hey Dave. Thanks for the nice shout-out. Lots of stuff to explore here and more coming! Regarding divisions: Try to think about the "ta" as more of a "tuh" syllable....a bit of a schwaa syllable. With a little practice, it rolls off the tongue pretty smoothly. Many of us use the "ga" sound for other things: 16th note triplets, for example, are Du-Ga-Da De-Ga-Da, which is where that double tonguing really comes in handy! For further subdivision of the beat, I use "ka". (Du-ka-Ta-ka De-Ka-Ta-Ka) Neither of these were ever initiated by Dr. Gordon, but they work well for many of us. Good luck!

[@musodave]

The Improving Musician thanks for prompt reply

[@stevezivin3283]

Thanks for very clear presentation. I do have a question. For the past couple of years I've been using the "Takadimi" counting system with my beginning gen. ed. and secondary piano classes at a university. (I was just doing traditional number counting, but they kept confusing finger numbers with counting, ugh.) Anyway, It seems like the Takadimi system is similar to MLT method. For example, in Takadimi the "beat" is always "TA" like "DU" is the macrobeat in MLT. ""Di" seems to be parallel to the microbeat "DE", It seems to be a parallel counting system. There is a deviation with the divisions as Takadimi uses both "Ka" and "mi" instead of the single syllable "TA". But the method of using the syllables seems to be the same as MLT. I'm always trying to up my teaching game and am interested in MLT. I don't come from a K-12 background, so this is all pretty new to me. So, finally my questions; What would you say is/are the essential practical differences between MLT and Takadimi and what might I be gaining from switching to MLT. Thanks. By the way, I've been going through your "Literate Musician" book and web course materials. Love it.

[@TheImprovingMusician]

Hi Steve, Thanks for the great question! There are many similarities between Takadimi and the MLT syllables. And if you're having success with Takadimi, that's terrific. The main difference is that Takadmi is ALMOST a beat-function solfege system, but not exactly. The fact that they use different syllables for divisions of the beat (Ka and Mi) doesn't lend itself to teaching FUNCTION as the MLT syllable system does. We use specific syllables for specific FUNCTION, rather than the parts of the beat. So, with Takadimi, you're almost forcing students to count prematurely. Also, it is not quite as enrhythmic as it claims to be since there are different syllables for 3/4 and 6/8 (if I remember correctly). In addition, there are no provisions for syllables for unusual meter, except that they add an extra syllable for 5. In my opinion - since you asked! - the Gordon/Froseth syllables are superior, and are better for teaching an internal audiational logic, and are a worthwhile investment in time, especially if you're hoping to teach within the confines of an MLT-inspired classroom. Hope this helps! ~Andy

[@stevezivin3283]

​@@TheImprovingMusician Yes! I did indeed ask---Thank you for your reply. And yes, you do remember correctly re: 3/4 & 6/8. I do like the consistency of MLT. The word enrhythmic I had not heard before, but it makes perfect sense. I'll have to get myself to a MLT workshop one of these days. In the meantime, I just downloaded the new e-book on "teaching the language of music" Looking forward to working with it. I appreciate all your videos on audiation and your classroom teaching demonstrations. They are terrific!

[@geronimosilva4394]

@@TheImprovingMusician So the syllables of the divisions are not functional? So they are identical, always ta. The functional syllables are Du de, Du da di eg?

[@TheImprovingMusician]

@@geronimosilva4394 Are you talking about Takadimi or the Gordon syllables?

[@geronimosilva4394]

@@TheImprovingMusician Gordon's syllables, the tas that comes after: du ta de ta du ta da ta di ta

[@gdandrea8765]

I believe Froseth's came first...

[@조성민-b1t4z]

경인교대 손들엇!