rhythm when it starts in the morning. Maybe your dog barks in a rhyth-
mic pattern. Maybe someone is hammering down the street or your door
or mailbox makes a rhythmic creaking noise. Whatever it is, if it has
rhythm, you can use it in your composition.- Notice the tempo of your walking.
Most people settle into a habitual pace when they walk. Try to change it
up today. Go a little faster or slower and see how that feels. Try to feel
the upbeats between your footsteps as you walk. What kind of melody
suggests itself when you listen to the rhythm of your walk?- Notice the unconscious rhythms of human interactions.
Notice the rhythm of conversation while you are chatting with friends,
for example. Most activities have a generally accepted “normal” pace
that we almost always adhere to. How do you feel when someone moves
too slow or too fast for the circumstances? What makes you slow your
pace or speed it up? And most importantly, how can these things be
incorporated into your music?- Write or copy three short sentences and notate their rhythms.
Is the meter of the sentence four beats to a measure or three? Where
are the accents? Which syllables move the melody up and which move
it down?- Analyze several of your favorite songs or compositions.
Can you find rhythmic phrases that recur? How many variations can you
find of the same phrase? How many different phrases were used? How
do the rhythmic phrases interact with the melody choices?- Pick a rhythmic phrase from these exercises that you would like to
develop for future use.
Chapter 4: Rhythm and Mood 39