Ethan Hutchinson

MUSE 258

Sound Connections: Chapter 3

Don P. Ester
2010

Chapter 3 of Sound Connections discusses the differences between tonal and rhythmic

patterns and the effectiveness of the different systems. As an educator, I must be confident in

what I am teaching in order to teach the material well. One way I can be confident in what I am

teaching is to utilize a rhythmic and tonal system that allows me to break down melodies and

harmonies in simple parts so that I can teach them. If I am not confident in my role as the

teacher, how can I be expected to teach the material to students? The importance of having

effective tonal and rhythmic systems is what gives us the ability to learn music effectively. As

stated before, the systems should focus on the sight before sound approach, as that is the most

effective approach to teaching music literacy to students, especially at a young age. Staying

consistent with those tonal and rhythmic systems throughout the student’s educations will further

solidify their knowledge and abilities.

Becoming familiar with the two recommended systems of movable DO and the Ta-Ka-

Di-Mi tonal and rhythmic systems respectively, has greatly impacted my view on teaching basic

musical concepts. I have a much more centralized idea and method to teaching music literacy

using the movable DO and Ta-Ka-Di-Mi systems because they allow me to immediately assess

the students and provide quality feedback. As an educator, I should be open to learning about

new systems for teaching both, so that if the situation calls for it, I can adapt my teaching style to
accommodate a difference in learning style. We should be open as teachers to new ideas and

grow from the experience of experimenting with new systems.