The unique language of jazz is based upon conventional theories. Acquiring a working knowledge of this language requires individuals to develop a chronological awareness of its history, music, and artists before fluent communication can take place. However, when teaching various types of jazz articulations, they can be somewhat questionable and difficult to articulate. For example, highly skilled jazz educators have syllabic differences when describing or interpreting jazz articulations. Factors contributing to these syllabic differences could be as simple as a composer's or an arranger's compositional style, or even an individual's musical background. To alleviate the confusion, here are some suggestions that might help you become more consistent with your syllabic choices. For this article, I have chosen three types of jazz articulations based upon their regularity in jazz literature.

For example, the staccato (.) note in jazz is articulated by pronouncing the syllables "dut, dat, or dit." The marcato (^) quarter note is articulated by pronouncing the syllables "dut, dat, or dot," and the (>) quarter note is articulated by pronouncing the syllables "dah, dut, or bah." Are you confused yet? You should be! If you notice "dut" was introduced for all three articulations and "dat" was introduced for two of the articulations. How do we determine which syllable is appropriate for each articulation? The answer is, "it's in the music!" So let's discuss some of the factors that are involved when determining the appropriate syllable for each jazz articulation.

When teaching jazz articulations there are several factors you must take into consideration before determining which syllables are more appropriate for a particular style of jazz literature. First, ask yourself, "What is the style of the composition?" Is the style of the composition related to the writing style of a specific artist or confined to funk, Latin, rock, swing, ballad, bebop, ECM, straight eighth, bossa nova, etc. Second, what is the tempo of the composition? The tempo of a composition can vastly affect the syllables used for each articulation as it pertains to a specific style. For example, the greater the tempo, note duration decreases, thus making the pronunciation of the syllable lighter and less weighted. For slower tempos, note duration increases, thus making the pronunciation of the syllable longer and more weighted. So should we use different syllables for varying tempos? The answer is "yes."

For example, marcato accents (^) used in a swing chart with tempo markings ( = 100) to ( = 140) are articulated with a heavier weighted syllable, preferably "daht." In comparison, marcato accents (^) used in a swing chart with tempo markings ( = 160) to ( = 200) or faster, require the syllable "dot," which is less weighted, shorter, and easily spoken at a faster tempo. The purpose for the use of these two syllables is that tempo dictates note duration within each measure. We must allow for increased note duration when dealing with slower tempos. With faster tempos, note duration decreases utilizing less space within a measure. Therefore, specific syllables become more appropriate based on tempo. These basic principles can be applied to several other styles of jazz literature.

As we look at the staccato (.) note, the pronunciation of the syllable "dit" is the shortest in comparison to "dut" or "dat." Remember, the tempo dictates which syllables are more appropriate to use. I prefer to use the "dit" syllable because the vowel sound is much lighter and shorter than the other two syllables mentioned. Plus, it places the tongue in the proper position for wind players. The syllable "dit" can be used with any type of compositional style. However, when using the "dit" syllable at a slower tempo, you will create greater space between each note, which may cause the tempo to increase. Therefore, "dut" or "dat" may be more appropriate. When tempo markings are greater than ( = 160) the syllable "dit" will be the best choice. It is lighter, shorter, and easily spoken.

Let's look at the (>) accent. Earlier, I stated that there were three different syllables used for this accent "dah, dut, and bah." This accent puts the weight on the front of the note, as for the other two accents, the weight is placed in the middle of the note. When describing the (>) accent, it is to receive full value and treated more as a breath accent instead of a tongue accent. The syllable "dut" does not produce a full value note. Therefore, when teaching the (>) accent, the syllables "dah" and "bah" are more appropriate for all compositional styles than the syllable "dut." However, when we discuss tempo, the tempo of the composition may affect our decision as to which syllable is more conducive to a particular style. When discussing the "dah" syllable, the pronunciation of this syllable provides a natural placement for the tongue of wind players and is easily spoken at faster tempos. The "bah" syllable, which is a little more weighted, makes it more conducive for slower tempos.

As you cipher through the number of jazz educational materials, remember that tempo and style are the two most important factors when determining appropriate syllables. Mike Steinel's instructional book "Essential Elements for Jazz Ensembles," provides some excellent insight for beginners and novices on jazz articulations. There are also several articles by Gene Aitkens, Dean Sorenson, and many others discussing jazz articulations. In this article, I have tried to alleviate some of the confusion by sorting out these syllabic differences. When teaching jazz articulations, be consistent with your syllables. Find the ones that give you the best results when tempo and style are considered. The ones I have suggested above will bring clarity and consistency to each performance.