Beginning to Intone

A "Music is the Key" Project

"From the text of the wondrous, heavenly Scriptures they should memorize phrases and passages bearing on various instances, so that in the course of their speech they may recite divine verses whenever the occasion demandeth it... So potent is their influence that the hearer will have no cause for vacillation." --Bah�'u'll�h, Tablets of Bah�'u'll�h, p.200

Beginning to Intone

After chanting at Bah�'� functions I am often asked how one goes about intoning. Parents especially seem to want to know how to teach their children chanting. In other cultures the art of chanting is passed down from generation to generation, but Americans do not have this tradition.

Of course an easy way to start is by listening to chants already recorded on tape and memorizing them. But, I always say that the best way to start is with just one sentence. Choose something that is meaningful to you and speak the sentence out loud. Repeat the sentence over and over. Repeat the sentence until you hear a rhythm to the words. Rhythmically clap, or walk in place while you speak the words. Place special stress or emphasis on the words which are important to you by lengthening them in the rhythm. If you hear a nice melody in your head as you repeat the words, great, if not, don't worry, just begin singing your rhythm on one or two notes. The most important thing is just to start learning the process, to take the plunge and try something new.

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