Solkattu is a traditional way of learning and practicing rhythms through vocalizations of nonsense syllables stemming from South Indian Carnatic music. Traditionally, most percussionists, vocalists, instrumentalists, and dancers all learn these syllables and rhythms first and then add the sounds of the drum, the pitches of the music, or the dance movements to the rhythmic vocalizations later on.
This practice includes a simple stepping cycle with some hand clapping patterns along with moving vocalization lines for a comprehensive immersion into a full body rhythmic experience
The fact that this rhythmic system of learning doesn’t use numbers helps a lot of people feel the rhythms in a different way. David likes sharing and teaching this way of embodying rhythms because it’s a great way to really internalize the rhythms from the inside, and because it’s a really fun and accessible process for everyone. Using vocal syllables that don’t have any logical meaning to them, instead of using numbers to keep time, helps us to get off of the habit of trying to use the analytical left side of the brain for such tasks and helps us to use and stay on the creative right side of the brain for the act of rhythm and music playing.
In performance, Solkattu is traditionally called Konnakol. David loves that the art of this rhythm practice has a different name than the art of performing the same material. It means that it’s about creating and experimenting with the different ways that different rhythmic cycles feel in our bodies. The experience of participating in a Solkattu circle or workshop is definitely more like socializing or having a musical conversation through rhythmic means, than it is like sitting down and studying rhythm theory. It’s a full body experience that connects folks together, creates smiles and deepens your relationship to rhythm. It’s all about learning to trust our bodies with rhythmic tasks inside different rhythmic cycles. This is one of David and Arlyn’s favorite way to teach rhythm to groups of people. The feeling that they got from this practice inspired them to name their school, band and business, Embodying Rhythm.
For your rhythmic vocalization and embodiment practice and pleasure, here is a downloadable solkattu file with a grid look at Chatusra (family of four) and Tisra (family of three) in 1st,2nd, and 3rd speeds with the talas (hand claps and fingers movements) and the stepping cycles:
Below is a video of David and Arlyn performing their “Solkattu Conversation” on tour in 2012. It starts in Adi Tala (the family of 8 pulses per phrase) and then goes into Mishra Tala (the family of 7 pulses per phrase).