Call and response — Art, 4–6
One person makes a sound or sings a short phrase, and another answers. This helps you listen, remember and join in.
What call and response means
In music, one voice or instrument makes a short sound: that is the call. Another voice or instrument answers it, often with the same sound or a changed one. You can hear this when a singer says a phrase and a group repeats it.
Why musicians use it
When everyone makes music at once, it can become hard to know when to join in. A call gives you something to listen for, and the answer gives you a clear turn. People have used this idea in songs, games and work chants because it brings a group together.
Try it with claps
First, clap three times: clap, clap, clap. Wait, so the other person can hear the whole call. Then they answer with two claps: clap, clap. Now change the call to one long clap and one short clap, and make the answer the same; listen before you reply.
The answer comes too soon
A common mistake is to answer after the first clap or note. It is a reasonable mistake: your body wants to join in as soon as it hears a sound. Instead, wait until the caller has finished and leave a tiny quiet space before your answer.
Where you may hear it
You may hear call and response in a playground chant, a song at home, a concert or a dance class. A leader can sing a phrase and a group can answer, so many people can make music together without learning a long song first.
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