Music: The Call-and-Response Technique
Music, at times, can seem like a conversation when using the compositional technique, known as call-and-response. Simply put a musical phrase serves as a call and another musical phrase responds to it. The call and response can be vocals; it can also be comprised of instruments or even both. One uniquely beautiful use of both an instrument and vocals that made use of calling and responding is BB King’s songs. He would sing the call and respond with his guitar. Call and responses are not limited to statements; they can be questions as well. There is no fast and hard set rule when it comes to making use of this technique.
The call-and-response technique was traditionally found in African music, and that’s where its roots lay. In traditional African music, the call and response were typically comprised of vocals; however, it has opened the door for so many amazing things. You’ve probably heard quite a few examples of this technique throughout your life. One very common example is in church when a pastor or the chorus sings or says a line, and the audience repeats it.
Call-and-responses are a fantastic way to get your audience to interact with music (particularly in live performances). This technique can be used in many different types of music, too from classical to Latin music and everything in between. Experiment around with different musical techniques and always seek to expand your repertoire and skill set. Doing that will make you a very accomplished musician, one that is set apart from the rest. You may even find yourself blending and combining different elements to create something entirely new. As William Pollard once said, “Learning and innovation go hand in hand. The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow”.