Sixteenths divide the beat into four. At first, tap them rather than clap: fingers can move faster than hands.
Say the syllables out loud before you tap. If the four notes are not evenly spaced, the timing chart will show the third one arriving early.
| Figure | Count | Kodály syllables |
|---|---|---|
| Four sixteenths | 1 e & a | ti-ka-ti-ka |
A sixteenth note has two flags, or two beams when several are joined together. Four sixteenths fill one quarter-note beat, and two fill an eighth. They are the shortest notes in most everyday music, which is why a bar full of them looks black and busy on the page.
Each beat gets four syllables: "1 e & a, 2 e & a". The number is on the click, "&" is halfway, and "e" and "a" sit in the gaps. Say it slowly and evenly first, then tap along. In Kodály-based teaching the same four notes are spoken "ti-ka-ti-ka" (some teachers say "ti-ri-ti-ri"), which is easier to say quickly.
At 60 BPM, sixteenths are four notes a second. Clapping that fast is tiring and imprecise, so tap with two fingers on a table, or alternate the F and J keys. Aim for four taps of equal strength and spacing.
When that is steady, raise the tempo in small steps of about 4 BPM, and stop raising it as soon as the notes become uneven. Speed comes from evenness, not the other way round.