90.114Apply it to “Happy Birthday”

Use its rhythm as a laboratory.

First play the melody normally.

Then take just one characteristic rhythmic gesture from the opening phrase.

Use it as:

• LH bass response
• chordal fill
• interlude rhythm
• tag rhythm

while avoiding literal melodic repetition.

On the final phrase, return the original melodic rhythm clearly.

The result should feel unified without excessive reharmonization.