Shape notes (and here there is a distinction between Sacred Harp) use a different note head shape for each of the tones of the scale. Just as that song was used to teach the children to sing, those same syllables are still used today to teach people to sight read music. The tones of this scale and the syllables we use for the names of those tones have foreven been immortalized in "DO-RE-MI" by Rogers and Hammerstein in The Sound of Music. If you can sing at all, you can sing this scale. In the Western World, we have all grown up listening to music based on the Major Diatonic Scale. Members of the churches of Christ operate several summer singing schools in the South that stress shape notes, in both sight singing and even writing harmony. Since these groups sing a cappella (without instrumental accompaniment), they see the need for helps like shape notes. Very few denominations still use share notes but there are some, especially the Churches of Christ (non-instrumental) and some Baptist. Yet, it is the lack of music education on the part of both our song directors and members in general that is hurting our singing the most and that is true whether the congregation is using a cappella music or accompaniment. Most churches are willing to allow whatever music training their members will get to come from either public education or the music departments of our colleges. After all, they will have the vocal student for several years, not the few days available to us in summer singing schools. Since our institutions of higher learning usually base their instruction methods on instruments, they see no need for any useful helps (they call them "crutches") in vocal instruction, considering them so much extra baggage. Shape notes never did become the standard because instrumentalists opposed them. That character notes must eventually become the standard notation of the country is evident, and only becomes a question of time." Shrewd business men are beginning to discover the vast strength which this system of notation is developing, and are showing a willingness to aid and abet that system which certain musicians, years ago, pronounced a dangerous delusion. "Aside from these endorsements, however, there are many others of equal importance. Especially of late years has it gained strength and volume, until many of the publishing houses of influential Christian denominations have endorsed it. Its growth, like that of the Alpine avalanche, has been slow but, like an avalanche, it seems now ready to sweep before it all opposing obstacles. "This system is not an old one, as some suppose, but is the reformed notation of a progressive age, and has been steadily gaining in public favor. Hence, the reading of notes is greatly simplified, and the learner finds no difficulty in singing by note in any of the keys and this shape (that of Do) is the keynote, wherever found upon the staff. Its special advantage over round notes consists in representing each note of the scale by a distinct character. "The peculiar system of notation used in this book is of modern date, being the invention of J. ![]() For some additional information, visit this history archive.įrom SHINING LIGHT - a hymnal published in 1879 by Ruebush, Kieffer and Co. It is a system of notation only and does not involve special arrangements as does sacred harp. This method, here called the “eight note” method for lack of a better description, does not introduce into the picture anything new that a vocal student would not already be aware of except the seven shapes themselves, one for each tone of the scale. The Aiken seven note system is actually used by several publishing companies in their hymnals and is in use by thousands of congregations around the United States for their main song book. For a discussion on sacred harp and links to other related sites, visit Ishmael on Shape Notes. But this "sacred harp" shape note method only finds use in singing conventions whose main purpose is to preserve the use of this four shape method. This method of shape note notation gets more attention, especially on the web, than the other because of its novelty and the interest of those who wish to preserve it. ![]() Both are usually associated with Christian music. There are two main shape note methods in use today.
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