How do you sing in shape notes?

Lead them in a very slow singing of a major scale using the shapes. Start by singing fa at any medium-range, comfortable pitch, and then move up the scale with sol, la, fa, sol, la, mi, fa. Try singing back down: fa, mi, la, sol, fa, la, sol, fa. Sing the scale again in a different key.

Where did shape-note singing originated?

Shape-note singing originated in New England, but became extremely popular in the South. Singing was a community and social event as well as a religious gathering. Various church choirs often came together formally or informally to sing outside of church services.

What is a shape-note in music?

Shape notes are a variant system of Western musical notation whereby the note heads are printed in distinct shapes to indicate their scale degree and solmization syllable (fa, sol, la, etc.).

What is the purpose of shape-note singing?

“It’s a way of bringing four different, very independent melodic lines together,” Pen explains. “What we’re really talking about is musical harmony creating social harmony.” He explains that though shape-note singing was designed to teach people how to sing, it also served as a way for communities to socialize.

What was the original purpose of the shape-note system of singing?

The notation, introduced in late 18th century England, became a popular teaching device in American singing schools. Shapes were added to the noteheads in written music to help singers find pitches within major and minor scales without the use of more complex information found in key signatures on the staff.

Do re mi learn to sing?

Everyone knows the Do Re Mi song from the Sound of Music and this famous song is actually a really good way to teach children how to read and sing musical notes. Do Re Mi or ‘Tonic Sol-fa’ is a traditional and very effective way to teach the concept of intervals and the sound of each note of the scale.