Shape note singing

1. What does shape notes mean in music?
2. Why is it called shape note?
3. What shapes do the shape note sing?
4. Is Shape note singing used today?

What does shape notes mean 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.).

Why is it called shape note?

They were called shape notes because, instead of drawing all of the music scale's seven notes with round shapes, each note was represented by either a triangle, square, oval, or diamond shape, called fa, sol, la, or mi, depending on its position in the scale.

What shapes do the shape note sing?

The shape-note method of singing from written music first appeared in a book called The Easy Instructor, printed in 1801. It used four syllables for the seven notes of the scale and gave each syllable a distinctive note head: a triangle for fa, an oval for sol, a rectangle for la, and a diamond for mi.

Is Shape note singing used today?

Shape-note singing originated in New England, but became extremely popular in the South. ... While the use of this system of learning and singing hymns declined in the early to mid- twentieth century, there were some communities where it remained strong, and it has enjoyed a revival today, especially in the South.