shape note singing

Feb 16, 2008 13:15


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robo_tom February 17 2008, 11:35:09 UTC
I don't understand... is it just like normal music, but with shapes instead of the little round notes? how would that sound any different? sorry I'm such a music retard.

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naqerj February 18 2008, 02:10:15 UTC
robo_tom February 18 2008, 02:36:33 UTC
I read about it, but I still don't understand the difference between that and the standard way... maybe it's because I never formally studied music, and don't understand the terminology... I have only studied Korean music, and I'm told it's much different from western styles - in terms of the math/timing/rythm whatever... originally it was built off of chinese notation with a character for each note - which seems similar to the shape note thing..

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rublevpupil February 18 2008, 03:25:30 UTC
My whole point with bringing it up in the first place is the way it sounds. Its not really 4 part harmony, like (western) Classical Music. Instead, the chords are built very often with "5ths" instead of "3rds". I dont quite understand terminology enough to explain what this means, but a 5th sounds dissonant to our ears, a 3rd doesnt. Notes are notes, on the other hand- they serve the same function no matter how they look.

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robo_tom February 18 2008, 12:08:26 UTC
I guess I may never understand... I don't even know what harmony is - haha

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naqerj February 18 2008, 12:27:06 UTC
If a scale is eight notes ascending on a scale, a third is the interval between the first and third pitches (do and mi for Italians, ni and vou for Greeks), while a fifth is the interval between the first and fifth pitches (do and sol for Italians, ni and dhi for Greeks). (Thus, a fifth is actually the distance of two thirds-from the first to the third pitches and from the third to the fifth.)

These intervals can be placed elsewhere on the scale, of course (i.e., not starting at do or ni), but it's the distance from that first pitch which is the "prototype" of the interval.

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