Category:7-shape notation

For music in any 7-shape system, where there are 7 different shapes of note-head. Several different systems were devised, the main competitors being: J.B. Aikin (1846), A. Auld (1847), W.H. Swan (1848), J. Funk (1851) and W. Walker (1866). The most successful of these, the Aikin system (invented by Jesse Bowman Aikin and introduced in his Christian Minstrel, 1846), is still used to this day - although his clef-less notation did not catch on. Of the others, only Funk's, Swan's and Walker's are in (limited) use today.
Most often the shapes correspond to the syllables Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti (or variations thereof), derived from the ancient Guidonian system, and familiar from the song in The Sound of Music (as well as being the same syllables used for Tonic Sol-Fa). However, The Norristown Musical Teacher (1830), designed as a bridge between 4-shape notation and 7-syllable solfege, includes options for several sets of alternative syllables.

Aikin major $\relative c'' { \clef treble \override Staff.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \cadenzaOn \aikenHeads c,1 d e f g a b c } \addlyrics { do re mi fa sol la si do }$ Aikin minor $\relative c' { \clef bass \key a \minor \override Staff.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \cadenzaOn \aikenHeadsMinor a,1 b c d e f g a } \addlyrics { la si do re mi fa sol la }$

Funk major $\relative c'' { \clef treble \override Staff.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \cadenzaOn \funkHeads c,1 d e f g a b c } \addlyrics { do re mi fa sol la si do }$ Funk minor $\relative c' { \clef bass \key a \minor \override Staff.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \cadenzaOn \funkHeadsMinor a,1 b c d e f g a } \addlyrics { la si do re mi fa sol la }$

Walker major $\relative c'' { \clef treble \override Staff.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \cadenzaOn \walkerHeads c,1 d e f g a b c } \addlyrics { doe ray mee faw sole law see doe }$ Walker minor $\relative c' { \clef bass \key a \minor \override Staff.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \cadenzaOn \walkerHeadsMinor a,1 b c d e f g a } \addlyrics { law see doe ray mee faw sole law }$

This list is not complete, and will continue to grow as works are added to IMSLP. The list also includes some books that were published in 4-shape notation or standard 'round' notation as well as in 7-shape (for example Funk's Harmonia Sacra).

See also Wikipedia article.

Category:7-shape notation

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