A Beginner’s Guide to Shape-Note Singing

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A beginner s Guide to Shape-Note SingingHints, stories, advice, and minutiaeby Lisa GraysonFifth edition 2012 ContentsIntroduction; first impressions2Basics of Shape-Note singing3Four frequently asked questions4The story of Shape-Note music5What s with those shapes?6Anatomy of a Sacred Harp tune7Do you have a vocal identity crisis?8Intervals; sight-reading for beginners 9Suggestions for song leading11Leading your first some final leading suggestions13Tips on beating time14Why fa-sol-la?15The true Sacred Harp16Find a Singing near you 17Further reading and listening18A beginner s Guide to Shape-Note SingingFifth edition, 2012 Letter-sized handout 2012 Lisa Grayson, except Suggestions for song leading (byBecky Browne), Why fa-sol-la? (by Sam Hinton), and The trueSacred Harp (by Clarke Lee). Contents may be reprinted, photocopied, or transmitted electroni-cally, in whole or in part, as long as the text is unedited and credit isgiven to the author.

so brilliant and bright, /But healing drops of the red grape borrow/To bathe the relic from morn to night.” *J.E. Gallagher, Best Lincoln Stories, Tersely Told,1898. Where’s the audience? We don’t perform; we sing as an end in itself. Anyone is welcome to just sit and listen, but will be encouraged to borrow a tunebook and sing along.

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