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.

Guide for Newcomers,” in Prairie Harmony (Minnesota Sacred Harp newsletter), Oct.1990. Basics of shape-note singing 3 Basics of shape-note singing Fa, sol, la, mi — the four basic notes in our shape-note system. C major scale, written to show how the shapes appear in whole, half, quarter, and eighth notes.

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