A Short INTRODUCTION TO VOCAL MUSICK.
M.DCC.LXVII.
TO THE READER.
[]IN the following little Treatiſe, intended for the Uſe of Children, the Author has endeavoured to ſet down his Meaning juſt as he would explain it by Word of Mouth, to a young Perſon an intire ſtranger to Muſick, enlarging and more minutely expreſſing many Things, which, to Perſons of maturer Judg⯑ment might have been explained in fewer Words. It is hoped, therefore, that the critical Reader will not take Exception to the Imperfections of Style, or Tau⯑tology that may have been occaſioned by this Method of treating the Subject. If in other Reſpects it ſhall be found to anſwer the Purpoſe of Inſtruction, this is all that is aimed at.
The Author, however, that he may not ſeem to make much ado about no⯑thing, begs leave to aſſure his Readers, that, inſignificant as his Method of hit⯑ting Diſtances may appear to ſome, it has nevertheleſs been practiſed, by ſeveral Perſons, with great Succeſs. He therefore flatters himſelf, that the young Per⯑ſons, for whoſe Uſe the following Rules were drawn up, will not eſteem them unworthy their Conſideration, eſpecially when they ſhall find that this Method of learning Muſick requires very little Time in Compariſon of the old Method of Sol fa-ing.
It is not alledged or pretended that a Child may comprehend theſe Rules of himſelf without the Aſſiſtance of ſome underſtanding Perſon, who, by reading them over with him, ſhall teach him how to apply them—neither does he ſay that they are ſufficient to make a ſkilful Muſician; nor does he recommend them to ſuch Children as are bred Muſicians by Profeſſion; but to ſuch only as cannot be allowed Time enough from their other School Studies to learn Muſick in the regular Way, but yet may be enabled in a little Time, by this Method, to bear a CHORUS PART in the Service of God.
A Short INTRODUCTION TO MUSICK.
[]RULE I.
THERE are but 7 Notes in Muſick,
Viz. ABCDEF and G, with the Half-Notes between them and their Octaves above and below.
RULE II.
Every Octave conſiſts of five Tones and two Half-Tones; the Situation of the latter (viz. the Half-Tones) muſt always be attended to as they determine the Key.
RULE III.
If one Half-Tone is found between the 3d and 4th Notes of the Key, and the other between the 7th and 8th (commonly called the 4th and 8th Places) then it is a Sharp Key.
RULE IV.
But, if the one Half-Tone is found between the 2d and 3d, and the other be⯑tween the 5th and 6th (commonly called the 3d and 6th Places) then it is a Flat Key.
The following Rule will explain this.
RULE V.
- From A to B is a whole Tone.
- From B to C is Half a Tone.
- From C to D is a whole Tone.
- From D to E is a Whole-Tone.
- From E to F is Half a Tone.
- From F to G is a Whole-Tone.
- From G to A is a Whole-Tone.
[4] Before I can give the Learner an Example of this Rule, he muſt be well ac⯑quainted with the Nature of the Cliffs; which, from their Situation on the Be⯑ginning of a Line, readily determine the Name of each Note. For Example:
Whatever Line in a Stave ſhall have the C Cliff marked upon it, at the Be⯑ginning, muſt be called C, and all the other Lines and Spaces muſt take their Names from it, riſing in alphabetical Order. The ſame Method muſt be ob⯑ſerved in the other Cliffs.
RULE VI.
There are but 3 Cliffs in Muſick, Viz.
Firſt, The G Cliff, commonly called the Treble Cliff, and marked [...] which ſeems to owe its Shape to a careleſs Manner of making a G, as it is ſometimes marked [...] for G ſol re ut. It is ſeldom placed on any other Line but the Second, and is uſed in the uppermoſt or Treble Part of moſt Compoſitions, viz. the Part for Women's or Boy's Voices, and Treble Inſtruments.
Secondly the C Cliff marked [...]. It is called Tenor, Contratenor, or Soprano Cliff, according to the Line on which it is placed; which Line (being made C by the Cliff) is in the ſame Octave with the loweſt C in the G Cliff marked [...] but this will be more eaſily underſtood by examining the Scale which follows the next Paragraph.
Thirdly, The F Cliff, marked [...] or [...] commonly called the Baſs Cliff, be⯑cauſe it is much lower in Pitch than the reſt, making the 4th Line (on which it is uſually placed) one Octave below the loweſt F in the Treble Cliff marked [...] notwithſtanding which the young Scholar, in practiſing the following Exam⯑ples, may ſing in the natural Pitch of his Treble Voice, taking his Key Note as it ſhall beſt ſuit himſelf; for the only Reaſon of prefixing the F Cliff to the follow⯑ing Examples is, that the Learner, by being ſufficiently acquainted with it, may the more readily find the Key Note in real Compoſitions.
[5]A SCALE ſhewing the different OCTAVES of the 3 CLIFFS.
1ſt Octave. [...]
2d Octave. [...]
3d Octave. [...]
RULE VII.
In moſt muſical Compoſitions the laſt Note in the Baſs is the Key Note.
That the young Scholar may more readily find the Name of this Note in the following Scale (as it is ſomewhat aukward to ſay the Letters backward from the Cliff Line) let him find the 4th Space below the Line on which the F Cliff is placed, which is ſtill F, though an Octave, or the 8th Note lower; then let him count forwards G, A, B, and the next Note, C, he finds to be the Key Note; as for Example. [...] the Key Note in the following Example.
A Scale of 8 Notes, gradually aſcending and deſcending. [...]
Having found the Key Note to be C, refer back to the 5th Rule to find where the Half Notes lie, proceeding from the Key Note, as follows:
- From C to D is a Whole Tone.
- From D to E is a Whole Tone.
- From E to F is a Half Tone. N. B. Between the 3d and 4th commonly called the 4th Place.
- From F to G is a Whole-Tone.
- From G to A is a Whole-Tone.
- From A to B is a Whole Tone.
- B to C is but Half a Tone. N. B. Between the 7th and 8th commonly called the 8th Place.
This, according to the 3d Rule muſt be a Sharp Key.
RULE VIII.
[6]The eaſieſt Method of hitting the Diſtances is practiſed by thoſe who play on the French Horn, or Trumpet: for as the Tones from thoſe Inſtruments are not form⯑ed by the Fingering, like others, but only by the Lips and Breath; ſo the Idea of paſſing from Note to Note muſt be much the ſame as in Singing. They com⯑monly ſound the Key-Note of their Inſtrument, and its 3d, 5th, and Octave, backwards and forwards, in tuning, before they begin to play any Piece, and ſtrictly obſerve what Lines or Spaces thoſe Notes (the 3d, 5th, and 8th) ſhould be placed, according to the Cliff they play in; for, as they muſt keep the Sound of their Key Note in Idea, ſo they readily from thence ſound the 3d, 5th, and Octave, having uſed their Ear to thoſe Diſtances, which, like Steps, convey the Performer to all other Notes of the muſical Scale. Before the Young Practi⯑tioner ſtudies the following Examples, he muſt accuſtom himſelf (by Ear only, and without Notes) to ſound, firſt, the ſharp 3d, and the 5th, and 8th, and then the flat 3d, and the 5th, and 8th, to any given Note; which any Perſon, who has the leaſt Knowledge of Muſick, can teach him, by firſt ſounding them for him to imitate. Let him likewiſe be uſed to ſound the 5th and Octave to any given Note, miſſing the 3d, as [...] and to ſtrike Octaves without the intermediate Notes, as [...] And if he finds it difficult to hit a 3d, let him ſuppoſe a Note between the given Note and the 3d, as [...] To find the Tone of a 7th let him ſuppoſe the Octave before it, as [...] To hit a 6th, let him ſuppoſe the 5th firſt, as [...] And to find the 4th above the Key, let him touch ſoftly firſt upon the 5th as [...] With ſome Practice in this Method, a Perſon who has a good Ear for Muſick, may acquire ſo clear an Idea of the Diſtances, that he will be enabled to ſing tolerably at Sight, without thoſe laſt mentioned Aſſiſtances.
In ſinging the following Examples let the Learner make uſe of the Word La to every Note, it being the beſt Syllable to form a round open Tone upon.
[7] Examples for Tuning the Voice in the ſame Key as the Firſt. [...]
Obſerve well the Situation of the 3d, 5th, and 8th. [...]
The following Rule will aſſiſt the Learner to know the Diſtances, without counting the Notes, viz.
RULE IX.
If a Key-Note is placed on a Line, the 5th will be found on the 3d Line, and the Octave on the 4th Space above it; but, if it ſtands on a Space (as in the above Example) the 5th will be on the 3d Space, and the Octave on the 4th Line above it.
Examples of the ſame Key in the other Cliffs.
Example in the Tenor Cliff, being the C Cliff placed on the 4th Line. [...] [8] [...]
The C Cliff on the 3d Line, commonly called the Contratenor Cliff. [...]
The C, or Soprano Cliff, ſo called when placed on the firſt Line. [...]
The G, or Treble Cliff. [...]
RULE X.
A Flat is marked b; every Note having this Mark ſet before it, or at the Beginning of its Line or Space, is ſounded half a Tone lower than it would be without it.
[9] A Sharp is marked ♯, and makes every Note, before which it is ſet, half a Note or Tone higher.
When any Note (having a b or ♯ ſet at the Beginning of its Line or Space) is required by the Melody to be ſung as if there was no b or ♯, then this Mark ♮ (called a Natural) is placed before it.
Example of the Flat Key.
N. B. The following ſhort Example is not intended to be ſung (for it is not agreeable to the Rules of Modulation to aſcend gradually the 4 upper⯑moſt Notes of a Flat Key) but is merely ſpeculative, to ſhew the Situ⯑ation of the Half-Notes. [...]
Refer to the 5th Rule for the Explanation, which will lie as follows:
- From the Key-Note C to D is a Whole-Tone,
- and from D to E is a Whole-Tone,
- but from D to E b is but Half a Tone, for the b, marked at the Be⯑ginning of the Space, makes E Half a Tone lower, and conſequently Half a Tone near D. N. B. This Half-Note is between the 2d and 3d commonly called the 3d Place.
- Then from E b to F muſt be a Whole-Tone, becauſe, from E, without the b, to F, according to the 5th Rule, is an Half-Tone.
- From F to G is a Whole-Tone, and
- from G to A is a Whole-Tone, but from G to A b (the b be⯑ing marked on the Space of the Octave below) is but Half a Tone. N. B. This is between the 5th and 6th, called the 6th Place.
Then from A b to B b is a whole Tone, for as they both have a Flat (A on the Space, and B on the Line of their Octaves below) ſo are they both brought an Half-Tone lower, and conſequently are ſtill the ſame Diſtance from each other, which the 5th Rule mentions. Then from B b to C is a Whole-Tone, the B being made Half a Tone further from C by the b; this therefore, according to the 4th Rule, muſt be a Flat Key, having one Half-Note between the 2d and 3d, and the other between the 5th and 6th.
Let the Learner be very careful to ſound the 7th a Whole-Tone below the Octave; for, after ſinging in a Sharp Key, he will be very liable to make it only Half a Note lower.
[10] Examples in the ſame Key. [...]
Example in D, with a Sharp Third. [...]
Refer to the 5th Rule beginning with D, as follows:
- From D to E is a Whole-Tone?
- From E to F is Half a Tone, but to F ♯ (the ♯ placed at the Beginning of the Line, making it Half a Tone higher) is a Whole-Tone.
- From F ♯ to G is Half a Tone, becauſe F is brought Half a Tone nearer to G, by the ♯ placed at the Beginning of the Line.
- From G to A is a Whole-Tone.
- From A to B is a Whole-Tone.
- From B to C is Half a Tone, but a ♯ being placed on the Space of the Octave below makes C Half a Tone higher, ſo it is conſe⯑quently a Whole-Note from B to C ♯.
- From C ♯ to D is Half a Tone, C being made Half a Note higher, and nearer D by the ♯; ſo that, as this Half-Tone is between the 7th and 8th, and the other between the 3d and 4th, it muſt be a Sharp Key, according to the 3d Rule.
[11] Example in B Flat Key. [...]
Refer again to the 5th Rule, beginning with the Key-Note B, as follows:
- From B to C is Half a Tone, but from B to C ♯ is a Whole-Tone.
- From C ♯ to D can be but Half a Tone, becauſe from C Natural to D is a Whole-Tone.Note: N. B. Between the 2d and 3d.
- From D to E is a Whole-Tone.
- From E to F ♯ is a Whole-Tone, the ♯ removing F Half a Tone higher and further from E.
- From F ♯ to G is but Half a Tone, the ♯ removing F Half a Note higher, and nearer to G. Note: N. B. Between the 5th and 6th.
- From G to A is a Whole-Tone; and
- from A to B is a Whole-Tone: therefore this Example, according to the 4th Rule, muſt be a Flat Key, having one Half-Tone between the 2d and 3d, and the other between the 5th and 6th.
In the ſame Manner are all other Keys to be proved, the Key-Note being found by the 7th Rule.
The next Thing to be conſidered is TIME, or the Length of Notes, which the following Table will ſhew.
A Semibreve 𝆹 is as long as [...] Minims, which are as long as [...] Crotchets, which are as long as [...] Quavers, which are as long as 16 [...] Semiquavers.
[12] Every Piece of Muſick, having 4 Crotchets in a Bar, is ſaid to be in COMMON-TIME, and has generally this Mark C put at the Beginning of the Stave.
thus [...]
For the more exact keeping of this Meaſure, it is uſual to beat with the Hand at the Beginning of every Bar, and to keep it down during one Half of the Bar; viz. while you count 1 and 2, and to hold it up while you count 3 and 4, the remaining Half of the Bar.
When a Piece of Muſick has 3 Crotchets in a Bar, it is then called triple Time, and is marked at the Beginning of a Stave [...]
In beating of this Time, you muſt count the 2 firſt Crotchets with your Hand down, and the 3d with your Hand up.
The next material Thing to be conſidered in vocal Muſick, is the ſpeaking of the Words diſtinct and plain; which alone, and not the Singing quick (a falſe Notion which too much prevails in Choir Muſick) can add Spirit to the Per⯑formance; but this, if the Student's own Genius does not direct him, muſt be taught by a good Maſter, as it cannot ſo eaſily be explained in Writing.
To conclude, I muſt adviſe the Learner to chooſe the eaſieſt and ſloweſt Com⯑poſitions to begin his Practice with, ſuch as common Pſalm Tunes, and other ſlow Movements.
A further and compleat Underſtanding of vocal Muſick, can only be acquired by being long converſant in the Science.
- Citation Suggestion for this Object
- TextGrid Repository (2020). TEI. 4937 A short introduction to vocal musick. University of Oxford Text Archive. . https://hdl.handle.net/21.T11991/0000-001A-6152-A