Numerical sight-singing
Encyclopedia
Numerical sight-singing, an alternative to the solfege
system of sight-singing, is a musical notation
system that numbers the diatonic scale
with the numbers one through eight (or, alternately, one to seven, with the octave
again being one).
In this system, 1 is always the root or origin, but the scale being represented may be major
, minor
, or any of the diatonic mode. Accidentals (sharps and flats outside the key signature
) are noted with a + or - when the numbers are written, but are often skipped when they are spoken or sung.
In some pedagogies involving numerical sight-singing notation students are not taught to modify vowels to represent sharp or flat notes. In these cases the students usually name the note and whether it is flat or sharp. For example, an augmented unison ("ouey") might be called "one sharp," and in some other pedagogies this same pitch may also simply be called "one."
: it holds the advantage that when dealing with abstract concepts such as interval distance a student may easily recognize that the distance between 1 to 5 is larger than the distance between 1 to 4 because of the numerical values assigned (as compared to Solfege, where comparing Do to Sol and Do to Fa remain completely abstract until sung or played). A drawback often pointed out is that numerical numbers are not always "singable," for example, scale degree 7 (ti, in solfege) contains vowels that are hard to tune.
Numerical sight singing is not the same as integer notation derived from musical set theory and used primarily for sight singing atonal music. Nor is it the same as "count-singing", a technique popularized by Robert Shaw
in which the numbers sung represent the rhythms of a piece in accordance with the beat of a measure.
Solfege
In music, solfège is a pedagogical solmization technique for the teaching of sight-singing in which each note of the score is sung to a special syllable, called a solfège syllable...
system of sight-singing, is a musical notation
Musical notation
Music notation or musical notation is any system that represents aurally perceived music, through the use of written symbols.-History:...
system that numbers the diatonic scale
Diatonic scale
In music theory, a diatonic scale is a seven note, octave-repeating musical scale comprising five whole steps and two half steps for each octave, in which the two half steps are separated from each other by either two or three whole steps...
with the numbers one through eight (or, alternately, one to seven, with the octave
Octave
In music, an octave is the interval between one musical pitch and another with half or double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referred to as the "basic miracle of music", the use of which is "common in most musical systems"...
again being one).
| Scale degree | Number | Solfege Solfege In music, solfège is a pedagogical solmization technique for the teaching of sight-singing in which each note of the score is sung to a special syllable, called a solfège syllable... Syllable | Note if in key of C major C major C major is a musical major scale based on C, with pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. Its key signature has no flats/sharps.Its relative minor is A minor, and its parallel minor is C minor.... |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unison, Octave Octave In music, an octave is the interval between one musical pitch and another with half or double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referred to as the "basic miracle of music", the use of which is "common in most musical systems"... | "one" | Do | C |
| Augmented unison | "ouey" ("way") | Di | C |
| Minor second | "ta" | Ra | D |
| Major second | "two" | Re | D |
| Augmented second | "tay" | Ri | D |
| Minor third | "thra" | Mé | E |
| Major third | "three" or "ti" | Mi | E |
| Perfect fourth | "four" | Fa | F |
| Augmented fourth | "fair" | Fi | F |
| Diminished fifth | "fahv" | Se | G |
| Perfect fifth | "five" | Sol | G |
| Augmented fifth | "fave" | Si | G |
| Minor sixth | "sahx" | Le | A |
| Major sixth | "six" | La | A |
| Augmented sixth | "sakes" | Li | A |
| Minor seventh | "sahv" | Te | B |
| Major seventh | "seven" or "sev" | Ti | B |
In this system, 1 is always the root or origin, but the scale being represented may be major
Major scale
In music theory, the major scale or Ionian scale is one of the diatonic scales. It is made up of seven distinct notes, plus an eighth which duplicates the first an octave higher. In solfege these notes correspond to the syllables "Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti/Si, ", the "Do" in the parenthesis at...
, minor
Minor scale
A minor scale in Western music theory includes any scale that contains, in its tonic triad, at least three essential scale degrees: 1) the tonic , 2) a minor-third, or an interval of a minor third above the tonic, and 3) a perfect-fifth, or an interval of a perfect fifth above the tonic, altogether...
, or any of the diatonic mode. Accidentals (sharps and flats outside the key signature
Key signature
In musical notation, a key signature is a series of sharp or flat symbols placed on the staff, designating notes that are to be consistently played one semitone higher or lower than the equivalent natural notes unless otherwise altered with an accidental...
) are noted with a + or - when the numbers are written, but are often skipped when they are spoken or sung.
In some pedagogies involving numerical sight-singing notation students are not taught to modify vowels to represent sharp or flat notes. In these cases the students usually name the note and whether it is flat or sharp. For example, an augmented unison ("ouey") might be called "one sharp," and in some other pedagogies this same pitch may also simply be called "one."
Comparison with other systems
There is a continual debate about the merits of this system as compared to solfegeSolfege
In music, solfège is a pedagogical solmization technique for the teaching of sight-singing in which each note of the score is sung to a special syllable, called a solfège syllable...
: it holds the advantage that when dealing with abstract concepts such as interval distance a student may easily recognize that the distance between 1 to 5 is larger than the distance between 1 to 4 because of the numerical values assigned (as compared to Solfege, where comparing Do to Sol and Do to Fa remain completely abstract until sung or played). A drawback often pointed out is that numerical numbers are not always "singable," for example, scale degree 7 (ti, in solfege) contains vowels that are hard to tune.
Numerical sight singing is not the same as integer notation derived from musical set theory and used primarily for sight singing atonal music. Nor is it the same as "count-singing", a technique popularized by Robert Shaw
Robert Shaw (conductor)
Robert Shaw was an American conductor most famous for his work with his namesake Chorale, with the Cleveland Orchestra and Chorus, and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. Shaw received 14 Grammy awards, four ASCAP awards for service to contemporary music, the first Guggenheim Fellowship...
in which the numbers sung represent the rhythms of a piece in accordance with the beat of a measure.