3. Time Values in Tonic Solfa
The below exercises help get the eight notes fixed in the mind of a singer so that he/she can reproduce the notes exactly in relation to the tonic(root note/doh) and other notes of the scale.
d r m f s l t d’ |
d’ t l s f m r d |
Time value & duration
Tonic Sol Fa music is divided into measures. It is marked by a vertical line (|). Each measure is divided into pulses by a colon ( : ). The number of pulses for all measures in a song generally, is constant. In some music you will see a fraction written next to the root note. In Staff Notation this is called time signature. That says how many pulses are in a measure.
A pulse is further divided into two by using a full stop (.) This, in staff Notation, dividing a crochet into two quavers. That half of a pulse can be divided further into two by using a comma (,) To make 3 quarter of a beat (pulse) a full stop and a comma are used ( ., ). In Staff Notation they call it a dotted quaver.
Rhythm is the soul of a song. Soul does not stand in front. But it is always there. The pulses in a measure together give the basis for rhythm.
Time Signature
Now, time signature in Staff Notation has two numbers like the numerator and denominator of a fraction. The numerator or the upper number will give the number of pulses in a measure. Denominator, or the lower number will tell us the value of a pulse, whether a quaver, crochet or minim. But this is all in Staff Notation. Now you can ignore that.
In tonic Sol fa, a song is usually mentioned as “3 pulse measure” or “4 pulse measure”, etc. You can find this out by counting the pulse in a measure. If there is a change in the number of pulses in a measure, it is usually mentioned. Observe the symbols for measure and pulse given in the below exercises & try singing them.
d : m : s | s : m : d |
m : s : d1 | d1 : s : m |
s : s | f : m | m : m| r : d ||
End of a piece is marked by two vertical lines. ( || ) If this sign appears at the beginning, it is an instruction to repeat the portion.
The above two exercises are three pulse measures. Two colons in a measure divide it to three pulses.
A dash ( — ) is used to indicate that the previous note has to be prolonged. Note the third measure below. The tonic or d has to be extended for 4 beats.
d : r | m : f | s : f | m : r | d : — | — : — |
When there are four or more pulses in a measure smaller/ lighter measure lines (|) are used. This is for keeping count of the pulses. Now we have seen three pulse measures and four pulse measures. We have also seen how a pulse is divided into half and quarter pulses. Smaller portions of a pulse are very rare. We shall consider them later when we move into advanced studies.
In Tonic Sol Fa, rest is shown by a blank space. The song below has such a rest twice appearing in the chorus. Also note the repeat sign at the beginning of the piece.
Key D — I surrender all
All to Je sus I sur-render, All to Him I free- ly give;
|| m : -.m | f : m | r : -.r | m : r | d : -.d | f : m | r : m | d : — ||
I will ev-er love and trust Him In His pre-sence dai-ly live.
d’ : — .t | l : s | f : — | — : |
I surrender all
t : — .l| s : f | m : — | — : |
I surrender all
m : — .f | l : s |d’ : — .t | t : l | s : — f |m : r | d : — | — : -||
All to Thee, my blessed Saviour, I surrender all.
(Please note the rest of one pulse after “ I surrender all “ both the times.)
A few signs to be remembered as they occur frequently in songs and hymns.
- Fermata is an Italian term for a sign of an inverted ‘U’ with a dot in the middle inside. In English it is referred as pause. But it is more than a pause. It is usually placed above a note. That note should be prolonged more than the value denoted. In choral singing the conductor decided the length.
- D.C. al fine is another sign usually seen in the songs. This is short for “da capo al fine”, an Italian term meaning repeat from the beginning and sing till fine. This, generally, is followed by the term fine, meaning end and pronounced as ‘fee-nay’. Usually the two line marking showing the end of the piece is at this point. After the point where we see D.C. al fine we have to return to the beginning of the piece and end at the point where fine is shown.
Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise Him! Psalm 147:1
