1. Introduction to Tonic Sol-fa
Soli Deo Gloria
What is Tonic Sol-fa
Tonic Sol-fa is a system of music notation which supplements the use of
Staff Notation. This, of late is not being used as commonly as it should be.
During the mid twentieth century, the movie ‘Sound of Music’ kindled the
interest in this system in many countries. It is heartening to note that in many communities it is being used as a personal aid in learning and using Staff Notation.
There is hardly any teaching guide for Tonic Sol-fa. With the popularity of Youtube, Face book, WhatsApp, etc you can get plenty of information. Some are incomplete. Some are contradictory. Some are useful, and some are of little use. Some are just commercial. This is an attempt to compile the information that was gathered from various sources. This blog should help a new comer to learn Staff Notation easily and user of Staff Notation to sing for the glory of God with much more ease. In my effort of this compilation I could feel the Holy Spirit guiding me. My wife’s encouragement was and is a pillar of strength and my children were real support. In all this I realize that God does not call the qualified. He qualifies the called.
There are many musicians and people of God who helped me at various point of time. I do not want to go for a list of people. Mr. V C Cherian of Kottayam who comprehends music in Tonic Sol-fa was and is a great inspiration. (Late) Mr. Philip John T (Ali Sir), (Late) Mr. J M Chacko - Bombay, (Late) Mr. M C Ipe (Chinnan uncle) of Paranjothy Music Academy, Mr. Kurian Varkey, my brother, Mr Reji Chandy of Glorious Bangalore, Mr. Augustine Paul (MMA). Dr. Prabhu G J Dorairaj and other members of Lutheran Men’s Voice and many others have given inputs to understand the greatness of Music that God gifted to mankind. Praise be to His name.
Purpose
Through this blog let us try to get the working knowledge of sight
reading so that we can learn Staff notation and sing better. Tonic Sol-fa is a
system of syllables assigned with a definite note in relation to the other notes in a scale. This aids in sight reading.
Types of systems
There are three variations of Tonic sol-fa practiced. There is one system using hand signs specifically assigned for each note. Learning each symbol and depending on a conductor for each note etc are bothersome in several contexts. Singing in harmony will add to the complication. The other two systems are fixed ‘doh’ and movable ‘doh’. In fixed ‘doh’ C note is fixed as ‘do’. So when we move to another scale, we end up using several half notes. In this blog we follow the movable ‘doh’ system which is the simplest of the three. The key-note or the root note of the scale becomes the tonic and thereby doh.
Historically
The concept was introduced by Guido of Arezo (AD 995–1050),
an Italian monk. He is considered as the inventor of musical notation itself.
After about 8 or 9 centuries an English music teacher — Ms. Sarah Ann Glover (AD 1785–1845) improved the concept and popularized it.
At about the same time another music teacher and a priest, John Curwen (AD 1816–1853) added much more on the Tonic Sol-fa system. This system became very popular in England. Many missionaries took this up as a means to teach music to the people of the lower strata of society elsewhere in the world. We find advocates of Tonic Sol-fa in various African countries, Australia, some of the East Asian countries, India etc.
In our study, we see in detail the major and minor scales. Further, we will
learn how to assign time value to each note. We also will look at finding the
root note (Tonic) of each scale as well as conversion of Staff Notation music
into Tonic Sol-fa while singing itself and vice versa.
There are exercises for all the lessons. They are only indicative. The singers or their tutors can design their own lessons to strengthen the understanding. You can achieve result only by doing exercises.
Good and bad about Tonic Sol-fa
- ↑ As said earlier this is an aid to learn Staff Notation. This, in no way is an alternative system of Notation.
- ↑ Even in Staff Notation, we are concerned about the root note or the tonic. In major scales Tonic Sol-fa has ‘doh’ as the tonic.
- ↑ This system stresses on ear training and the notes and the interval
between notes are thoroughly ingrained into the mind as each note is in
relation to the other notes in the scale. - ↑ The basic 7 notes (diatonic scale) function as pivots for all purpose.
- ↑ Improves the vocal pitching.
- ↑ Writing or copying of music is convenient, easy, faster and cheaper.
- ↑ Memorizing the score in Tonic Sol-fa has an edge over Staff Notation.
- ↑ Singing or playing by ear and transpositions are easier.
- ↑ Aural development is better in Tonic Sol-fa.
Looking at the other side
- ↓ Harmonic progression is not as perceptible as in Staff Notation to the
average user. - ↓ A pianist or other such instrumentalist sees music with all
voices (parts). - ↓ Tonic Sol-fa is more for horizontal movement rather than
vertical. - ↓ Rests to be applied in the score are very poorly written. Rests are shown as blank spaces. Only through practice can this be developed.
- ↓ In adopting to modal music Tonic Sol-fa fares very badly. But we need
not bother about this now as it is in advance study. - ↓ When it comes to modulations, there is a contention that a user of Tonic Sol-fa has to re-register the root note or the tonic in his mind to move
into another scale. This is a problem when aural capabilities are not well
developed. - ↓ In the case of instrumental music, the capabilities become more limited till a certain level of proficiency is achieved. But at that level one should move on to Staff Notation.
- ↓ This system is not standardized globally and acceptance is very poor.
All said and done, taking the Tonic Sol-fa route into Staff Notation will give a singer a very strong footing.
May God bless you.
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. (Ps. 150:6)
