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Dohon onedoh , doh-one one-doh

The upper octaves are represented by figures above the scaleletters , as d' d'; the lower octaves by figures below , d, d2. In speaking of octaves , d' is called
" one-doh ;" d, is called " doh-one ;" and so on . In the preceding tune there are two cases of d. the octave commencing on middle C

The application of the names will be evident from the following tune :-

CHAPTER 11.
THE DIATONIC SCALE.
The Tonic Sol-fa Notation consists of the initial letters- of the
Sol-fa syllables, do always representing the key-note. The
initials of sol and si being the same, si is altered to ti. When
the rtarhes are written in full they are spelled phonetically, and
sol is invariably pronounced' soA, that sound being more open.

" The reader is referred to the following chapters for an explanation of the signs of the notation.
t Chapter IX., op " The Mental Process in Singing"' shows what are the common habits of chorus-singers in this respect.

RELATIONS OF THE TWO NOTATIONS. §
The only difference being that the words " key E " are placed at the beginning, fof the singer's guidance, instead of " key F."*
It is asserted by some that singers strike their notes by
measuring the distance from one to the other—a second, a sixth, a diminished seventh, an octave, &c., without regard to the key. This being so, they say that the Staff Notation in supplying this information gives the singer all that he needs.
The singer, they say, should not be- perplexed with the relation￾ship of the tones, which in modern music often changes rapidly
;
all he has to do is to move along by remarking at a glance the
number of semitones from the note he is oh to the next. It may
be true that here and there an exceptipnal singer possesses this- power, but it is certainly not possessed by the generality of
chorus-singers. To keep in mirid the key-relationship of the
tones is' not only the easiest method, but it is the rnost
intelligent, because it is the composer's method.

TONIC SOL-FA.
He thinks he would like to transpose it a aemitone lower. With
the music in F before his eyes, the following represents the
process that goes on in his mind as he plays in L. :
—
^^^P^ \\^rlf^^¥^
m '^^=jMlA J.
^^- :«P=
^
e ^
Some, perhaps, may object to this as a caricature, and say that
only mechanical players transpose in this way, while all who
have any ear for the inner spirit of music transpose by mentally
regarding each note as the first, fifth, seventh, &c., of the key.
No doubt this is true. But we are now considering the Staff
Notation merely as a picture of the keyboard, and if players
choose to see" beyond that picture into key-relationship it is another matter, although doing so brings them very near to the
Tonic Sol-fa system. By whatever mental process tfansposition
at sight from the Staff Notation is accomplished, it gives trouble
to the player. But what is the case with the singer ? To him
all keys are alike. The key of C is no more commonly used
than F or D, and in point of convenience it is no more natural or easy than B. The process which the choir undergo in the case we have imagined is very different to that which the organist
experiences. When he lowers the chant a semitone, few n any
of the singers will notice it ; they have no altered relationships
of fi*****ng or perpetual contradiction of signs, and they sing on
as easily as before.
The fact that to singers one key is the same as another is the
basis of the Tonic Sol-fa Notation. In this notation the above
chant in key F appears as follows :—

A TONIC SOL-FA PRIMER.
CHAPTER I.
RELATIONS OF THE TWO NOTATIONS.
It is often forgotten that the Staft Notation is a notation of the
keyboard of the pianoforte. In the early stages of its develop￾ment, when clefs were placed on any line, and the composer
used as many lines—from one to twelve—as were necessary for
his music, it was more of a notation of relative than of absolute
pitch. But the improvement and wide diffusion of keyboard
instruments has caused the notation to settle down into a.
pictorial representation of black and white digitals. The normal
key is assumed to be C, and all other keys are represented as
departures from that.
A little reflection will show that although this arrangement
represents a fact of the keyboard, it has no counterpart in the
experience of singers. Let us suppose that an organist finds the
following chant in F too high for his choir:

CONTENTS.
Chapter I. FACa RELATIONS OF THE TWO NOTATIONS 3
Chapter il. THE DIATONIC SCALE 4
Chapter HI.
TIME > 6
Chapter IV.
CHROMATIC TONES AND TRANSITION ... ; 11
Chapter V.
METHOD OF TEACHING 15
Chapter VI.
METHOD OF TEACHING HARMONY 22
Chapter VII.
METHOD OF TEACHING THE STAFF NOTATION ... 26
Chapter VIII.
THE MINOR MODE 28
Chapter IX.
THE MENTAL PROCESS IN SINGING 31
PRACTICAL EXERCISES 36