A breefe introduction to the skill of musick for song & violl / by J.P.

CHAP. I. Of the Scale of MUSICK, called the Gam-ut.

THe GAM-UT is the Ground and Foundation of Musick both Vo∣call and Instrumentall, and as Ornithop••••chus reporteth, it was composed by Guido Aretinus a∣bout the yeare 960. who also in six syllables, which hee found in the first Saphick of the Hymne of S. Johannis Baptista.

ƲTqueant laxis REsonare fibris MIra gestorum FAmuli tuorum SOLve poluti LAbii reatum.

It is supposed he drew the six names of the Notes, viz. UT, RE, MI, FA, SOL, LA, which were so generally taught and practised in the same order, ascending, and descending: but in these latter times foure of them are onely in use, which are SOL, LA, MI, FA; so that UT and RE are changed into SOL LA, and these foure being found to be sufficient for

the expressing of the severall sounds, and lesse bur∣thensome to the memory.

Besides these names of the Notes there is used in the GAM-UT seven Letters of the Alphabet, which are set at the beginning of each Rule and Space, as G. A. B. C. D. E. F. and of these there are three Septenaries ascending one above the other, G. being put first, which is according to the third Letter in the Greeke Alphabet called Gamma, and is made thus r, in token that the first derivation thereof was from the ancient Greeks.

These seven Letters of the Alphabet are called the 7 Cliffs, or more properly Cleaves, the other names or sylables adjoyned to them, the Notes: And by these three Septenaries are distinguished the severall tones or sounds, which the Scale is divided into: First the Basse, which is the lowest part; the second the Meane, or middle part; the third, the Treble, or highest part, so that according to these three Sep∣tenaries, Gam-ut is the lowest Note, and Ela the highest: And this the usuall Gam-uts in Mr. Mor∣ley and others, do not exceed; but it is well known that there are many Notes in use, both above and below exceed that compass, both in Vocall and In∣strumentall Musick, and therefore ought not to bee omitted; for the Compass of Musick ought not to be confin'd: for though there be but three Septena∣ries in the Gam ut of the Alphabet, which expresse the severall sounds, yet if occasion requires, you may ascend one more higher, for it is but the same again,

onely eight Notes higher; or if occasion require, you may descend lower then Gam-ut another Sep∣tenarie, they will be the same to those above, onely eight Notes lower, and it is usuall to distinguish them thus:

Those above Ela are called Notes in Alt, as F fa ut, and G sol re ut, &c. in Alt: And those below Gam-ut are called double Notes, as Double F fa ut, E la mi, &c. as being Eights, or Diapasons to those above Gam-ut, I have therefore in the Gam-ut of this Booke expressed them in their right places: The Gam-ut is drawne upon foureteene Rules, and their Spaces, which comprehend all Notes or sounds usuall in Musicks either Vocall or Instrumentall, though when any of these parts which it is divided into, come to be prickt out by it selfe, five lines is onely usuall, as being sufficient to containe the com∣pass of Notes thereto belonging, if there be a Note that extends higher, it is usuall to adde a line in that place with a pen. But for Lessons for the Organ, Virginalls, or Harp two staves of six lines together are required, one for the left hand or lower Keyes, the other for the right or upper Keyes.

Therefore he that means to understand what hee sings or plays, must study to be perfect in the know∣ledge of the Gam-ut, and to have it perfectly in his memory without booke, both forwards and backe, and to distinguish Cliffs and Notes, in Rule and in Space; for by knowing their places, their names are easily known.

This Scale or Gam-ut hath three Columns which shew the names of the Notes ascending and descen∣ding in their severall Keyes: the first Columne is called B Duralis or B sharp, as having no flat in B mi: the second is B proper, or B Naturalis which hath a B flat in B mi onely: the third is called B fa or B Moralis, having two B flats, the one in B mi the other in E la mi, and in these three observe that that what name the Note of any Cliffe hath, the same name properly hath his eight above or below him, be it either in Treble, Meane, or Basse.

There is an old Meeter, though not very common, yet it containes in it many pithy Rules of the Theo∣rick part of Musick, which are to be observed of those who are yong beginners, and as it falls in our severall Chapters I shall insert it; it begins thus:

To attaine the skill of Musicks Art, Learne Gam-ut up and down by heart, Thereby to learn your Rules and Spaces, Notes names are known knowing their places.

The Gamvt or Scale of Musick with the Names of the Cleaues and Notes in there Severall Keyes

The Treble or highest Keyes	aa	la mi re	la	la	mi
gg	sol re vt	sol	sol	la
ff	fa vt	fa	fa	sol
E	la	la	mi	♭ fa
D	la sol	sol	la	la
C	sol fa	fa	sol	sol
B	fa ♯ mi	mi	♭ fa	♭ fa
A	la mi re	la	la	mi
G	sol re vt	{G-clef} cleaue sol	{G-clef} sol	{G-clef} la
The Meane or midle Key's
ff	fa vt	fa	fa	sol
E	la mi	la	mi	♭ fa
D	la sol re	sol	la	la
C	sol fa vt	{C-clef} cleaue fa	{C-clef} sol	{C-clef} sol
B	fa ♯ mi	mi	♭ fa	♭ fa
A	la mi re	la	la	mi
G	sol re vt	sol	sol	la
F	fa vt	{F-clef} cleaue fa	{F-clef} fa	{F-clef} sol
The Basse or lowest Keyes
E	la mi	la	mi	♭ fa
D	sol re	sol	la	la
C	fa vt	fa	sol	sol
B	mi	mi	♭ fa	♭ fa
A	re	la	la	mi
G	Γamvt	sol	sol	la
FF	fa vt	fa	fa	sol
EE	la mi	la	mi	fa
DD	sol re	sol	la	la
CC	fa vt	fa	sol	sol
			1 B D$$alis	2 B Naturalis	3 B Mollaris

A Second Table of the Scale or Gam-ut, in which every Key or Note is put in his proper place, according to the two signed Cleaves of the Basse and Treble.

• {G-clef}
  • D la sol 〈♫〉〈♫〉
  • E la 〈♫〉〈♫〉
  • F fa ut 〈♫〉〈♫〉
  • G sol re ut 〈♫〉〈♫〉
  • A la mi re 〈♫〉〈♫〉
  • F fa ut 〈♫〉〈♫〉
  • G sol re ut 〈♫〉〈♫〉
  • A la mi re 〈♫〉〈♫〉
  • B fa ♭ mi 〈♫〉〈♫〉
  • C sol fa 〈♫〉〈♫〉
• {F-clef}
  • A la mi re 〈♫〉〈♫〉
  • B sa ♭ mi 〈♫〉〈♫〉
  • C sol fa ut 〈♫〉〈♫〉
  • D la sol re 〈♫〉〈♫〉
  • E la mi 〈♫〉〈♫〉
  • B mi 〈♫〉〈♫〉
  • C fa ut 〈♫〉〈♫〉
  • D sol re 〈♫〉〈♫〉
  • E la mi 〈♫〉〈♫〉
  • F fa ut 〈♫〉〈♫〉
  • G sol re ut 〈♫〉〈♫〉
  • CC fa ut 〈♫〉〈♫〉
  • DD sol re 〈♫〉〈♫〉
  • EE la mi 〈♫〉〈♫〉
  • FF fa ut 〈♫〉〈♫〉
  • Gam 〈♫〉〈♫〉
  • ut 〈♫〉〈♫〉
  • A re 〈♫〉〈♫〉