tjaden

now you're in for it

circa 700, a monk wrote 'hymn to st. john the baptist':

Ut queant laxis
Resonare fibris
Mira gestorum
Famuli tuorum
Solve polluti
Labii reatum

each line begins with the tones ascending the major scale. hence, the first syllables of each line became a kind of mnemonic: ut, re, mi, fa, sol, la. (some other monk later added si to complete the scale.)

there are still two little differences between this solmisation and the one we hear in 'the sound of music': 'do' replaces 'ut', and 'ti' replaces 'si'.

to be honest, i'm not sure why we replaced 'ut' with 'do'. most non-english-speaking countries still use 'ut'. it's just us english weirdos.

'si' to 'ti' came about because another version of solmisation includes different vowel sounds for different accidentals. the problem? 'sol' and 'si' are both sung the same as sharps.

now, moving on to the moveable-do system... what? are you nodding off?!?

(aren't you glad you brought that up...?)

ah thank you for that fitting tribute, my friend!!! please play "i'm gonna kill that woman", by senor hooker, and think of yours truly. hmmmm....canada you say? ya couldn't make me go. thems is some odd folks, i must say. maybe they are normal when they're on their home turf. i'm not dissin' canadians. they're just....uh....quirky.
old-soul incest. i'm gonna have to slice 'n' dice that one for a bit. you have fun with that one.