An alternative to the
solfege system of
sight-singing, this
system numbers the
diatonic scale with the numbers 1 through 8 (or, alternately, 1 to 7, with the
octave being 1 again.
1
_7
__6
___5
____4
_____3
______2
_______1
In this system, 1 is always the
root or
origin, but the scale being represented may be
major,
minor, or any of the
diatonic modes.
Accidentals (
sharps and
flats outside the
key signature) are noted with a + or -
when the numbers are written, but are often skipped when they are spoken or sung.
For example, I might sing "one, three, five, three, one" for a
major triad, but a
diminished triad might be either "one, three, five, three one" or "one, flat three, flat five, flat three, one", depending on how I was taught, and how much I felt like pronouncing two long syllables for one short note.