I sing Sacred Harp myself (and am having some very rebellious thoughts about getting into Christian Harmony- yes, there’s HAD as well as WoAH O.O). Not too great at it, just got serious about it this year. This sunday I went to my first singing since the Midwest convention (wasn’t really able over the summer), and had a great time. Anyone else? And if you don’t know what I’m talking about: http://fasola.org
There was one thread a while back:
Since posting the thread that was linked above I’m sad to say I’ still haven’t gotten to a singing school…BUT… I’ve got reservations for one the first weekend in Oct. They do Christan Harmony. I’d prefer Sacred Harp but beggars can’t be choosers.
Cool! Let us know how that goes, I’m interested to hear what you think of Christian Harmony. Seven-shape books take up an interesting place in the history; I’ve heard some people (those who sing CH) claim it’s basically the same style as Southern Harmony, The Sacred Harp, etc.; but I’ve also heard people (often people who are big into SH) dismiss it as “gospel”- which tells you it’s gotta be some interesting music (tho of course a lot of it is just modern “gospel”). I’ve listened to a little bit of it, but I’ve never sung from it, so I’d be interested to hear your impressions 
Also- I’m sure you already know this, but, speaking as a total beginner myself, don’t be afraid to go to a singing without going to a singing school I’ve never been to a school, don’t have the time or money to go out to Camp Fasola y’know; but you learn a bunch just participating. So if you know of any local singings, then by all means go, you know you’ll be welcome
I haven’t done any shape note singing for a fairly long time. I used to go to the Augusta Heritage workshop and there was usually shape not singing there. I don’t even remember the book. However the material we used had seven symbols for the notes of the scale. Later, I did some singing at the Southern Michigan Dulcimer Festival-now defunct. Once at the SMD festival we sang in a building called the Floral Hall. It was a building with four arms converging in the centre. In the central area there was a small cupola with a glass dome. Each of the four groups stood at the end of one of the arms to sing. The sound was collected in the cupola and sort of showered down on someone who stood right underneath it. This was amazing. You could hear all the parts (which you can’t necessarily do in other circumstances) raining down on you. At Augusta (at Davis and Elkins College in West Virginia) the singing sometimes took place in Hallihurst Hall. The room had a large curved window area. The curvature reflected the sound back to the singers. It wasn’t as dramatic as the cupola effect, but was still pretty great. You begin to hear how fabulous those four parts sound together.
I keep reading the title as Scapegoat singing.
So what is the big deal? It looks like a different kind of learning music with a different style of notation. It seems that there are breakdowns of the sounds in four or seven groups, but just a different way of doing Do Re Me.
I have read that the arrangements are different, but is there a specific style associated with the music, or are these just variations?
Definitely a specific style. 20th and late 19th century hymns follow a classical European model; these are written in a completely different style. Maybe some sound clips will help:
“Babylon is Fallen”
http://pilgrimproduction.org/sacredharp/carrollton/160bps/07.mp3
“Villulia”
http://pilgrimproduction.org/sacredharp/carrollton/160bps/06.mp3
“The Last Words of Copernicus”
http://pilgrimproduction.org/sacredharp/minnesota/music/22a.mp3 (this is one of my favorites)
“Praise God”
http://pilgrimproduction.org/sacredharp/carrollton/160bps/11.mp3
“O’Leary”
http://pilgrimproduction.org/sacredharp/minnesota/music/04.mp3
Shapenote singing is something I’d love to try someday. Our choir occasionally does anthems that are based on songs from The Sacred Harp, and they’re wonderful…I’d love to participate in the real deal some time.
Redwolf
Just get a book and convince your choir to give it a go. There’s nothing like it. Even Anglicans will like it. I have a Christian Harmony which is the seven shape system. If you had that you could start with something like Parting Hand or another one which is even better. I can’t think of the name of it now. But it goes:
How long dear Savior, oh how long
Shall that bright hour delay?
Then the chorus is a round or canon or something. It’s really thrilling. Makes the hair on your neck stand up.
Anglicans would like it, to be sure, but we do the classical cathedral repertoire in our particular choir (no one else in our area does it…it’s our particular niche). With all the rehearsals we have to do for our regular stuff, there’s not a lot of time for other things.
There are some shape note groups in our area, however, and once the crunch season is over (in other words, after Christmas), I may just seek them out.
Redwolf
Here’s where I’m planning on going-
http://www.oldfieldssingers.com/singing_at_natural_tunnel_virginia_-_please.php
We started learning an anthem tonight that was from “The Kentucky Harmony.” Any relation? It has a similar feel…
Redwolf
Yup, same era, same genre. No one knows why it’s called Kentucky Harmony; the author’s from Virginia.
I like this from a website I just found.
“Shaped-note hymns are full of contrapuntal tendencies considered awkward by European art-music standards: voice crossings, pungent dissonances, odd phrase lengths, and parallel fifths, octaves, and unisons.”
Here’s the site. http://www.lovely.com/albumnotes/notes2033.html
In the shape note singing I’ve done the leader always explains that you always sing full steam ahead. Everybody. No holding back.
I love the phrase “pungent dissonances” 
Redwolf
That is an interesting read and helps describe some of the differences, thanks.
Though really in my opinion, Sacred Harp is a lot more consonant than art music… less sevenths and seconds and things, tho they do exist. I wonder if the dissonance is more about the intonation used by the singers (altos singing natural thirds, eg). But I dunno, I’m no expert on the stuff.
Which one? I’ve gotten our congregation to learn most of them in the hymnal.