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ut

ut

9.9
A syllable that names the first note of a major scale, now often called do
  • noun
  • Archaic
translation icon : ut
  • In traditional solmization, ut is used for the first note of the scale.

Examples

  • Music historians note that ut was later replaced by 'do' in the modern system.

  • The hymn 'Ut queant laxis' provided the syllable ut for music pedagogy.

  • In the past, musicians often referred to the first note as ut.

  • The note ut is now commonly called 'do'.

  • In traditional solmization, ut is used for the first note of the scale.

  • The hymn 'Ut queant laxis' utilized the syllable ut for teaching music.

  • In the past, musicians universally recognized the first note as ut.

Synonyms

do
vsut
  • Specialized
13 9.9

The syllable that names the first note of a major scale

is the older syllable now largely replaced by the modern form
doh
vsut
  • Specialized
4 9.9

The first note of a major musical scale used to start singing

is the older syllable typically replaced by the current solfege name

Surface Forms

ut singular
uts plural

Etymology

Ut comes from the first word of an old Latin hymn, 'Ut queant laxis', where each line began with a syllable used to name a musical note. The first line began with ut, so it became the name for the first (tonic) note of the scale, and it was later replaced by do in modern music.