Practica Musicae utriusque cantus, excellentis Franchini Gaffori Laudensis quatuor libris modulatissima

The sound of "la" from "ut" is deduced by the distance of a fifth and a tone into the acute, by four tones and a minor semitone, which can be sustained by diverse intervals, both from grave into acute and from acuteness into gravity, as is shown by the examples.

A musical staff shows a series of notes ascending and descending, illustrating the interval of a fifth (diapente) and the structure of four tones and a minor semitone.

On the Properties and Mutations of Vocal Syllables.

Chapter Four.

Marchetus Tinctoris.

A decorative drop cap 'P' opens the text.Property in vocal notes, according to Marchetus of Padua, is the derivation of several voices from one and the same principle. Tinctoris, however, calls property the unique quality of the voices being deduced. For "proper" and "property" are not the same; "proper" is concrete, while "property" is abstract, just as "white" is concrete and "whiteness" is abstract. For a "proper" thing is a substance joined with a quality, or if you prefer, with an accident, and this is concrete. A "property," however, is a certain passion, quality, or accident which, when abstracted from the substance to which it adheres, is called an abstract, just as "property" or "whiteness." Truly, by the property of such modulation, we mean the unique deduction of each hexachord disposed in the introductory guide. Deduction is the diatonic and natural progression of the six syllables themselves, as in ascending: in this order: ut, re, mi, fa, sol, la; and in descending: la, sol, fa, mi, re, ut. For these seven hexachords are called properties or qualities, of which three are ascribed to the square ♮ natural/hard or hard ♮ durus; two to nature; and two to the round b flat or soft. Now, those called ♮ quadrales square/natural have their beginning under the letter G. The natural ones begin on the letter C. But the b mollares flat/soft are known to have their beginning on the letter F, which is clearly perceived from the order of the introductory guide. Therefore, the first figure of the hexachord is produced by the lowest string, namely F, indicated by the Greek letter, which the line of the hard quality is known to support. The second figure of the hexachord is recognized to be produced by the third note of the gamut, placing the fourth string in the space; they call this the natural property or quality. The third figure of the hexachord, the sixth character of the gamut, reaching the seventh string, is produced in the correct order; they designate this the soft b mollaris quality. And it is known that the repeated descriptions of these properties are noted in the introductory guide. Furthermore, it does not please me, On Anselmus. as it does Anselmus, to place a middle ground between the square ♮ and the round b by the property of nature.