The skinny on "gamut" starts with a musical scale developed by 11th-century musician and monk Guido of Arezzo. The first line of his bass staff was "gamma," and the first note in his scale "ut." "Gamma ut", therefore, was the term for the tonic note written on the first staff line. In time, "gamma ut" was shortened to "gamut," and the meaning expanded to cover Guido's entire scale, then all the notes in an instrument’s range, and, eventually, an entire range of any sort.
Sunday, March 06, 2005
clarinet player at the Christo and Jeanne-Claude exhibit
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