Amazing Grace - Wintley Phipps

Apologies for the late reply.

The point you raise is an adequate one; namely that to believe that the song was inspired by Newton's interactions with West African slaves is to presume that the melody was written by himself - which, although clearly plausible, is not corroborated in any way.

One must assume that Newton scored the hymn to align oneself with Mr Phipps's hypothesis.

P O W E R F U L I N D E E D

Striking if you don't like thinking or you need extra help in believing.
Pentatonic scales can also be played on all white notes. AND a pentatonic scale can be played on a bagpipe or a tin whistle that has no keys at all, black OR white. I think it is silly and purposely confusing and therefore demeaning. What a shame.

ya but the black notes are more somber which reflexs the tone of negro spirituals

What a shame indeed, NewVoice, that you entirely missed the point.

@NewVoice

1.) Mr. Phipps never said that you HAVE TO use black notes ONLY, but you CAN.
2.) He NEVER said that the pentatonic scale was used by africans only. Of course it is used in Asia and was used in the midage in Europe too.
3.) The "slave scale" cannot be an invention of Mr. Phipps. I came along with this expression in early 80's when I studied music in an european country.

So what !!??

But it is not TRUE.
The "Slave Scale" is Mr. Phipps' invention. Among the settlers were some excellent musicians, composers and music historians. If the musicians had actually had the chance to hear the African people singing their music, they would have recognized the same ancient pentatonic scale that was common in Asian, Greek, Celtic, etc. folk music. Why would such a commonly used scale be associated only with slaves? Why does everything HAVE to be so "APPROPRIATE" in order to believe?

@LE3C aah I see!
PEACE!!