A character for each of the seven notes. Page iv will show you best. The poetry was garnished by the great sermons and Hymn writers of earl America. Two other things that make this music special. One is that each part basically has its own melody, called polyphony.
Gospel music is written in close harmony with the melody line.
In Old Harp Tunes the music intertwines, sometimes going above or below the other parts. It makes one concentrate even harder to learn music. The Carter family and Roy Acuff were some who learned this way. Of the music itself, it has stood the test of time mostly because of the people. The music can be a dirge, a moral lesson or a sermon, depending on who is listening, who is singing.