Guidonian hand

The Guidonian Hand was a medieval mnemonic device used to help singers learn and remember musical pitches. It visualized the notes of the musical scale mapped onto the joints and fingertips of a human hand. Singers would associate each joint or finger segment with a specific note, making it easier to recall the sequence of pitches during singing. This system was especially useful before modern notation, allowing musicians to learn melodies by visualizing the hand rather than reading sheet music. It played a key role in early music education and the development of early musical notation.