Shape notes have helped me to learn to, just about, read music after failing to make the dots into a tune for 50 years.

I suspect that my dyslexia played some part in it - when the round notes dance up and down on the stave there is no chance of sight reading.

The shapes pin the notes to their places for me, and then I have only to work out the rhythm (does that work really have no vowels?)

I vaguely remember chanting ta ah ta in music lessons, but also recall that I had no idea of why - perhaps I should now find out what it was all about.