I am a shape note singer and although Southern Gospel developed from shape note the two are very different. Shape note is polyphonic (from the Baroque think 1650 AD) but Southern Gospel is not, it is organized as chords which are presented in sequence.
Shape note is sung is at very loud levels and can be very raw even with great singers. The polyphony is not particularly predictable and you have to be attentive to the written music.
Southern Gospel is simplification of shape note and is really predictable. For many voice parts you can phone it in.
I dislike Southern Gospel although it gets much more interesting if you disregard the written harmonies and create melodies which enhance the main melody.
I also think that contemporary Christian music is terrific. I came to Jesus through CCM and we know that many others have had the same experience because we many, many emails which testify to that fact.
Now let me put on my flame suit and wait for the Southern Gospel Beserkers to attack. Lol.
No SG Berserker here, just an appreciation of the Spirit in the singing and the songs. If you found the Lord thru CCM, then all praise to Him for using that tool to bring you into the fold.
Thanks for the additional info on shape notes.
True that. A problem with Southern Gospel, as well as much modern music is the talent and skill required for its rendition. The old Singing Masters, who invented and promoted shape note, had the belief that ALL could be taught to sing.
If one looks at the songs in this old tradition, among other thing, one notices that the tonal range is seldom more that an octave and a half. And the keynote is set for the convenience of the class. Not too high for the trebles nor too low for the basses.
So yes, if you take a close look at shape note and Palestrina you can see the similarities! And if you can sing one you can sing the other.
. . . your vocal performance technique however is going to be just a LEETLE divergent . . .