Guido of Arezzo
In the 12th century, a development in teaching and learning music in a more efficient manner had arisen. Guido of Arezzo's alleged development of the Guidonian hand, more than a hundred years after his death, allowed for musicians to label a specific joint or fingertip with the gamut (also referred to as the hexachord in the modern era). Using specific joints of the hand and fingertips transformed the way one would learn and memorize solmization syllables. Not only did the Guidonian hand become a standard use in preparing music in the 12th century, its popularity grew more widespread well into the 17th and 18th century. The knowledge and use of the Guidonian hand would allow a musician to simply transpose, identify intervals, and aid in use of notation and the creation of new music. Musicians were able to sing and memorize longer sections of music and counterpoint during performances and the amount of time spent diminished dramatically.
Viola organista
Georg Gandi, an organist in Ilmenau, constructed a similar instrument with some improvements in 1709 and called it the "piano viol". In 1741, two inventors—Le Voir in Paris and Hohlfeld in Berlin—independently constructed versions of a "bowed piano", similar to Heyden's design. In 1754 a horsehair covering was added to the wheels of the bowed piano, which was termed the "viola da gamba" piano. Other instrument makers continued to improve the design through the remainder of the 18th and into the early 19th centuries, though it never became widespread or common.