TwinNote
From The Music Notation Project Wiki
TwinNote Music Notation by Paul Morris was (re-)designed in December of 2009 (where it was first shared on this wiki page). It was inspired and influenced by Twinline notation in its various versions by de Vries, Reed, and Keislar (as well as Bilinear notation by Sotorrio). To learn more about TwinNote, see the TwinNote Music Notation website and this page on the Music Notation Project's website.
When compared to White-Triangle Twinline (Morris' version of Twinline and previous notation of choice), TwinNote is simpler, using two note shapes, triangles pointing either up or down. The two orientations of the triangles highlight the 6-6 pitch pattern. In one whole tone scale all the triangles point upwards, and in the other they all point downwards. In a chromatic scale there is a regularly alternating pattern of triangles pointing upward and downward. This way of representing a 6-6 pitch pattern gives intervals a more clear and consistent appearance (than is found in White-Triangle Twinline notation, for example).
Contents |
Scales
Whole tone scales showing 6-6 pitch pattern:
Chromatic Scale, hollow noteheads:
C Major scale, hollow noteheads, with stems:
Chromatic Scale, solid noteheads:
C Major scale, solid noteheads, with stems:
Chromatic Scale with alternating solid and hollow noteheads. This is the Max 6-6 version that uses solid and hollow noteheads to indicate pitch rather than for rhythm notation.
Pitch-Proportionality
Below is an illustration showing that this notation system is "pitch-proportional":
The distance between the centers of any two noteheads is always proportional to the musical interval between them. See the MNP's 8th criterion for alternative notation systems: "The notation possesses a fully proportional pitch coordinate, where each of the twelve common pitches is spaced in a graphic manner, so that progressively larger pitch intervals have progressively larger spacing on the coordinate, providing a visual representation of each interval that is exactly proportional to its actual sound."
Musical Example: "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"
Here are links to some PDF files containing simple piano music for "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" in two versions of TwinNote (and with and without traditional music notation version for comparison).
Standard version that uses traditional rhythm notation:
File:Twinkle TwNt piano Tri.pdf
File:Twinkle TMN TwNt piano Tri.pdf (includes traditional music notation)
Max 6-6 version with hollow and solid notes used to indicate pitch:
File:Twinkle TwNt piano TriBW.pdf
File:Twinkle TMN TwNt piano TriBW.pdf (includes traditional music notation)
You can also listen to it here.
Interval Profile
Below is an llustration showing the complete "interval profile" (for the Max 6-6 version that uses solid and hollow noteheads to indicate pitch). You can see that the intervals in this system have a more consistent appearance compared to intervals in White-Triangle Twinline.
