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Exploring Alternative Music Notation Systems

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6-6 Tetragram
by Richard Parncutt, 1996

Chromatic scale from C to C. C C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Ab B C

See more scales, intervals, and melodies with the AudioVisualizer.

In Parncutt’s system the four lines are F, G, A, and B. The three spaces above and below the staff are C, D, and E. This aligns his staff with the familiar 7-5 pitch pattern so that the three spaces within the staff correspond to the group of three black keys on the piano (F#, G#, A#), and the two ledger lines correspond to the group of two black keys (C#, D#). Parncutt’s design was his modification of Albert Brennink’s design.

Earliest documentation: 1996

Source: Directory of Music Notation Proposals, section/page: 10/21, 11/3, 13/62

Similar Notations: Keyboard (or 7-5) Trigram by Richard Parncutt, Untitled by Franz Grassl, 6-6 Trigram by Richard Parncutt

Miscellaneous examples: Major Scale Comparison  Triad Comparison

Manuscript Paper: Discontinuous Staves  Continuous Staves

→ Next Two Notation Systems →

Chromatic scale from C to C in 6-6 Trigram Notation by Richard Parncutt C C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Ab B C

6-6 Trigram Notation by Richard Parncutt

Chromatic scale from C to C in Untitled by Klaus Lieber C C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Ab B C

Untitled by Klaus Lieber

← Previous Two Notation Systems ←

Chromatic scale from C to C in Notation Godjevatz by Velizar Godjevatz C C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Ab B C

Notation Godjevatz by Velizar Godjevatz

Chromatic scale from C to C in A-B Chromatic Notation by Albert Brennink C C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Ab B C

A-B Chromatic Notation by Albert Brennink

Notation System Groups

  • Lines a Whole Step Apart, 5 Lines per Octave
  • Lines a Whole Step Apart, 4 or 3 Lines per Octave
  • Lines a Whole Step Apart, 6 Lines per Octave
  • Lines a Whole Step and Major 3rd Apart, 4 per Octave
  • Lines a Minor 3rd Apart, 3 or 4 Lines per Octave
  • Lines a Major 3rd Apart, 3 Lines per Octave
  • Lines a Major 3rd Apart, 2 Lines per Octave
  • Lines a Major 3rd Apart, 2 per Octave, Compact Staff
  • Lines a Tritone Apart, 2 per Octave, or 1 Line per Octave
  • 7-5 Line Pattern, 3, 5, or 6 Lines per Octave
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