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Exploring Alternative Music Notation Systems

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AxLoMaFi
by Jai Park, 2014

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

Like the other notation systems in this group, AxLoMaFi (originally called Trine Line) places middle C on the ledger line, and E and G# on the other two lines. Whereas Clairnote, Untitled by Johannes Beyreuther, and Chromatic Lyre Notation use alternating black and white noteheads to distinguish the two whole-tone scales, AxLoMaFi instead uses noteheads whose orientation alternates: the noteheads of one whole-tone scale slant upward to the right; the others slant upward to the left. (Compare this approach to the “6-6 jazz font” and “reverse” versions of Express Stave, in which the notes of one whole-tone scale slant upward to the right, and those of the other lay flat horizontally.)

Rhythmic notation is the same as in traditional notation, including the position of the dot relative to the notehead in dotted notes. In AxLoMaFi, however, stems attach to the horizontal center of the notehead, instead of on the left or right as in traditional notation.

In the original version of this system (Trine Line), from 2014, stems that go up attach to the highest point of the notehead, and stems that go down attach to the lowest point. This is different from traditional notation, in which upward stems attach at the right of the notehead and downward stems at the left. Also, flags in Trine Line extend away from the stem in the same direction that the notehead does. For example, a single (unbeamed) eighth note whose notehead slants upward to the left will have its flag extend to the left of the stem (regardless of whether the stem goes up or down). This is different from traditional notation, in which flags extend to the right of the stem. In the revised version (AxLoMaFi), the flag’s direction is always to the right, the same as in traditional notation.

In AxLoMaFi, noteheads are optionally colored, with a different color for each pitch class.  (If this feature were not optional, AxLoMaFi would not meet Criterion 7.)

Earliest documentation: 2014 (Trine Line), 2016 (AxLoMaFi)

Source: Jai Park

Similar Notations: Panot Notation by George Skapski

Manuscript Paper: Discontinuous Staves  Continuous Staves

Example: Für Elise

→ Next Two Notation Systems →

Chromatic scale from C to C in Chromatic Twinline by Leo de Vries C C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Ab B C

Chromatic Twinline by Leo de Vries

Chromatic scale from C to C in Diatonic Twinline by Leo de Vries C C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Ab B C

Diatonic Twinline by Leo de Vries

← Previous Two Notation Systems ←

Chromatic scale from C to C in Clairnote DN by Paul Morris C C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Ab B C

Clairnote DN by Paul Morris

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

Chromatic Lyre Notation by Jan Braunstein

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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