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Exploring Alternative Music Notation Systems

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Express Stave, Tricolor Version
by John Keller, 2010

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

Keller prefers and recommends Express Stave: Pianoforte Notation over this tricolor version.

This is another version of Express Stave.  It uses the same notehead shapes as the “6-6 jazz font” version of Express Stave, as well as Keller’s novel clef symbols (shown on the main “Express Stave” page).  The only difference is in the notehead coloring scheme.  Whereas other versions of Express Stave use a diatonic coloring scheme, distinguishing the white and black keys of the piano, this version uses a “three-color” scheme, in which noteheads with a staff line or ledger line through them are considered as a shortcut for gray.  The three “colors” alternate in regular succession as one moves up the chromatic scale.  Thus each of the three diminished-seventh chords consists of notes that are all the same “color.”  This coloring scheme is similar to that of Roy Pertchik’s trichromatic keyboard layout and Joe Austin’s ChromaTonnetz notation.  Note that Keller prefers the 7-5 approach to notehead color, as used in his other versions of Express Stave.

Source: John Keller. Express Stave, Tricolor version introduced September 16, 2010.

Similar Notations: Express Stave, Express Stave, 6-6 Jazz Font version, Express Stave, Reverse Color version, ChromaTonnetz.

→ Next Two Notation Systems →

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

Untitled by Robert Stuckey

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

Untitled by Nicolai Dolmatov

← Previous Two Notation Systems ←

Chromatic scale from C to C in Express Stave, 6-6 Jazz Font by John Keller C C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Ab B C

Express Stave, 6-6 Jazz Font by John Keller

Chromatic scale from C to C in Express Stave, Original Version by John Keller C C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Ab B C

Express Stave, Original Version by John Keller

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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